10 June 2024 | 13 Min Read
10 June 2024 | 13 Min Read
While visiting the second Srilanka’s second-largest national park, you can have a line of adventures to experience. Here is the list of the most popular attractions and activities to relish.
It is obvious that the Yala excursion is not fully relished if the visitors get not to experience the daring and most venturesome “Jeep Safari ride.”It is a one-of-a-kind experience where you experience the splendour of wildlife. You would be incredibly surprised when you come across never-before-seen wildlife creatures such as a giant elephant, a ferocious Sri Lankan lion, a leopard, jackals, sambars, peacocks, crocodiles etc.
While most of the coastal area that hugs the park is out of the bounds of humans, however, there are designated places where you stretch out, take a break, relax sitting on the shore and stroll through the golden beaches. The primary beach of the place was whipped out by the Asian Tsunami in 2004 along with its occupants. There is also a memorial for the dead at the place that offers solitude and silence for moments.
Birds are the most popular attraction of the place where people invest their time in watching them. There are almost 90 birds residing in the wetland region of the Yala including which half of them are migrants. Some species like waterfowls (Lesser Whistling Duck, Garganey), Cormorants (Little Cormorant, Indian Cormorant), large waterbirds (Grey Heron, Black-headed Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Asian Openbill, Painted Stork) are alluring and the must-see attraction.
You can also make your park adventure more mesmerising by staying at the eco-friendly campsites. These camp houses can accommodate up to 10 people and you can book the accommodation for up to 3 days which is idle for family or peers trips. Wildlife enthusiasts can seek a great experience discovering the lesser-travelled paths at night and enjoying stargazing camping under the stars.
Located in the south of Sithulpauwwa near the Yala park, Magul Maha Viharaya is a sacred destination with historical significance. It is believed to be the place where the king of the Ruhana kingdom KavanTissa married Vihara Maha Devi. Kavan Tissa, sometimes referred to as Kavantissa or Kaha Wan Thissa means "one with a golden body colour."
Experience the local culture and lifestyle of the neighbouring adjacent to the park. You can rent a bike available on hire or take a stroll around the villages on foot. Evening excursions are very pleasing. You can also learn fishing with the help of locals near the park’s villages.
Tourists can enjoy a trip to the park all around the year, however, November to January is the best time to enjoy the beauty of Yala tourism. It is the time when you can witness the variety of migrant bird species fly all the way from Siberia to Yala to avoid the extreme winter weather.
It is noted that the park was closed in September previous year due to the drought. This year it is expected to be closed from September 7 to October 8. Before arriving to visit the place, you should check any major announcements through its official website or by contacting the park’s officials.
Tickets price varies depending on the tourist’s nationality and their age. Check out the prices below:
Visitors from different countries can land at the Bandaranaike International Airport and hire a taxi to reach the Yala National Park which is approximately a 5 to 6-hour drive away from the airport.
The nearest Bus station to the park is Tissamaharama which is approximately 20 km distance to the place.
Guest can also arrange their transfers to and from Yala Park at the lodges and camps they stay in.
The variety of mammals and bird species and the jeep safari are the speciality of the Yala National Park.
The park is open from 6 am to 6 pm every day for visitors.
The best time to pay a visit to the destination is November to January when a variety of migrant birds are witnessed.
The cost for a foreign visitor is $ 25 whereas for local visitors it is 360 LKR.
Yala Park is situated 20 km away from Tissamaharama, a town in Hambantota district. It lies in the southeast region of Sri Lanka, approximately 300 km away from Columbo.
The famous tourist destination of Sri Lanka touches the panoramic Indian Ocean. Before being designated as a national park in 1938 Yala was titled the wildlife sanctuary in 1990.