Yala National Park reopens bungalows on 1 November

Yala National Park in Sri Lanka, near Tissamaharama, is due to reopen its tourist bungalows and campsites on 1 November 2026 after a drought-related closure. The accommodation date follows the planned return of safari access to Blocks 1 and 2 on 16 October 2026.

Yala National Park sets 1 November for overnight stays

Tourist bungalows and campsites inside the park are scheduled to reopen on 1 November 2026, according to Yala National Park Keeper A.T.R. Ravinda Kumara. The accommodation date gives visitors a separate milestone from the reopening of daytime safari areas, which was announced for 16 October 2026.

The affected visitor areas had been closed from 14 September to 15 October 2026 because of severe drought. The closure also allowed authorities to carry out repairs and maintenance on the park road network. The reopening report from Daily FT identifies Yala as being in the Tissamaharama area.

The reopening separates safari access from accommodation

The park’s operator says Blocks 1 and 2 were set to reopen on 16 October 2026, while Blocks 3, 4, 5 and 6 remained open throughout the pause. This creates a phased return: daytime wildlife visits were scheduled first, while overnight accommodation follows on 1 November 2026.

That sequence matters for travellers planning a stay inside the reserve. A visitor arriving before 1 November 2026 may have access to the reopened safari areas but cannot use the tourist bungalows or campsites covered by the accommodation announcement. The park operator’s reopening notice also records the continuing access of Blocks 3, 4, 5 and 6.

A 1938 national park near Sri Lanka’s south-east coast

Yala National Park became a national park on 1 March 1938. Its official site lists an area of 378 square miles, equivalent to about 979 square kilometres, and places the reserve 260 kilometres south-east of Colombo.

The operator identifies Palatupana and Katagamuwa as entry points and lists Kataragama as the nearest city. These details connect the 1 November accommodation date with the practical geography of the reserve: overnight facilities are inside a large protected landscape, while the surrounding visitor network is linked to towns in southern Sri Lanka.

The 2026 closure therefore affected a specific part of the visitor offer rather than removing every route into the park. The accommodation reopening is the next clearly stated change for travellers who want to stay within the reserve instead of visiting only for a safari drive.

Visiting Yala National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Tourist bungalows and campsites inside Yala National Park are scheduled to reopen on 1 November 2026.
• Blocks 1 and 2 were scheduled to resume visitor access on 16 October 2026 after the closure from 14 September to 15 October 2026; Blocks 3, 4, 5 and 6 remained open.
• The park is near Tissamaharama in south-eastern Sri Lanka, with Palatupana and Katagamuwa listed as entry points and Kataragama identified as the nearest city.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Yala National Park

When do the bungalows reopen at Yala National Park?

Tourist bungalows and campsites are scheduled to reopen on 1 November 2026.

What changed at Yala National Park in October 2026?

Blocks 1 and 2 were scheduled to reopen on 16 October 2026 after a drought-related closure, while the accommodation reopening was set for 1 November 2026.

Where is Yala National Park and how do you get there?

The park is in south-eastern Sri Lanka near Tissamaharama. Its listed entry points are Palatupana and Katagamuwa, with Kataragama identified as the nearest city.