Yala National Park

 

       

Yala National Park Located in the southeast of the island. Yala National Park is famous for being home to the greatest density of leopards per square kilometer in the world. Yala covers an area of 1,260 square kilometers. It is divided into five main blocks. Those are blocks 1, 2 , 3 , 4, and 5. Among those blocks, Block No. 1 is most popular because of its high wildlife density and more opportunities for leopard sightings. Block No. 2 is situated on the coastal line and water features. To access that area, visitors need to get a special permit, offering a different safari experience.

                                              Blocks No. 3 and 04 are not open to the general public. Because these areas are highly sensitive environmental areas. You can access Block No. 05 via the Galage entrance. This area is famous for birds.

                                                 

     

                                   When you visit Yala National Park Alongside leopards, there are also sloth bears, Asian elephants, deer, monkeys, buffalo, and many species of birds. There are approximately 215 bird species resident in the park, including seven endemics, along with 44 mammals.  Also, you can see their foraging , hunting, mating rituals, and sleep-wake cycles.When you visit to Block No. 5 Bird life is also highlight, and some endemics include the Sri Lanka grey hornbill, the Sri Lanka wood pigeon, the brown-capped babbler and the blue-tailed bee-eater. Also, you can see migratory birds in there. Most of the September to April period they are visiting the Yala National Park.

                                                                     When you enter the Yala National Park, you can experience many of the younger males (elephants and leopards) have grown so used to their dominance within the reserve that they ignore jeeps and visitors' views. Also, you can see endemic natural trees (palu , weera, and kaluwra) grew well in the park.

                                              

Where is Yala National Park?

Yala National Park is situated in the southeast region of Sri Lanka, over the two provinces, Hambantota and Monaragala.

The Yala National Park is quite remote, and therefore it’s almost inevitable to visit a town named Tissamaharama.

The official Yala visitor centre is around 20km east of the town, which is easily reached by joining a Yala National Park tour from Tissamaharama

You can arrange a Jeep for a visit to Yala National Park. Most of the time, the Jeep driver will guide you to get a better experience.