Visiting Yala National Park is an experience of epic proportions that brings you up close and personal with the untamed world of wildlife. Whether you are an avid nature lover or visiting a wildlife park for the first time: if you come here with a mind that’s eager to explore and learn, you will go away with a new-found meaning to life.
Yala combines a strict nature reserve with a national park. Divided into 5 blocks, the park has a protected area of nearly 130,000 hectares of land consisting of light forests, sccrubs, grasslands, tanks and lagoons. Two blocks are currently opened to the public.
Situated in Sri Lanka’s south-east hugging the panoramic Indian Ocean, Yala was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 and was designated a national park in 1938. Yala is home to 44 varieties of mammal and 215 bird species. Among its more famous residents are the world’s biggest concentration of leopards, majestic elephants, sloth bears, sambars, jackals, spotted dear, peacocks and crocodiles. The best time to visit Yala is between February and July when the water levels of the park are quite low, bringing animals into the open.
There are four gates to the Park. Gates at Palatupana and Katagamuwa leading to Blocks 1 & 2 remain the most visited. However, the two Gates at Galge on the Buttala-Kataragama Road, covering Blocks 3 & 5 are becoming known among visitors who do not want to contribute to congestion. There are reports of frequent sightings of leopards on these routes, too.If you are traveling on the Buttala-Kataragama Road, watch out for wild animals, especially elephants. This road literally runs through the park and some elephants are in the habit of soliciting fruits from motorists by standing across the road, allowing passage once appeased.
| Location | 260km South East of Colombo |
| Entry points | Gate1: Katagamuwa
Gate 2: Palatupana Gate 3 & 4: Galge |
| Aver. Temperature | 26.4 °C (79.5 °F) |
| Climate | Dry most of the year |
| Nearest city | Kataragama |
| Distance to nearest city | 25km – 30 minutes drive |
| Best time to visit | June to September |
| Open hours | 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Coordinates | 6°22’22N 81°31’01E |
| Made a Park in | 1st March 1938 |
| Distance from Kataragama to: | Katagamuwa Entrance: 14Km Palatupana Entrance: 41Km Galge Entrance: 18Km |
| Distance from Buttala to: | Galge Entrance: 25Km |
| Nearest Hospital: | Debarawewa Government Hospital |
| Head office: | Open from 9am to 6pm |
The above rates are for 1 jeep and the group can include up to 6 people for this cost. The rate is for Block 1 main entrance.
The above is the base ticket price. Taxes will also be added to the total bill. The amount should be paid in LKR, which may vary as per exchange rate. The service charge also means the higher the number of individuals in a jeep, the lesser the amount of the ticket price.
More details: http://www.dwc.gov.lk/Aoldsite/index.php/en/park-fees
More information about Yala National Park www.yalasrilanka.lk