Sri Lanka Country Guide
Everything you could possibly want, on one sunny, mango-shaped isle
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4.9/5 (992 reviews)

For a generous slice of Sri Lanka’s safari action, pop Yala on your travel list. Undoubtedly the country’s most well-known national park, it may already be on your radar, but the hype is absolutely worth it. Sloth bears, water buffalo and elephants roam wild through a diverse terrain of jungles, grasslands, lakes, plains and even a caramel-coloured beach or two, but the biggest drawcard is the leopard. Not only does the park have the largest population of the spotted cats in the world (60 in 380 square miles at the last count), they are also King of the food chain and can be spotted slinking around their natural habitat with relative ease. Any month of the year should yield sightings, but your best chance is probably from January to July, which handily coincides with the palu tree fruit season in late June and early July and the sloth bear’s nirvana.
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Yala is astonishingly beautiful, with an even more astonishing array of wildlife, birdlife and flora and if you’re looking for a spot of Lankan safari, this is the place to be.
Live out your safari dreams in a tented camp. Yala offers everything from rustic, eco-camps in private forests to carpeted, candle-lit teepees, butler and bathtub included.
As might be expected from a place of such legend, there can be a bit of a jeep scramble to enter the park at dawn and dusk. Alleviate the rush by choosing to stay as close as possible to the gates, or just go with the flow and don’t let it worry you. It’s a small price to pay to see the magnificent of all the big cats.
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Wet Season — a good time to visit
Dry Season — one of the best times to visit
Mixed Season — one of the best times to visit
Wet Season — a good time to visit
Dry Season — a good time to visit
Dry Season — one of the best times to visit
Dry Season — one of the best times to visit
Dry Season — one of the best times to visit
Dry Season — a quieter time to visit
Park typically closes for its annual break.
Wet Season — a quieter time to visit
Wet Season — a good time to visit
Wet Season — a good time to visit
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