Yala National Park’s wild mosaic of coast, forest and rock

Yala National Park in Sri Lanka’s south-east stretches from the scrublands inland towards the Indian Ocean, combining low forest, lagoons and rocky ridges in a single landscape. From the safari jeeps that leave Tissamaharama, visitors move through dry plains and salt-sweet coastal air into a protected area that was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 and became a national park in 1938.

A coastal wilderness shaped by land and sea

Yala lies in the Southern and Uva provinces, its terrain running down to beaches where the Indian Ocean meets the edge of the park.Yala lies in the Southern and Uva provinces Inland from the shore, the land is mainly flat, broken by granite outcrops that rise above the scrub and grassland.granite outcrops that rise above the scrub

The protected area covers close to 1,000 square kilometres (about 380 sq mi) when all its blocks are counted together, making it one of Sri Lanka’s largest continuous tracts of dry-zone habitat.covers an area of 978.8 sq km Within that area, shallow lakes and man-made tanks punctuate the bush, attracting herds of grazing animals and flocks of waterbirds in the long dry spells between the rains.tanks and lagoons punctuate the bush

From Ruhuna kingdom to twentieth-century national park

The landscape now protected as Yala formed part of the ancient Ruhuna kingdom, an area with Buddhist monasteries and irrigation works that date back to the first millennium BC.part of the ancient Ruhuna kingdom Under British colonial rule, parts of this terrain were used as hunting grounds before being brought under legal protection.

In 1900 the colonial administration created a wildlife sanctuary here, one of the earliest such designations on the island.designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 On 1 March 1938 the area was reclassified as a national park, known formally as Ruhuna National Park, with additional blocks added over the decades to form the present network of protected zones.declared a National Park on 1 March 1938

Leopards, elephants and birds in a dry-zone mosaic

Yala’s dry forests and open clearings support a dense concentration of wildlife, including Sri Lankan elephants, sloth bears, wild buffalo and axis deer, all moving between scrub, grassland and waterholes.Sri Lankan elephants, sloth bears, wild buffalo and axis deer The park is particularly associated with leopards, especially in Block I, where sightings of this predator are reported more frequently than in many other protected areas.Block 1 renowned internationally as one of the best places to observe leopards

Birdlife is abundant, with more than 200 species recorded, from painted storks and lesser adjutants around the tanks to bee-eaters, drongos and hornbills in the woodland.home to 44 varieties of mammal and 215 bird species The mixture of permanent water, seasonal pools and dry scrub supports different communities of animals within short distances, giving a safari in Yala a patchwork quality as vehicles move from open plains to dense thicket and out again to lagoon edges.

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

• Yala National Park lies south-east of Tissamaharama in Sri Lanka’s Southern Province, with main access roads running towards the Palatupana and Katagamuwa entrances on the park’s western side.
• The terrain inside the park is largely flat but uneven, with sandy tracks, rocky stretches and shallow fords that are traversed by four-wheel-drive vehicles rather than standard cars.
• Safaris usually involve long periods in open or semi-open vehicles under strong sun, so visitors experience heat, dust and occasional splashes when crossing puddles or shallow streams.
• The official language is Sinhala and the currency is the Sri Lankan rupee.
• 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

Where is Yala National Park?

Yala National Park lies in south-eastern Sri Lanka, mainly within the Southern and Uva provinces, with access routes running from the town of Tissamaharama.

What should visitors expect on a safari in Yala?

Visitors travel by four-wheel-drive vehicle along sandy, rutted tracks through dry forest, grassland and lagoons, with long stretches exposed to sun, dust and occasional spray.

What makes Yala National Park distinctive among Sri Lanka’s parks?

Yala combines Indian Ocean shoreline, dry scrub and rocky outcrops with a high density of visible large mammals, particularly leopards, within a single extensive protected area.