Yala National Park is the second largest national park in Sri Lanka and a designated wildlife sanctuary. Situated in the southeast, it is bordered by the Indian Ocean and is a prime spot for spotting leopards.
A hunting ground during British rule, the wildlife reserve is still home to a plethora of animals including 44 species of mammal and over 200 bird species of which 7 are endemic to the park. Housing a mix of habitats such as grasslands, brush scrub, thorn forest, brackish lagoons, watering holes and lakes, you can find elephants, leopards, crocodiles, deer, monkeys, buffaloes, sloth bears, bee-eaters, crested serpent eagles, peacocks, wild boar and so many more.
Visitors are allowed into the park at 6am and 2pm, with the average tour taking about 4 hours. Many consider the dry season (February to June) to be the best for spotting animals with February and March the best to catch sight of leopards. The park is generally closed during September for maintenance.
