Things to do & places to visit in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

There are many different reasons to add Yala National Park to your must-see list: the chance to go on safari and see a wild boar or majestic Sri Lankan leopard, the winding trails, and the fact that in some places the park even touches the Indian Ocean. However, two of the most popular reasons to visit are Sithulpauwwa, a Buddhist rock temple, and Magul Maha Viharaya, where folklore says an ancient king wed an abandoned princess. The history and artifacts found here transport you back to those ancient times.

Yala National Park #11 destination in Sri Lanka 2023. The average rating score is 4.55 based on 1.340 traveler reviews, of 27 attractions. Timezone: Asia/Colombo, current date and time: Monday, May 06, 2024, 1:33.

Yala National Park Weather Statistics view more »

General weather summary in May

86°F - 78°F

Temperature Highs - Lows

Pleasantly warm and breezy

Feels like

67%

Chance of rain

331.0 millimeters

Amount

15.7 mph

Wind speed

84%

Humidity

12.4

Daylight length

5:48 AM

Sunrise

6:12 PM

Sunset

24%

Cloud cover

Sleeveless shirt, rain coat and rain boots

What to wear

Top things to do (16)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Yala Nisha Safari (122 reviews)
- A lot of animals in a beautiful settings of the Sri Lankan jungle
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Safaris • Nature & Wildlife Tours

Very nice experience, a lot of animals to see ( 2 x Leopard, crocodiles, a lot of elephants, boars, mongoose, langur monkeys, all kind of birds, colorful storks, kingfishers, hornbill birds and many many more). The guide had a broad knowledge about the jungle and explained everything we asked about. The only thing we would advice against is a full day option (14 hours). The ride is exhausting and very bumpy, so half day morning is absolutely enough. During the ride you can not go out of the jeep so must be patient. See more..
5.0 Bigcat Safari Yala (93 reviews)
- Full Day Safari in Yala National Park with Big Cat Safari
Safaris • Nature & Wildlife Tours

Went on a whole day !!! Went on a whole day safari with Big Cat Safari in 3rd January 2022 and really enjoyed it. Safari driver was very polite, punctual, well informed and seemed like enjoying to guide us around! We were the among the first Jeeps to go into the park and pretty much the last ones to leave. He tried until the very last minute to find a leopard and he was successful, even though all of us accepted that we would not see one that day. Both Breakfast and lunch were good. Highly recommend!! See more..
5.0 Spotting Trails (82 reviews)
- BEAUTIFUL SAFARI!!
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours • Safaris • Nature & Wildlife Tours

We had a great experience with Hindu! We took the full day safari, and during the morning we saw many animals! Leopards, elephants, bears, foxes, crocodiles and many exotic birds (pictures). During the afternoon we enjoy the beautiful views of the yala national park. Hindu is very knowledgeable, with him we learned a lot about the animals. He made a great effort in spotting the animals and a lot of good moves for us to see the animals up close. I highly recommend this safari. Also, we had a delicious lunch that he served us on the beach with the fishermen. See more..
5.0 Best Of Yala (77 reviews)
- Great Safai
4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours • Safaris • Taxis & Shuttles • Eco Tours • Private Tours • Nature & Wildlife Tours • Photography Tours • Day Trips

We had a four hour safari. Saw wild elephants, deer, crocodiles, boars, land monitors, beautiful birds, and more. We did not see leopards, but they have about 100 of them in the park, but the park had been closed for three months and just opened. Hard to say if the leopards are not coming out. Others had seen a few but we missed that. See more..
5.0 Taxi Yala (37 reviews)
- Tissa Tank Waterdrome pick-up to Chena Huts
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent More than 3 hours Taxis & Shuttles

Taxi yala is inside yala national park and outside ,tissamaharama, katharagama, kirinda ,weerawila area lowest price taxi service. We provide Airport transfer taxi services (One way transfers or return transfers) through out the country from Colombo Airport / Katunayaka airport to yala and any destination in Sri Lanka . We offer a 24x 7 days a week service at unbelievable rates while transporting you in our luxury fleet of taxi vehicles which can accommodate any number of passenger capacity .Our fleet of vehicles consist of Cars , Luxury kdh Vans, share taxi ,with private unmarked Taxi / Cabs . See more..
5.0 Wildlife Tours Sri Lanka (5 reviews)
- nice
Safaris • Nature & Wildlife Tours

saw leopards, pigs ,dears and lots of other animals .the guides were kind and friendly. the jeep was clean See more..
5.0 Yala Safari Service (4 reviews)
- Leopards & more
Monday: 4:00 AM - 11:00 PM 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours • Safaris • Private Tours • Nature & Wildlife Tours • Day Trips

We had an amazing morning at Yala and saw so many animals. We were lucky enough to see a leopard with her two cubs which was incredible to see. Dilantha was really committed to finding the leopards! We also saw elephants, buffalo, two groups of warthogs fighting, crocodiles, deer, jackals, monkeys and lots of birds. Dilantha knows Yala really well and where the animals are likely to be found. He also arranged for us to be collected from our hotel in Udawalawe in time for a morning safari in Yala and was flexible with the booking too. Highly recommended! See more..
5.0 Taxi yala (1 review)
- Colombo to wild coast and back
Multi-day Tours • Taxis & Shuttles • Private Tours • Day Trips

Excellent service from Colombo airport to wild coast tented lodge hotel and on the way back too. Good driver and clean car. Would recomend See more..
5.0 Yala Safari (1 review)
- Superervaring
Monday: 3:00 AM - 11:30 PM 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours • Safaris • Nature & Wildlife Tours

Wij hebben het geluk gehad net die dag (11 januari) 6 luipaarden te spotten, 1 neusbeer (er zijn er slechts een 12tal in Yala) en veel olifanten, waterbuffels, mooie vogels en nog veel meer See more..
5.0 Yala Safari Team / Jeep Safari in Yala National Park (1 review)
- Amazing
Spent More than 3 hours Safaris

We will be providing a private safari jeep for you. Driver will come and pick you up from your hotel in Kataragama. Time - 5.30 am to 11.00 am The whole journey will take 5 hours including hotel pick up and drop. You will also get time enjoy the Yala Beach - "Sky above, sand below, peace within" If you need any further details, feel free to ask anytime. Have a nice day! See more..
5.0 Yala Nisha Safari (122 reviews)
- A lot of animals in a beautiful settings of the Sri Lankan jungle
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Safaris • Nature & Wildlife Tours

Very nice experience, a lot of animals to see ( 2 x Leopard, crocodiles, a lot of elephants, boars, mongoose, langur monkeys, all kind of birds, colorful storks, kingfishers, hornbill birds and many many more). The guide had a broad knowledge about the jungle and explained everything we asked about. The only thing we would advice against is a full day option (14 hours). The ride is exhausting and very bumpy, so half day morning is absolutely enough. During the ride you can not go out of the jeep so must be patient. See more..
5.0 Bigcat Safari Yala (93 reviews)
- Full Day Safari in Yala National Park with Big Cat Safari
Safaris • Nature & Wildlife Tours

Went on a whole day !!! Went on a whole day safari with Big Cat Safari in 3rd January 2022 and really enjoyed it. Safari driver was very polite, punctual, well informed and seemed like enjoying to guide us around! We were the among the first Jeeps to go into the park and pretty much the last ones to leave. He tried until the very last minute to find a leopard and he was successful, even though all of us accepted that we would not see one that day. Both Breakfast and lunch were good. Highly recommend!! See more..
5.0 Spotting Trails (82 reviews)
- BEAUTIFUL SAFARI!!
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours • Safaris • Nature & Wildlife Tours

We had a great experience with Hindu! We took the full day safari, and during the morning we saw many animals! Leopards, elephants, bears, foxes, crocodiles and many exotic birds (pictures). During the afternoon we enjoy the beautiful views of the yala national park. Hindu is very knowledgeable, with him we learned a lot about the animals. He made a great effort in spotting the animals and a lot of good moves for us to see the animals up close. I highly recommend this safari. Also, we had a delicious lunch that he served us on the beach with the fishermen. See more..
5.0 Taxi Yala (37 reviews)
- Tissa Tank Waterdrome pick-up to Chena Huts
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent More than 3 hours Taxis & Shuttles

Taxi yala is inside yala national park and outside ,tissamaharama, katharagama, kirinda ,weerawila area lowest price taxi service. We provide Airport transfer taxi services (One way transfers or return transfers) through out the country from Colombo Airport / Katunayaka airport to yala and any destination in Sri Lanka . We offer a 24x 7 days a week service at unbelievable rates while transporting you in our luxury fleet of taxi vehicles which can accommodate any number of passenger capacity .Our fleet of vehicles consist of Cars , Luxury kdh Vans, share taxi ,with private unmarked Taxi / Cabs . See more..
5.0 Yala Safari Team / Jeep Safari in Yala National Park (1 review)
- Amazing
Spent More than 3 hours Safaris

We will be providing a private safari jeep for you. Driver will come and pick you up from your hotel in Kataragama. Time - 5.30 am to 11.00 am The whole journey will take 5 hours including hotel pick up and drop. You will also get time enjoy the Yala Beach - "Sky above, sand below, peace within" If you need any further details, feel free to ask anytime. Have a nice day! See more..
4.5 Shehan Safari (360 reviews)
- Lovely full service safari experience
Monday: 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM Safaris • Nature & Wildlife Tours

We booked our tour very convenient via WhatsApp after I discovered their website. We agreed on a price, discussed pick up and drop off point, I got a payment link sent and all was done very easily. We did the booking a month ahead of our travel to Sri Lanka and everything worked out perfectly. The driver picked us up super on time at our hotel in Ella, drove us to the national park, waited there for us and dropped us off at our hotel close to Tangalle. At the national park, a jeep with tour guide already waited for us and we directly started our safari. Our guide was amazing, he tried his very best to show and explain to us everything we were able to see and what we asked. It was an experience we will never forget and can totally recommend to book this tour with Shehan Safari. See more..
4.5 Buduruwagala (232 reviews)
- Has historical value
Monuments & Statues

Buduruwagala is located 5km south of Wellawaya. Literally it means images of Buddha. The complex consists of seven statues and belongs to the Mahayana school of thought. The statues date back to 10 century AD. The gigantic Buddha statue still bears traces of its original stuccoed robe and a long streak of orange suggests it was once brightly painted. The central of the three figures to the Buddha's right is thought to be the Buddhist mythological figure-the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. To the left of this white painted figure is a female figure in the thrice-bent posture, which is thought to be his consort-Tara. See more..
4.5 Okanda Devalaya (32 reviews)
- Okanda Devalaya
Points of Interest & Landmarks

Which is a Temple of great divine power and the Okanda Devalaya Once a year in February, the annual feast of the temple brings the hustle and bustle of a big city to its doorstep. Thousands of pilgrims with families converge to the temple and settle down under the trees around the compound. As they come, rows of temporary boutiques and shops will mushroom in the vicinity of the temple. Tamil devotee songs pour out continuously from the loud speakers fixed to the trees around the temple. As the feast ends after a couples of weeks all this bee hive of activity disappears and the temple falls asleep again See more..
4.5 Imperial Safari Jeep Tour (28 reviews)
- Recommend !
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours • Safaris • Nature & Wildlife Tours

Perfect day. We got picked up from our hotel, the day was very long but worth the drive. We saw lots elephants which was amazing. See more..
4.5 Yala Safari Tours (23 reviews)
- Awesome Yala safari with amazing driver
Spent 2-3 hours Safaris

We are organizing safari trips to Yala National Park with two timings to choose from, one in the morning from 5.30am-10am, and the other one in the evening from 2.30pm-6pm. We offer services such as pick-up and drop-off to and from the hotel at your selected date. You are also able to catch sightings of different sorts of animals such as leopards, elephants, sloth bears, birds etc. See more..
4.5 Sasindu Safari Jeep Tours (19 reviews)
- Excellent service
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Safaris • Private Tours • Nature & Wildlife Tours • Day Trips

We went to yala safari by sasafari jeep tours . Their services is excellent. We ware got most good experience in that tour.. See more..
4.5 Kebiliththa - Siyambalawa devalaya (4 reviews)
- A very sacred place
Spent More than 3 hours Religious Sites

This is highly religious and sacred place. Kebiliththa (Kabiliththa, Kebaliththa) also known as “Siyambalawa devalaya” is considered a very sacred place among both Buddhists and Hindus. Devotees of God Katharagama come to visit this place and get blessings of God throughout the year. Nowadays with the advancement of technology, more people get to know about this sacred place, thus Kebiliththa also attracts visitors from many parts of the world. See more..
4.5 Shehan Safari (360 reviews)
- Lovely full service safari experience
Monday: 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM Safaris • Nature & Wildlife Tours

We booked our tour very convenient via WhatsApp after I discovered their website. We agreed on a price, discussed pick up and drop off point, I got a payment link sent and all was done very easily. We did the booking a month ahead of our travel to Sri Lanka and everything worked out perfectly. The driver picked us up super on time at our hotel in Ella, drove us to the national park, waited there for us and dropped us off at our hotel close to Tangalle. At the national park, a jeep with tour guide already waited for us and we directly started our safari. Our guide was amazing, he tried his very best to show and explain to us everything we were able to see and what we asked. It was an experience we will never forget and can totally recommend to book this tour with Shehan Safari. See more..
4.5 Buduruwagala (232 reviews)
- Has historical value
Monuments & Statues

Buduruwagala is located 5km south of Wellawaya. Literally it means images of Buddha. The complex consists of seven statues and belongs to the Mahayana school of thought. The statues date back to 10 century AD. The gigantic Buddha statue still bears traces of its original stuccoed robe and a long streak of orange suggests it was once brightly painted. The central of the three figures to the Buddha's right is thought to be the Buddhist mythological figure-the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. To the left of this white painted figure is a female figure in the thrice-bent posture, which is thought to be his consort-Tara. See more..
4.5 Okanda Devalaya (32 reviews)
- Okanda Devalaya
Points of Interest & Landmarks

Which is a Temple of great divine power and the Okanda Devalaya Once a year in February, the annual feast of the temple brings the hustle and bustle of a big city to its doorstep. Thousands of pilgrims with families converge to the temple and settle down under the trees around the compound. As they come, rows of temporary boutiques and shops will mushroom in the vicinity of the temple. Tamil devotee songs pour out continuously from the loud speakers fixed to the trees around the temple. As the feast ends after a couples of weeks all this bee hive of activity disappears and the temple falls asleep again See more..
4.5 Imperial Safari Jeep Tour (28 reviews)
- Recommend !
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours • Safaris • Nature & Wildlife Tours

Perfect day. We got picked up from our hotel, the day was very long but worth the drive. We saw lots elephants which was amazing. See more..
4.5 Yala Safari Tours (23 reviews)
- Awesome Yala safari with amazing driver
Spent 2-3 hours Safaris

We are organizing safari trips to Yala National Park with two timings to choose from, one in the morning from 5.30am-10am, and the other one in the evening from 2.30pm-6pm. We offer services such as pick-up and drop-off to and from the hotel at your selected date. You are also able to catch sightings of different sorts of animals such as leopards, elephants, sloth bears, birds etc. See more..
4.5 Sasindu Safari Jeep Tours (19 reviews)
- Excellent service
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Safaris • Private Tours • Nature & Wildlife Tours • Day Trips

We went to yala safari by sasafari jeep tours . Their services is excellent. We ware got most good experience in that tour.. See more..
4.5 Kebiliththa - Siyambalawa devalaya (4 reviews)
- A very sacred place
Spent More than 3 hours Religious Sites

This is highly religious and sacred place. Kebiliththa (Kabiliththa, Kebaliththa) also known as “Siyambalawa devalaya” is considered a very sacred place among both Buddhists and Hindus. Devotees of God Katharagama come to visit this place and get blessings of God throughout the year. Nowadays with the advancement of technology, more people get to know about this sacred place, thus Kebiliththa also attracts visitors from many parts of the world. See more..
4.0 Yala Safari Holidays - Private Game Drives (124 reviews)
- Beautiful, saw leopards, but park is poorly maintained.
Safaris • Private Tours

We had an amazing experience, our safari track was very good (we hired it for 2 half morning day trips), only us in the truck (for 42dollars a day). On our first day we saw leopard cub and mother, elephant from far away and some birds, lots of crocodiles, second day we saw a leopard, which was right in front of our safari track! Beautiful, majestic animal! Talking to locals it is not very often you see leopard. There are too many trucks in the park! /i had a feeling animal get disturbed to much, that's why you don't see them often and a lot. They charge fair amount of money upon entry (more than we pay back home!) , but it is poorly maintained, or i would say not maintained at all! Trash is every where, no washrooms, no trash-beans (even at the main gate washrooms are in terrible condition!), shoreline is full of litter that has not been cleaned for ages, "picnic area" is covered in litter, such a shame! Judging by amount of tourists they have every day they should of done better job! See more..