Designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, Yala was one of the first two national parks in Sri Lanka, and covers 979 square km’s. This makes it the second largest national park in Sri Lanka and the most visited, located about 300 km’s from Colombo. Best known for its variety of wild animals, Yala National Park plays a crucial role in the conservation of Sri Lankan elephants, leopards and aquatic birds. Yala National Park is home to 215 different bird species (including 6 species native to Sri Lanka), and has one of the highest leopard densities in the world. The area surrounding Yala hosted several ancient civilisations, and two important pilgrim sites (Sithulpahuwa and Magul Vihara) are situated within the park. Each year some 400,000 pilgrims visit these sites.
A safari at Yala National Park is a great way to spend the day and spot majestic animals in the wild!