Hambantota · Southern Province
Yala
Scrub jungle and lagoons famous for leopards.
Yala's scrub jungle, rocky outcrops and lagoons stretch down to the sea, and it has one of the highest densities of leopards in the world.
Morning and afternoon jeep safaris also reveal elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, water buffalo and peacocks displaying on the tracks.
Don't miss in Yala
- Leopard safaris
- Elephants at waterholes
- Coastal lagoons and birdlife
- Ancient Sithulpawwa rock temple
Places & Sites to Visit in Yala
Yala National Park
Bump along sandy tracks past lagoons and rocky outcrops, scanning branches for a spotted tail. Yala is famous for leopards, and bee-eaters, buffalo and mongooses are often spotted.
Bundala Bird Sanctuary
Nearby excursion · about 40 km from Yala
A wetland of lagoons and dunes where eagles hunt, peafowl glide at sunset and migrant birds arrive in the cooler months.
Sithulpawwa Rock Temple
An ancient monastery on rocks inside the Yala area.
Kirinda Temple
Nearby excursion · near Yala
A temple on a rock above the sea at Kirinda.
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