Safari Experience
Our professional naturalists at Leopard Safaris will take you on an unforgettable experience
at Yala National Park, Sri Lanka’s premier game reserve.
We have been operating our professional safari tours founded by environmentalist
Noel Rodrigo since 2006, with upmost respect for the flora & fauna inhabiting the
National Parks. We believe in minimal animal disturbance on our wild Safari Tours.
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Promising an incomparable experience in the wild, you’ll safari daily aboard our
Toyota Land Cruisers, customized for your comfort. Our excursions are in the cooler
hours of the morning and late afternoon when the chances of spotting wildlife are at
their best.
Our guides know the parks inside out and will take you to the best spots for spotting
elephants, leopards, crocodiles and sloth bears.
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Our four-wheel drive jeeps are geared for all terrains, and have been designed to
maximize wildlife viewing in absolute comfort. They are also incredibly practical.
Each is equipped with a cool box of refreshments and snacks, along with binoculars and
wildlife field guides. We also have photographic equipment including battery
charging facilities, camera support points, bean bags and arm clamps.
Yala National Park is located in the Southeast of Sri Lanka and borders the Indian Ocean to the East.
With its 979 square kilometers (97,881 hectares or 379 square miles), it is Sri Lanka’s second largest National Park. Due to its size and location on the island Yala offers a wide variety of habitats such as dry zones, rivers, lagoons, forest, rocky outcrops, and shore line and therefore boasts a high diversity of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and plant species.
Yala is divided into 5 blocks, each block has a different name and can be visited with individual permits. Generally when talking about ‘Yala National Park’ people are referring to Block I (Ruhuna National Park) which is where most safaris happen, and is famous for having one of the highest densities of leopards in the world. Block I has 2 entrances – the main entrance (Palatupana) near Tissamaharama and the quieter back entrance (Katagamuwa) near Kataragama.
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We are conveniently located only 3km from the Katagamuwa entrance (back entrance to Block I). This is a quieter entrance to the national park, ensuring less disturbance and more visibility of the vast range of flora & fauna. Alternatively, we can use the main Galge entrance (Black III, IV, V) only 30 minutes away.
Yala National Park
Widely acknowledged as the Leopard capital of the world, Sri Lanka is the place for seeking out this rare creature, as well as an exciting range of other wildlife. In Sri Lanka leopards are the apex predators, with no real competition for food. This means they are generally not shy and you can even find leopards walking along the road during daytime, or simply escaping from the heat by sleeping relaxed on a shady tree.
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Mammals
Leopard, Sloth Bear, Elephant, Water Buffalo, Samba, and Spotted Deer, Toque Macaque & Grey Langur Monkey, Wild Boar, Mongoose, Jackal, Golden Palm Civet, Fishing Cat, Black-Naped Hare and others.
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Reptiles
Mugger Crocodile, Saltwater Crocodile, Land Monitor, Lizard, Green Vine Snake, Indian Cobra, Tortoise, Rock Python, Rat Snake & Cat Snake, Freshwater Terrapin, and much more.
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Birds
In Sri Lanka, 520 species have been recorded. 34 species are endemic and can be seen in Yala National Park. On your Safari Tour you are like to see: Indian Peacock, Bee-eater, Sea Eagle, Serpent Eagle, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Painted Stork, Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Black-necked Stork, and seven species of King Fishers.
What can I see?
Weather
Sri Lanka’s diverse seasons are equally alluring and ensure that a stay with Leopard Safaris is
rewarding at any time of the year.
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Sri Lanka is tempered by two monsoons (north-east and south-west), which affect the island at
opposing times of the year. During the monsoon season the parks are beautifully lush – the trees
are in full blossom, mornings are cool and dewy, and birds migrating here from overseas contribute
to the parks’ rich birdlife.
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This is also a wonderful time of the year to see Sri Lanka’s elephants. Conversely, in the dry season,
when many waterholes dry up and the browning bush dies back, the chances of viewing big game
are highest. In between seasons, you can enjoy the best of both worlds so no two visits to our safari
camps in Sri Lanka are ever the same!
Click to see Yala's weatherforcast
