Sri Lanka · YALA TOURS

The 15 Best Yala Tours & Safaris

24 tours  ·  from $12

Everything sold out of Tissamaharama and the Palatupana gate, in one list. The 15 below compare drive length, jeep type and the transfers from the coast, with prices and gate times.

Full day Safari - Yala National Park - 04.30 am to 06.00 pm with - Janaka safari - The leopard search at dawn
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Full day Safari – Yala National Park – 04.30 am to 06.00 pm with – Janaka safari

1.Full day Safari – Yala National Park – 04.30 am to 06.00 pm with – Janaka safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 603 reviews · from $57Our pick

Start around 4:30 am for a full-day Yala National Park safari in a jeep shared by up to six people. Guides such as Su, Sri Mal, Darshana, and Sudu know the park well and search for leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, deer, buffalo, and birds. Breakfast, lunch, fruit, and water are included, but the park ticket costs extra.

“Safari was great. Su gave excellent detailed explanations of how the safari works and of all the animals. The highlight of the safari was seeing the leopard, and despite note being able to see one throughout the morning. Su really hustled at the near the end of the safari to ensure we got to see one. Amazing excursion, 110% would recommend”

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Yala National Park: Half, 7-Hour, or Full-Day Safari & Meals - Picking between four, seven, and twelve hours
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Yala National Park: Half, 7-Hour, or Full-Day Safari & Meals

2.Yala National Park: Half, 7-Hour, or Full-Day Safari & Meals

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 489 reviews · 4 - 12 hours · from $14

Ride a 4WD Jeep through Yala National Park with guides such as Ishan, Muthu, Dilan, or Vishwa. Choose a 4, 7, or 12-hour safari, with sunrise and sunset options, possible leopard sightings, hotel pickup, and meals on longer trips. Note that the park entrance fee is extra and payable in cash.

“Good Driver +tour guide explained us everything very friendly both thank you for your service”

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Yala National Park Wildlife Safari/ Game Drive - by Ajith Safari - The early start and entrance gate
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Yala National Park Wildlife Safari/ Game Drive – by Ajith Safari

3.Yala National Park Wildlife Safari/ Game Drive – by Ajith Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 351 reviews · from $18

Join Ajith Safari Jeep Tours from Tissamaharama for a 4 to 14-hour Yala safari in a shared 4WD jeep. Choose morning, afternoon, or full day, with guides such as Naja, Kasun, Bale, and Dilan often praised for spotting leopards, elephants, and sloth bears. Hotel pickup and full-day lunch are available.

“Naja was amazing. We were picked up from the hotel on time and reached the Yala Entrance before 6am. The first 2 hours were for spotting the leopards and Elephants. We kept looking for 1 and Naja got an information from a fellow chauffeur spotting a leopard. He drove to the spot as fast as possible and there we saw a beautiful leopard resting by the road. Post a short coffee break, we saw the king of the Yala National Park - Lucus(the leopard). I personally feel a well connected safari guide is needed and Naja seems to be one. He gets information about animals on time and is aware…”

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Leopard Safari Tour in Yala National Park - Entering Yala at 6 a.m. by safari jeep
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Leopard Safari Tour in Yala National Park

4.Leopard Safari Tour in Yala National Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 281 reviews · from $20

Join Shehan Safari for a 4 to 14-hour Yala National Park jeep trip, usually with hotel pickup and up to six people per jeep. Guides including Tikiri, Mudhu, and Rashandra focus on leopards during the first and final golden hours, while also searching for elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, birds, and smaller wildlife.

“Had a very nice tour with Mudhu. He picked us up from our hotel and was great at spotting animals along the tour route in Yala National Park. We saw a bunch of animals up close -- elephants, peacocks, water buffalo, iguanas, toucans -- as well as some leopards in the distance. Would recommend to other travelers.”

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Full day / Half Day WildlifeAdventure in Yala-National-Park - The 5 AM pickup and the road to the gate
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Full day / Half Day WildlifeAdventure in Yala-National-Park

5.Full day / Half Day WildlifeAdventure in Yala-National-Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 258 reviews · from $42

Explore Yala National Park in a private 4WD with an experienced driver-tracker such as Udayanga or Nissanaka. Choose a half-day, seven-hour, standard full-day, or leopard-focused full-day safari. Hotel pickup near Yala and bottled water are included, but park entrance fees are extra.

“Unforgettable experience. We saw so many animals and our guide was the best, he made sure we were first at the entrance and that we had enough time with every animal we encountered. He provided us with a delicious lunch and we had plenty of snacks and cool water during the whole safari. Thank you so much for the amazing experience!”

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Special Leopards safari - Yala National park - 04.30 am to 11.30 am - Starting from Tissamaharama or Kataragama
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Special leopards safari Yala National park – 04.30 am to 11.30 am

6.Special leopards safari Yala National park – 04.30 am to 11.30 am

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 186 reviews · from $36

Join Yala Safaris - Private Tours for an early-morning, small-group drive through Yala National Park. Guides such as IG, Suthu, and Janaka focus on leopard sightings while explaining the park’s wildlife. The package includes a safari jeep, binoculars, breakfast, water, and about five hours inside the park, but not the entry fee.

“Good Safari and 1/2 day was good enough. The driver Suthu was excellent. He took us around the national park through tough trails, so we had opportunities to see, difficult to see animals.”

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Yala National Park - Full Day Safari (04:30 am - 06:00 pm) - The first hours: leopards, queues, and fresh attention
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Yala National Park – Full Day Safari (04:30 am – 06:00 pm)

7.Yala National Park – Full Day Safari (04:30 am – 06:00 pm)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 132 reviews · from $99

Start before dawn for a 14-hour Yala safari with pickup, a 4x4 jeep, park entry, breakfast, lunch, fruit, and water. Guides such as Ishan and Sule are praised for sharp animal spotting, including leopards, elephants, and birds. Groups of five or more get a private jeep.

“Incredible experience. We were able to see all the species within the park including the leopard. Very helpful and experienced guide (excellent level of English). Guaranteed fun”

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Yala National Park Safari Tours - Half Day & Full Day - Choosing between five hours and a full day
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Yala National Park Safari Tours – Half Day & Full Day

8.Yala National Park Safari Tours – Half Day & Full Day

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 108 reviews · from $25

Explore Yala National Park in a private 4WD with guides such as Ishan, Madu, and Darnesh. Half-day safaris last about five hours, while full-day trips run longer. Expect elephants, birds, crocodiles, and a chance at leopards, with binoculars, drinks, breakfast, and hotel pickup included.

“Our safari was amazing!! We got to see all of the animals, and Ishan was such a brilliant guide. He gave us so much information about all of the animals and took the time to let us look at them! We had the best morning! Thank you so much!!”

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Tangalle/Hiriketiya/Mirissa/Galle: Ella Transfer & Yala Tour - The 3 a.m. start from Hiriketiya or Tangalle
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Tangalle/Hiriketiya/Mirissa/Galle: Ella Transfer & Yala Tour

9.Tangalle/Hiriketiya/Mirissa/Galle: Ella Transfer & Yala Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 99 reviews · 4 - 12 hours · from $12Best value

Leave Galle, Mirissa, Tangalle, or Hiriketiya before dawn, ride an air-conditioned vehicle to Yala, then spend about three hours in an open jeep before continuing to your Ella hotel. Guides such as Sasanka, Naja, Yasha, and Chatura help spot elephants, leopards, crocodiles, and birds.

“Tikkiti did a amazing job! Finding the animals, taking time to explain things and overall perfect experience with him!”

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Leopard Safari in Yala National Park(Full Day/Half A Day) - Choosing between five hours, seven hours, and a full day
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Leopard Safari in Yala National Park(Full Day/Half A Day)

10.Leopard Safari in Yala National Park(Full Day/Half A Day)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 96 reviews · from $22

Set out from Tissamaharama, Yala, or Kirinda in a private open-top 4WD with a driver-tracker such as Ranga or Amila. Choose a 5-hour, 7-hour, or full-day safari to seek leopards, elephants, sloth bears, jackals, and birds. Park entry costs extra.

“We had an amazing day with Amila! He was so accommodating and worked hard to find all the animals. We saw a leopard and a sloth bear, which is the most rare animal in the park! 4:30 am pick up is early, but worth it. We did the full day tour and honestly, I think that jusRead more”

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National Parks, Safari, Sri Lanka Leopard Safaris, Sri Lanka Leopard Safaris in Yala, Tour Reviews, Tours, Yala National Park Safaris, Yala National Park Safaris in Yala, Yala Tours

Yala National Park Special Leopard Safari Tours By Dinuka Safari

11.Yala National Park Special Leopard Safari Tours By Dinuka Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 93 reviews · from $22

Spend up to 12 hours in Yala National Park with Dinuka Safari, sharing a jeep with no more than six people. Guides such as Dilanka and Ishan track leopards across jungle, plains, lagoons, and coastal areas, with hotel pickup, binoculars, and private service for groups of four or more.

“Communication via WhatsApp went well. Pick up was right on time. The driver spoke reasonable English, he must have good connections since we saw the all, bear, Elephant, leopard, crocodile tons of birds, deer and water buffalo. It was truly a amazing experience .”

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Special Leopards safari - Yala National park - 04.30 am to 11.30 am - Starting from Tissamaharama or Kataragama
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Special Leopards Safari Yala National Park – 04:30 AM to 11:30 AM

12.Special Leopards Safari Yala National Park – 04:30 AM to 11:30 AM

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · from $17

Leave around 4:30 AM for a small-group Jeep safari in Yala National Park. Vinu Safari provides the Jeep, driver, water, fruit, and breakfast while you search for leopards, elephants, buffalo, birds, and more. The group is limited to six, but the $43 park admission costs extra.

“The great experience for us.my driver qas vinu.he was excellent for during the safari he saw us one leopard alone in the safari he has sharp eyes.because first he saw.breakfast was amazing”

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Full Day Safari ( The Best for Leopards ) in Yala - Dawn in Yala and the search for leopards
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Full Day Safari ( The Best for Leopards ) in Yala

13.Full Day Safari ( The Best for Leopards ) in Yala

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 76 reviews · from $60

Start around 4:00 to 5:00 am for a full-day Yala safari with a maximum of six people. Guides including Mala, Ish, Sudu, and Amila search for leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, deer, birds, and smaller wildlife. Breakfast, lunch, water, a luxury jeep, and binoculars are included.

“Our guide Mala was just tremendous. He picked us up at TARA Warergate Hotel in Tissa at 4:30 am and returned us there by about 7 pm - a 14.5 hour experience well worth it, including the maximum time in Yala: 6 am - 6 pm, allowing us Read more”

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Yala safari Tours Morning /Afternoon /Fullday - What the private Jeep changes
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Yala safari Tours Morning /Afternoon /Fullday

14.Yala safari Tours Morning /Afternoon /Fullday

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 69 reviews · from $36

Set out from a Tissamaharama, Bundala, Kirinda, Yala, or port pickup point in a private safari Jeep with an experienced driver-tracker. Choose a morning, afternoon, or full-day Yala National Park visit. Expect leopards, elephants, crocodiles, and changing wildlife luck, with water and snacks included.

“Amazing experience, we were lucky to see leopard, elephants, peacocks and many more. Thanks to our driver Amila 👍”

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Yala National Park Half Day Safari - 4.30 a.m to 11.30 a.m - Leopards, elephants, and the luck factor
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Yala National Park Half Day Safari – 4.30 a.m to 11.30 a.m

15.Yala National Park Half Day Safari – 4.30 a.m to 11.30 a.m

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · from $78

Start before dawn for a six-hour Yala National Park drive with an English-speaking guide. Kavee is frequently named for sharp animal spotting, and the shared jeep option suits solo visitors. Park entry, breakfast, fruit, water, binoculars, and pickup are included.

“My trip to Yala was truly a highlight, and I was so glad I chose Yala One Safari. As a solo backpacker, it can be tough to find a safari package for just one person, so I was thrilled that they offered a shared jeep option.”

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New in Yala Tours

★ 4.8Budget Yala Safari with Accomadation & Meals IncludedFrom $2516 reviews
★ 3.41-Day Tour of Both Yala and Udawalawe National ParksFrom $1184 reviews
★ 5.0Yala National Park Half Day / Full Day Special Safari ToursFrom $2248 reviews

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