[2025 Moneragala Attraction] Travel Guide for Yala National Park (Updated Mar)

Yala National Park is located on the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka, covering an area of about 979 square kilometers. It is the largest national nature reserve in Sri Lanka, second only to Villepotu National Park. The park not only has a diverse ecological environment, but is also known for its numerous wildlife. Park History Designated as a protected area in 1900, it was designated a national park in 1938 along with Verapatu National Park. Yala National Park consists of five areas, only two of which are open to the public. One area is called Ruhuna National Park (Ruhuna National Park), also known as Sierra, is the main area to see leopards and elephants, where there are many tourists; another area is called Kumana National Park (Kumana National Park) , also known as East Yarra, is a prime area for bird watching. Biological resources There are wet monsoon forests, dry monsoon forests, semi-deciduous forests and tropical xerophytes, in addition to grasslands, beaches, rivers, lakes, swamps and wastelands. There are a large number of native Sri Lankan animals in the park. Groups of white-headed cranes inhabit the pond in the park. Crocodiles, peacocks and monkeys are all common animals in the park. Indian sloth bears, leopards, Asian elephants, buffaloes, wild boars, sika deer, etc. are also the objects of people's pursuit. In Yala, you can see almost all the wild animals in Sri Lanka. There are more than 30 kinds of mammals and 215 kinds of birds. Among them are the herds of wild elephants and the elusive cheetah. March-April is a good time to visit Yala National Park towards the end of the dry season, when the water level in the park is low and many animals come out to drink and forage. In the rainy season, the animals will be scattered to various places. Highlights 1 Sri Lankan Leopard Sri Lankan leopard is undoubtedly the biggest attraction. Seeing the leopard is the luck of visiting Yala. The leopard in Sri Lanka is said to be slightly different from the leopard in mainland India and is a unique breed of this region. A good time to observe leopards is from January to July each year. In Sri Lanka's safari parks, a large number of leopards can be observed. Large rocks and hills in the garden are common places for leopards to perch on branches near rocks. Aspect 2 Elephant The Runugam National Park near Yala is like an elephant passage, connecting Yala and Udawalawe National Park. Elephants migrate here from May to August. Aspect 3 Birds The birds here are very rich, from the raptor eagle to the cute little waterfowl, the hoary crane, the red river, the heron, the purple heron, the night heron and so on. They can be found in ponds and bushes in the garden. Peacocks flying with open screens and black-tailed jungle fowls, the national bird of Sri Lanka, are often seen on the roadside. Aspect 4 In the reptile zoo, there are huge crocodiles basking in the sun everywhere in the swamps and reservoirs, as well as lizards, small chameleons and poisonous snakes. Scenic tours - tour time General tourists' tours can be divided into three types: one is a half-day tour, starting from Tissa Hotel at 5:30, arriving at the park after an hour's drive, starting a half-day tour, and generally returning at 11:00-11:30 ; another evening tour around 15:00-18:30; and a full day tour from 5:30 to 18:30. Scenic tours - tourist vehicles can only take jeeps when entering Yala National Park. For safety reasons, you cannot get off the bus without authorization during the visit. Nearby Tissamaharama has many local tour companies offering safari trips. Most tourists book a chartered itinerary the day before, and the driver will lead the tour after entering the park. To avoid danger, they can only get off the bus in the specified area on the way. Although the road in the park is very difficult to walk, and the path through the dense forest is very bumpy, the fresh air and the eye-catching woods make you feel relaxed and happy. Scenic tours - viewing skills