Leopards, Elephants & Jungle Adventures

Journey to Yala & Evening Safari

Depart from your hotel in southern Sri Lanka (or Colombo with early start) for the scenic 4-5 hour journey to Yala National Park. The drive takes you through charming villages, paddy fields, and gradually into the dry zone landscape characteristic of the southeast.

Arrive at your safari lodge near Yala for lunch and briefing from your expert naturalist guide. Learn about the park's ecosystem, the "Big Four" animals (leopard, elephant, sloth bear, buffalo), and safari etiquette for responsible wildlife viewing.

Late Afternoon Safari (3:30-6:30 PM): Enter Yala National Park through one of the main gates for your first game drive. The late afternoon offers excellent wildlife activity as animals emerge from shade to drink and hunt. Yala's 979 sq km encompasses varied habitats: dense jungle, open grasslands, coastal lagoons, and dramatic rocky outcrops. Watch for leopards lounging on boulders, elephant herds at waterholes, peacocks displaying, and crocodiles basking along lagoon edges. Your tracker will use expert knowledge to position your 4x4 for optimal sightings. Return to lodge after sunset.

Full Day Yala Safari - Peak Leopard Territory

Early Morning Safari (5:30-10:00 AM): Depart at dawn for the best leopard-spotting opportunity. The golden morning light is magical for photography, and predators are most active during cooler hours. Yala holds the world record for leopard density - approximately 1 leopard per 1.5 square kilometers in Block 1 (the main safari zone).

Your tracker and driver form an expert team, communicating via radio with other vehicles to track leopard movements. Look for telltale signs: pugmarks in sandy tracks, alarm calls from spotted deer and monkeys, or the distinctive scent marking on rocks. Leopards often sun themselves on prominent boulders ("leopard rocks") offering spectacular photo opportunities. Besides leopards, watch for sloth bears foraging for termites, massive water buffalo herds (up to 300 individuals), mugger crocodiles over 4 meters long, and endemic birds like Sri Lankan junglefowl.

Return to lodge mid-morning for brunch and rest during the heat of the day (park closes 12:00-2:30 PM). Optional activities: nature walks around the lodge, bird watching, or relaxing by the pool.

Afternoon Safari (2:30-6:30 PM): Second game drive focusing on different zones of the park. Explore coastal lagoons where flocks of thousands of flamingos, pelicans, and painted storks congregate. Visit ancient Buddhist ruins within the park - Sithulpawwa Rock Temple with 2,200-year history. As evening approaches, wildlife activity intensifies again. Track different leopard individuals or search for the elusive sloth bear. The sunset over the Indian Ocean from the park's southern border is breathtaking.

Udawalawe Elephant Safari & Elephant Transit Home

Depart after breakfast for Udawalawe National Park (2-hour drive). This 30,821-hectare park centers around the vast Udawalawe Reservoir and features open grasslands resembling African savanna - perfect elephant habitat.

Udawalawe Safari (10:00 AM - 1:00 PM): Enter Udawalawe for guaranteed elephant encounters. The park is home to over 500 wild Asian elephants, and sightings of herds numbering 50-100 individuals are common. Unlike forested Yala, Udawalawe's open terrain offers unobstructed viewing and photography. Watch family groups with playful calves, listen to rumbling communication, and observe natural behaviors like dust bathing, feeding, and drinking.

Besides elephants, spot endemic purple-faced langur monkeys, rusty-spotted cats (world's smallest wild cat), golden jackals, and over 210 bird species including rare black-necked storks and Malabar pied hornbills. The reservoir attracts massive flocks of waterbirds - pelicans, cormorants, and egrets fishing cooperatively.

Elephant Transit Home (2:00 PM): Visit this unique facility caring for orphaned and injured baby elephants. Watch feeding time (bottles of milk formula every 4 hours) as dozens of elephant calves rush out from the forest. The transit home rehabilitates youngsters until they're old enough (5 years) to survive independently, then releases them back into Udawalawe. It's heartwarming conservation work in action. View from the designated platform - no close contact to maintain the elephants' wild nature.

Depart for onward journey or return to your hotel (3-4 hours to Galle/Mirissa, 5-6 hours to Colombo).