The Best Things to Do in Yala National Park

 

Here are the best things to do in Yala National Park. Visit Sri Lanka’s most-visited national park and enjoy amazing activities.

There is a very good reason why Yala National Park is consistently regarded as one of the most popular destinations in all of Sri Lanka. As Sri Lanka’s second-largest and most-visited national park, it never fails to draw crowds of curious sightseers. Visitors get the opportunity to see leopards in their natural habitats since the region boasts one of the highest leopard concentrations on the planet. Yala is known for its stunning fauna, but the region has much more to offer visitors. Continue reading to learn about the top things to do in Yala National Park so that you may have a well-rounded vacation experience.

Must-do things to do in Yala National Park

1. Wildlife safaris

Undoubtedly, a wildlife safari is among the top things to do in Yala National Park. You can’t know for sure what kinds of creatures you’ll encounter on a safari, and that’s true for this one just as much as any other. But you can count on seeing a wide range of birds, leopards, buffalo, crocodiles, and other wildlife on your travels. The odds of spotting even a single leopard in an area that is around 144 square kilometers in size are very low. On the other hand, we shouldn’t forget the fact that there are an estimated 75 leopards in the area.

The beautiful elephants that roam Yala National Park’s drinking holes will leave you spellbound during your safari. Listen to the silence as you marvel at the brilliant feathers of the strutting peacocks or the majestic Sri Lankan leopard as it emerges from the jungle.

Spending two or three nights in Yala will give you plenty of time to take advantage of the park’s wildlife viewing opportunities. The park opens daily at 6 a.m. If you go early enough in the day, you could catch some of the animals as they stroll or relax along the pathways.

2. Tented safari camping in Yala

The Yala National Park in Sri Lanka encompasses a large area and provides a home for a variety of animals. Dry forests and wide areas of grassland make up the majority of the park’s landscape. It has not yet been fully explored, yet the Yala woodland has many hidden gems. Stay in the comfort of Yala’s deluxe safari camp. You will be hidden from the sun by a thick forest of trees as you wait to view exotic creatures in their natural environment.

To provide a genuine encounter with nature, tents at a camping site are often set up in undeveloped areas. To learn more about the fascinating flora and fauna of Yala, join one another on one of our early morning guided safari Jeep trips led by a knowledgeable local naturalist.

When you get back, you’ll be greeted with your go-to drink, and expert chefs will go to work preparing a delicious lunch for you. It’s the perfect place to relax with a nice drink beneath the stars and have a delicious barbeque by the light of a crackling bonfire. Tented camping is one of the most popular things to do in Yala National Park as a whole.

3. Bird watching in Yala

There are over 90 different bird species that may be found in the marshes of Yala National Park, of which approximately half are migratory. Large waterbirds, waterfowl, cormorants, medium waders, small waterbirds, and migratory birds are all included here. The uncommon species of Purple Heron, Oriental Darter, Lesser Flamingo, Egrets, and Purple Swamphen are a few additional waterfowl that are drawn to the lagoon in the park.

Many different species of waterfowl, such as the Eurasian Curlew, White-winged Tern, Ruddy Duck, Godwit, Whimbrel, and Northern Pintail, make the journey to Yala Lagoons every north-east monsoon.

The Greater Flamingo, Indian Peafowl, Black Stork, and Barred Buttonquail may all be found in Yala. Moreover, the sea eagle and crested serpent eagle are among the park’s raptors.

 

 

4. Best things to do in Yala National Park: sight-seeing

Though much of the park’s extensive coastline is off-limits to tourists, you’ll be free to go down the beach and stretch your legs in a few key spots. Unfortunately, the family that ran one of the most popular beach bungalows lost everything in the tsunami of 2004. The monument and the remaining remnants of the building combine to create an atmosphere that is serene and personal.

More often known as Sithulpawwa, the Hill of the Quiet Mind is a prehistoric rock temple where it is said that more than 12,000 monks once lived. The wedding of King Kavan Tissa and Vihara Maha Devi took place in the Magul Maha Viharaya, located to the south of Sithulpawwa. Seeing these two places is one of the best things to do in Yala National Park because they are so close to each other.

5. Local trails

Many tourists do not take advantage of this opportunity, even though it is among the most enjoyable things to do in Yala. Explore the villages of Yala by pedaling through the countryside or wandering the meandering roads on foot. An excellent way to spend a calm evening is by renting one of the many bicycles that are available for rent here.

6. Fishing in Yala

Spend time with local fishermen and learn about their daily routines as you get to know traditional fishing techniques while out on the water.

7. Buduruwagala

The beautiful rock-cut Buddha sculptures are around a thousand years old and are the main draw to Yala. The 15-meter height of the Buddha makes it the island’s tallest structure. Proof of its previously vivid paint job, including the outline of its peculiar adhesive robe and a continuous streak of orange, remains. Smaller carved statues line the next wall.

To really appreciate these massive old engravings, a guide should be hired before entering, and the guide should be tipped, of course.

 

Wrapping up

That wraps up our rundown of the top things to do in Yala. As you can see, wildlife excursions aren’t the only thing to do in Yala; there are plenty of other things to keep you occupied. There is a prime time of year to visit Yala that maximizes your experience of this world-famous national park.