Top 4 Yala National Park Safaris in Kataragama

1.Yala National Park Safari Tours: Morning/Evening/Full Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 818 reviews · 5 - 12 hours · from $25Our pick

Choose a 5-hour evening, 7-hour morning, or 12-hour Yala safari from Kotapola and nearby towns. Your English-speaking driver-guide, such as Ishan, Maduka, Darshana, or Damith, takes you through forest, grassland, and lagoons in search of leopards, elephants, crocodiles, and birds. Breakfast comes with morning and full-day trips; lunch is included on the full-day option.

“This was such an amazing experience, and our guide, Darshana, was simply the best. He has an incredible amount of knowledge about the national park and its wildlife, and even after working there for 15 years, you could clearly see how much he loves his job and still gets genuinely excited when spotting certain animals. We saw lots of different animals and were also lucky enough to see one of the leopards. Breakfast and lunch were both delicious. Overall, we had a wonderful day on this tour and can definitely recommend it!”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Yala Safari Tour from Hambantota Port area (Shore Excursion)

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 64 reviews · 5 hours · from $67

Leave Hambantota Port for a five-hour Yala safari in a comfortable jeep with an English-speaking driver-guide. Expect elephants, crocodiles, monkeys, deer, buffalo, and many birds, with leopards possible. Water, cool drinks, snacks, and binoculars are included, but park entry is extra.

“We loved it from start to finish. Our guide Ishan was very helpful and always helpful especially to my husband who has a disability. His kindness was very appreciated. He was informative and patient while we took pictures. Highly recommend this tour. Thank you for sharing your beautiful country with us.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Yala Safari – Drop-off : Galle/Mirissa/Hikkaduwa

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 8 reviews · 10 - 17 hours · from $37

Travel from Ella to Yala National Park by air-conditioned vehicle, spend about four hours in a 4x4 jeep with an English-speaking guide, then continue to Galle, Mirissa, Hikkaduwa, Weligama, Unawatuna, or Tangalle. Leopards, elephants, birds, and luck all play a part.

“Non abbiamo visto neanche un elefante in 4 h di safari. Ringrazio il driver per averci provato veramente fino all’ultimo, se potete andate anzi al parco di Udawalawe”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Yala National Park: Leopard Safari Full day tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 8 reviews · 12 hours · from $48

Leave your hotel around 5:00 AM for a full-day Yala safari in a modified game-viewing Jeep. Your English-speaking guide, including guides such as Yashara, searches for leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, and birds. Lunch and drinks are included, but park fees cost about $40 extra.

“Our guide was amazing - knowledgeable, great at tracking and spotting animals. We saw so many animals! It would be helpful to have more Information on the breakdown of the day and on what to bring - for a full day safari, lunch is served and there is a 2 hour break where no vehicles are allowed in the park. I would recommend a book, swimwear/towel (swim in ocean), or taking something to help pass the time. Would recommend taking snacks. Also, you might get muddy, so dress accordingly and a towel or wet wipes might be useful. I would definitely recommend the full day as we saw elephants in…”

Check availability →Read our full review