YALA NATIONAL PARK

DESCRIPTION

Yala National Park was established on March 1, 1938, and is probably the most popular and visited national park in Sri Lanka. The park is divided into five blocks covering some 979 square kilometers. These stretch from the inland jungle to the beaches on the Indian Ocean. The 37-kilometer coastline that forms the park’s southern border is the nesting place for five species of turtles. The constantly changing dunes can reach heights of up to 25 meters. Yala consists mainly of metamorphic rocks with reddish-brown and gray soil that covers most of the area. The vast terrain consists of shrublands, riverine forests, moist, dry monsoon forests, thorn forests, and sweet and brackish wetlands. The park is located in a dry and semi-dry region with rainfall occurring mainly during the monsoon season falling in October-December. This is when the local vegetation begins to “revive” and take on color. The Yala Reserve is one of the best places in the world to observe leopards. Between 40 and 70 individuals live here (data depending on the source).

Sri Lanka is one of the few countries in the world the population every day has a contact with wild animals. Often can to see elephants crossing the road or sneaking into a hotel lobby. There are more than 20 national parks on the island, but what sets Yale Park feature from others is the wide variety of animals. The variety of birds, mammals, and reptiles is unparalleled on the island.

During the safari, we travel in a specially adapted jeep. The rear of the vehicle, where we sit, is raised and only partially enclosed, which provides a better view. In addition, those sitting in the front can undraw the windshield, which provides the opportunity to take nicer photos. During the trip, you must not leave the car. Many animals are in the distance and are difficult to see with the naked eye, so it’s a good idea to carry binoculars. Jeeps are allowed to enter Yala National Park twice a day; at 6 in the morning and at 2 in the afternoon. According to rangers, there is no ideal time frame for observing animals, but it is worth bearing in mind that in the morning it is the birds that are more active while in the evening it is the mammals. At noon, due to high temperatures, animals hide deep into the jungle from the sun. The Yala tour lasts about 4 hours or a full day, depending on which option one chooses. A guide in the park is not required, but drivers usually speak little or no English. The guide is very useful for spotting animals, selecting the best route and explaining how the circle of life in the reserve works. This will give you a better understanding of the behavior of the local animals and allow you to ask questions about the park.

The park has three ticket offices and four entrance gates. The busiest and southernmost gate is Palatupana, which stands on the southwestern border of Block I, about 20 kilometers from Tissamaharama. Less popular, but also well-known, Katagamuwa Gate stands 12 km east of Kataragama on the northwestern edge of Block I. No public transportation operates to either gate. If you don’t have private transportation, you’ll have to buy a trip to the park from one of the local hotels or tour operators based in Tissamaharama. Tickets can be purchased at both gates. The Galge ticket office, which opened in 2016, is located on the east side of Buttala Road, on the border of Blocks III and IV, 18 km north of Kataragama. It serves two separate gates on opposite sides of the main road. The eastern gate offers direct access to Block III and Block IV. Whereas the western, offers access to Block V, as well as indirect access (through Block V) to the more easterly Lunugamwehera National Park. Any bus that runs between Kataragama and Buttala can drop you off at the Galge ticket office, and you can usually pick up a jeep on-site, although just as well (and inexpensively) it can do in Kataragama.