Yala National Park is the second biggest national park in Sri Lanka and arguably its most rewarding. With a varied ecosystem made up of moist and dry monsoon forests, grasslands, sandy beaches as well as fresh water and marine wetlands, Yala can’t help but produce incredible wildlife sightings. It’s an expansive area dappled with trees and brackish lakes, attracting the most remarkable bird life, insects and mammals.  Mostly famed for leopard, Yala is said to be home to one of the highest concentrations of these illusive cats in the world.    They generally can be seen year round, but to increase your chances visit at the end of dry season when the vegetation has died down.

It’s important to note that Yala National Park covers an area of 1260 sq.km, however four-fifths is strictly closed off to visitors. This means that, at times, Yala can feel quite busy. Yala sits in Sri Lanka’s south eastern corner and is just a four-hour drive from Galle.