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Deep south

Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama)

Yala National Park costs about $36 per foreign adult when two share a jeep (Department of Wildlife Conservation fee schedule, checked 7 Nov 2026). Plan 2 nights here, and the good months are Feb to Jul. Yala is 278 km from Bandaranaike International Airport, about 4 h 15 min by road, and is known for leopards, elephants and sloth bears.

Add Yala to a tripHotels and rates
Sri Lankan leopard looking back at the camera at the edge of a sandy track, Yala National Park
Sri Lankan leopard on a safari track, Yala National ParkPhoto: Sachin Kaveesha Fernando via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
At a glanceThings to doSights and feesActivitiesDay toursToursHotelsGetting there

At a glance

Yala's Block 1 is often said to have one of the highest leopard densities recorded anywhere, along with elephants, sloth bears and crocodiles. Tissamaharama is the hotel town, 30 to 40 minutes from the Palatupana gate; Kataragama, the pilgrimage town, is 25 to 30 minutes away. Leopards are seen on some drives, not all, and Block 1 is known for jeep jams at sightings. The main blocks usually close for part of September and October.

Usual stay2 nights
Good monthsFeb to Jul
From the airport278 kmAbout 4 h 15 min by road
Hotels from$23Double room a night, breakfast included, lowest season at a standard we can name a hotel for

Month by month

  • Good month
  • A real drawback: heavy rain, rough sea or a park closure
  • Blank: neither

Months with a real drawback: Sep to Nov.

Who it suits

  • Wildlife lovers and photographers
  • Families with children over about 6
  • Anyone linking the hills to the south coast

The downsides

  • The main blocks usually close for several weeks in September and October (2026: 14 September to 15 October), and November is the wettest month. If your dates fall in a closure we offer Block 5, Udawalawe, Bundala or Lunugamvehera and show any price difference. You decide.
  • Block 1 is notorious for jeep traffic jams and speeding at sightings; leopards are seen on some drives, not all.
  • Dusty and bumpy, with safaris starting at about 05:30.
  • Sloth bears are seen most around May to July when the palu trees fruit.
Lake with dead trees and Elephant Rock outcrop on the horizon, Yala National Park
Elephant Rock seen across a lake in Yala National ParkPhoto: Nimesha Patabendige via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Elephant and calf walking along a red sand track between green trees in Yala National Park
Elephant and calf on a track, Yala National ParkPhoto: Charles J. Sharp via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Things to do in Yala

  • Dawn and afternoon jeep safaris in Block 1 from Palatupana or Katagamuwa
  • Block 5 from Galge, which is quieter
  • Full-day safari with a packed lunch
  • Bundala National Park for birds
  • Kataragama evening puja at about 18:30
  • Sithulpawwa rock temple
  • Tissa Wewa and the Tissamaharama dagoba
  • Kirinda temple on the coast

Sights and entrance fees

Fees last checked 7 November 2026. Tickets are in the price of a tour when its itinerary lists them. Rupee fees converted at LKR 332.5 to USD 1 (XE mid-market rate, 6 Nov 2026). Entrance fees for Sri Lankan residents differ. Message us and we price them for you.

National parkAbout 3 h 30 min on site

Yala National Park

A large park on the south-east coast. Block 1 is often described as having one of the highest leopard densities recorded, though we have not seen an official figure. It also has elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles and a long list of birds, with lagoons and rock outcrops running down to the sea. Leopards are seen on some drives, not all. Block 1 is also known for jeep crowds at sightings, and Blocks 1 and 2 usually close for several weeks in September and October (in 2026, 14 September to 15 October).

$71.86 for two adults

Park ticket USD 25 per adult and USD 15 per child aged 6 to 12 (SAARC passports USD 20 and 10), plus USD 10 service charge and LKR 300 vehicle fee per jeep, all plus 18% VAT. Two adults sharing a jeep pay about USD 72 in park fees. Jeep hire is priced separately. Block 2 carries an extra LKR 5,000 per group.

Hours: Daily 6.00 am to 6.00 pm; ticket counters 6.00 am to 4.00 pm; all vehicles out by 6.00 pm.

  • February to July is best for leopards; sloth bears are most often seen in May to July when the palu trees fruit.
  • Dawn drives give the best chance. Afternoon drives are hotter and dustier but can be good near water.
  • Block 5 (Galge gate) is quieter than Block 1 with fewer sightings. Ask us which suits you.
  • If your dates fall in a closure we offer Block 5, Udawalawe, Bundala or Lunugamvehera and show any price difference. You decide.

Sources

Painted stork wading through shallow brown water among reeds in Bundala National Park
National parkAbout 3 h on site

Bundala National Park

A coastal wetland park of lagoons, salt pans and dunes west of Yala, listed under the Ramsar convention for its birds. Flamingos and migrant waders arrive from about November to March; crocodiles, elephants and monkeys are resident. It is cheaper and far quieter than Yala and the right choice for birdwatchers or for a day when Yala is closed.

$41.18 for two adults

Park ticket USD 12 per adult and USD 6 per child aged 6 to 12 (SAARC passports USD 10 and 5), plus USD 10 service charge and LKR 300 vehicle fee per jeep, all plus 18% VAT. Two adults sharing a jeep pay about USD 41 in park fees. Jeep hire is priced separately.

Hours: Daily 6.00 am to 6.00 pm; ticket counters 6.00 am to 4.00 pm; all vehicles out by 6.00 pm.

  • Go early; the lagoons glare by mid-morning.
  • Bring binoculars. Most of what you see is birds at a distance.
  • Elephants are seen on some drives, not all.

Sources

Herd of wild elephants grazing on grass beside Minneriya reservoir with low hills behind
National parkAbout 3 h on site

Lunugamvehera National Park

A park around the Lunugamvehera reservoir north-west of Yala, a corridor for elephants between Yala and Udawalawe. It is charged at the same rate as Yala but has far fewer visitors and fewer sightings. Mainly used as an alternative when Yala's main blocks are closed.

$71.86 for two adults

Park ticket USD 25 per adult and USD 15 per child aged 6 to 12 (SAARC passports USD 20 and 10), plus USD 10 service charge and LKR 300 vehicle fee per jeep, all plus 18% VAT. Two adults sharing a jeep pay about USD 72 in park fees. Jeep hire is priced separately.

Hours: Daily 6.00 am to 6.00 pm; ticket counters 6.00 am to 4.00 pm; all vehicles out by 6.00 pm.

  • Elephants and water birds are the usual sightings; leopards are rare here.
  • Afternoon drives towards the reservoir are the better bet.

Sources

Activities in and around Yala

Prices are for the activity only unless the card says a vehicle is included. Last checked 7 November 2026.

  • Sri Lankan leopard looking back at the camera at the edge of a sandy track, Yala National Park

    Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama) · about 5 hours

    Yala morning safari (private jeep)

    A private jeep picks you up at about 05:30 and drives Block 1 until mid-morning. Leopards are seen on some drives, not all; elephants, buffalo, crocodiles and many birds are more reliable. The gate queue is long in peak months and the tracks are dusty.

    $81

    per person for two, activity only

  • Sri Lankan leopard looking back at the camera at the edge of a sandy track, Yala National Park

    Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama) · about 4 hours

    Yala afternoon safari (private jeep)

    Pickup at about 14:00, in the park until it closes at 18:00. The afternoon is hotter than the morning, but animals come to the waterholes in the last two hours of light. Leopards are seen on some drives, not all.

    $81

    per person for two, activity only

  • Sri Lankan leopard looking back at the camera at the edge of a sandy track, Yala National Park

    Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama) · about 12 hours

    Yala full-day safari (private jeep)

    In the park from opening to closing, with a packed lunch eaten at a designated spot. A full day gives more time to look for a leopard, but it is long, hot and bumpy, and the middle of the day is quiet. Suited to people who want wildlife above comfort.

    $121

    per person for two, activity only

  • Painted stork wading through shallow brown water among reeds in Bundala National Park

    Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama) · about 4 hours

    Bundala bird safari (private jeep)

    A wetland park of lagoons and salt pans south of Tissamaharama, known for water birds and migrants rather than big animals. Flamingos are present in some years, not every year. Crocodiles and elephants are also seen; it is quieter than Yala.

    $61

    per person for two, activity only

  • Leopard walking toward the camera along a sand track with two safari jeeps of visitors behind it, Yala

    Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama) · add-on

    Naturalist guide for your safari

    An English-speaking naturalist rides in your jeep and explains what you see: tracks, calls, birds, behaviour. Worth it for birders and first-time safari-goers. The naturalist does not change your odds of a leopard.

    $13

    per person for two, activity only

Day tours from Yala

Day tours with transport and the listed tickets included. Each price shows who it is for.

  • Painted stork wading through shallow brown water among reeds in Bundala National Park

    From Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama) · about 8 hours

    Bundala bird safari and Kirinda

    Wetland birds at dawn, then a temple on the rocks by the sea

    $83

    per person for two, from Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama), tickets included

  • Yellow-arched entrance gate with elephant sculptures at the Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya

    From Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama) · about 4.5 hours

    Kataragama evening puja

    A pilgrimage town shared by four faiths, at the 18:30 service

    $23

    per person for two, from Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama)

Tours that stay in Yala

Round tours with a night or more here. You can change the route, the nights and the hotels in the planner.

  • Sigiriya rock rising above forest with hazy mountains behind, seen from Pidurangala

    7 days · Comfort hotels

    Classic Sri Lanka, 7 days

    Sigiriya (Dambulla and Habarana), Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama)

    Sigiriya, Kandy, the hill train and two Yala safaris

    $866

    per person for two, 7 days, comfort hotels, shoulder season, tickets included

  • Green and red diesel locomotive hauling red carriages across a steel bridge beside a steep green hillside

    8 days · Comfort hotels

    Classic Sri Lanka and beach, 8 days

    Sigiriya (Dambulla and Habarana), Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama), Mirissa (with Weligama)

    The classic loop with a night on the south coast

    $1,010

    per person for two, 8 days, comfort hotels, shoulder season, tickets included

  • Seated granite Buddha carved into the rock face at Gal Vihara, Polonnaruwa

    10 days · Comfort hotels

    Grand tour of Sri Lanka, 10 days

    Sigiriya (Dambulla and Habarana), Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama), Galle (with Unawatuna)

    The classic loop with room to breathe

    $1,230

    per person for two, 10 days, comfort hotels, shoulder season, tickets included

  • Rolling hill covered in tea bushes with scattered trees on the crest under blue sky and white clouds

    9 days · Superior hotels

    Honeymoon Sri Lanka, 9 days

    Sigiriya (Dambulla and Habarana), Kandy, Hatton (Adam's Peak and tea country), Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama), Tangalle (Rekawa and Hiriketiya)

    Rock, tea bungalow, train, safari, beach

    $1,268

    per person for two, 9 days, superior hotels, shoulder season, tickets included, one activity paid there

  • Sri Lankan leopard walking toward the camera beneath low branches, with an orange-lit track behind it

    8 days · Comfort hotels

    Wildlife Sri Lanka, 8 days

    Wilpattu National Park, Sigiriya (Dambulla and Habarana), Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Udawalawe National Park, Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama)

    Four parks, Horton Plains, six drives

    $1,102

    per person for two, 8 days, comfort hotels, shoulder season, tickets included

  • Baker's Falls spilling in silky white streams over dark rock, with forest and heavy cloud behind

    6 days · Comfort hotels

    Hills and wildlife, 6 days

    Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Udawalawe National Park, Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama)

    Kandy, Horton Plains, the train, two parks

    $744

    per person for two, 6 days, comfort hotels, shoulder season, tickets included

More tours

  • Wilpattu to the south coast, 12 days12 days · $1,368 per person for two, 12 days, comfort hotels, shoulder season, tickets included, temple-run sites and one activity paid there
  • Complete island, 14 days14 days · $1,716 per person for two, 14 days, comfort hotels, shoulder season, tickets included, temple-run sites paid there
  • Slow travel with the north and east, 21 days21 days · $2,411 per person for two, 21 days, comfort hotels, shoulder season, tickets included, Udawattakele forest ticket and temple-run sites paid there
  • Adventure Sri Lanka, 9 days9 days · $1,088 per person for two, 9 days, comfort hotels, shoulder season, tickets included
  • East coast summer, 9 days9 days · $1,111 per person for two, 9 days, comfort hotels, May rates, tickets included
  • Luxury Sri Lanka, 10 days10 days · $2,006 per person for two, 10 days, luxury hotels, shoulder season, tickets included
  • Budget Sri Lanka, 10 days10 days · $804 per person for two, 10 days, simple hotels, shoulder season, tickets included, Udawattakele forest ticket paid there

Hotels in Yala and Tissamaharama

Planning rates for a double room per night, taxes and service included. They run from $23 to $520 depending on standard and season. Rates checked 7 November 2026.

Planning rates per double room per night in Yala and Tissamaharama, in US dollars
StandardLowShoulderPeakChristmas
Simple$23$25$32$38
Comfort$55$60$80$90
Superior$110$130$210$260
Luxury$220$260$415$520

Seasons here: Low 1 May to 31 Oct. Shoulder 1 Apr to 30 Apr and 1 Nov to 20 Dec. Peak 10 Jan to 31 Mar. Christmas 21 Dec to 9 Jan. Also at the peak rate here: 15 Jul to 31 Aug.

Bed and breakfast unless the itinerary says otherwise. These are planning rates built from public prices. Choose your dates and the booker shows the price for them; if a rate changes while you are booking, nothing is booked and you see the new price first. Once you book, your booking keeps its price. On a multi-day trip our 8% planning fee is added to the hotel and vehicle cost, as its own line.

Yala Blocks 1 and 2 closed from 14 September to 15 October 2026 (drought and road repairs); 2027 closure dates are set by the Department of Wildlife Conservation and were not announced at the time of checking. Mid-July to August is priced at the peak rate, and October is also a strong month for hotels here. All-inclusive camps (Chena Huts, Wild Coast Tented Lodge) cost two to three times the luxury rate, and our prices do not cover them.

Simple

clean guesthouses and small hotels

  • La Safari Inn Tissamaharama (guesthouse)
  • Elegant Lake Yala Safari House (guesthouse)
  • Black Panther Yala (guesthouse)

Or similar.

Comfort

3-star or good boutique

  • Hotel River Front (4-star): In Tissamaharama.
  • The Grand Yala Hotel (3-star)
  • Hotel Tamarind Tree (3-star standard)

Or similar.

Superior

4-star

  • Cinnamon Wild Yala (4-star): Chalets next to the park.
  • EKHO Safari Tissa (5-star)
  • Chaarya Resort & Spa by Chandrika (5-star): On Tissa lake.

Or similar.

Luxury

5-star or top boutique

  • Jetwing Yala (5-star): On the beach beside the park.
  • Hilton Yala Resort (5-star)

Or similar.

Hotels are named as examples of the standard you will get. If a named hotel is full we book one of the same standard in the same area and tell you which.

How hotel standards work

Where the figures come from

  • Majeste planning rate table, checked 7 Nov 2026
  • Booking.com city landing pages, snapshot 7 Nov 2026, checked 7 Nov 2026
  • KAYAK Sri Lanka hotel pages, cheapest and most expensive month per hotel, checked 7 Nov 2026
  • Yala park closure 2026, checked 7 Nov 2026

Getting to Yala

Planning times for a private car in daylight, with one short stop and no sightseeing. Add 20 to 40 minutes to leave or enter Colombo at rush hour, and 10 to 20 percent in heavy rain or after dark in the hills.

Road distance and planning time from Yala
ToDistanceTime
Udawalawe National ParkVia Thanamalwila and Lunugamvehera68 km1 h 45 min
Tangalle (Rekawa and Hiriketiya)A2 or E0181 km1 h 45 min
EllaA23 to Wellawaya, then A2 via Thanamalwila to Tissamaharama88 km2 h 15 min
Mirissa (with Weligama)E01 from the Hambantota or Mattala entry118 km2 h 15 min
Galle (with Unawatuna)E01 Southern Expressway143 km2 h 45 min
Arugam BayA4 to Monaragala, then B35 via Buttala and Kataragama; the road skirts Yala Block 5, elephants at dusk154 km3 h 15 min
Bentota (Beruwala, Kalutara and Ahungalla)E01 Southern Expressway196 km3 h 15 min
ColomboE01 Southern Expressway to the Mattala and Hambantota exits249 km4 h 15 min
AirportE01 Southern Expressway all the way to the Mattala and Hambantota exits278 km4 h 15 min
Nuwara EliyaVia Ella, Wellawaya and Thanamalwila; operators quote 4 to 5 h146 km4 h 30 min

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