Full-day safari · Yala Block 1 & coast

Full-Day Yala Expedition.

Gate open to gate close. Twelve hours in the park, lunch by the sea, and time to wait as long as a sighting needs.

5.0/5 from 310 guests on this safari Leopard seen on about 8 in 10 full days

Elephant Rock from the lagoon Yala Block 1 Michael Gunther · CC BY-SA 4.0

Duration
14 hours04:45 pickup – 18:45 return
Park zone
Block 1 + coastvia Palatupana gate
Group
Private jeepup to 6 guests
Best months
February – Julyclosed part of Sep–Oct
Price
From $185per jeep + park entry
Overview

A half-day drive is a sample. A full day shows you how the park changes from dawn to dusk.

You're in the park for both of the day's best windows, the cool hour after sunrise and the golden hour before sunset, without driving out and back at midday. We also go further than half-day jeeps have time for: the far lagoons, Elephant Rock and the coast at Patanangala.

Around midday, when the animals rest in the shade, we stop for lunch at a designated picnic spot by the sea. The rest of the day follows the animals. If a leopard is asleep in a tree in the morning, we can come back to it in the afternoon.

How the day unfolds

Dawn to dusk, gate to gate.

Times are a guide. If something is happening, we stay with it.

  1. 04:45

    Pickup from your hotel

    Your jeep and tracker meet you at the door. Coffee, blankets and breakfast boxes are on board.

  2. 05:30

    Palatupana gate

    Your tickets are already bought, so we join the jeep line early.

  3. 06:00

    Morning tracking

    Straight to the rocky outcrops and sandy tracks, where leopards are most active in the first hours.

  4. 08:30

    Breakfast stop

    Breakfast at a designated rest stop, with a chance to stretch your legs.

  5. 10:00

    The far lagoons & Elephant Rock

    Deeper into the park, where fewer jeeps go: wetland birds, crocodiles and herds of buffalo.

  6. 12:30

    Lunch at Patanangala

    Rice and curry at a designated picnic spot by the sea, with shade and basic toilets.

  7. 14:00

    Quiet hours

    We go back to any morning sightings and check the shady spots where leopards and bears rest in the heat.

  8. 16:30

    Waterholes at golden hour

    We set up at the water as herds come down to drink in the evening light.

  9. 18:00

    Out by closing time

    A slow drive to the gate, watching the roadsides as animals start to move again.

  10. 18:45

    Back at your hotel

    Tired, dusty and with a full memory card.

The route

Where we'll drive.

The widest loop we drive: from the rocky outcrops to Elephant Rock, out to the far lagoons, along the coast to Patanangala and back past the waterholes.

Schematic route map of the Full-Day Yala Expedition Pickup in Tissamaharama and Kirinda, drive to Palatupana gate, then a wide loop through Block 1 past rocky outcrops, Elephant Rock, the far lagoons, Patanangala beach and the waterholes. YALA · BLOCK 1 Indian Ocean Tissamaharamapickup Kirinda Palatupana gate Rocky outcrops Elephant Rock Far lagoons Patanangalalunch stop Waterholes N
Schematic map Not to scale. The route changes daily with sightings.
What's included

Two meals, twelve hours.

Included

  • Private safari jeep for your group only, open-sided with a roof and a window seat for everyone (up to six guests).
  • Licensed tracker & driver, both from the villages bordering the park.
  • Hotel pickup & drop-off in Tissamaharama and Kirinda.
  • Breakfast & lunch: a packed breakfast, a rice-and-curry lunch, fruit, and tea and coffee through the day. Vegetarian on request.
  • Field guidebook to Yala's mammals and birds, to borrow for the day, plus binoculars and bottled water.
  • Park tickets bought ahead, so there's no queue at the gate. You pay for them at cost.

Not included

  • Park entry fees, charged per person at the official Department of Wildlife Conservation rate and added to your booking.
  • Pickup from further away, such as Ella or the south coast. We can arrange it for an extra charge.
  • Dinner, and drinks other than water, tea and coffee.
  • Tips for your tracker and driver. Optional, and always appreciated.
What to expect

Your best odds of the lot.

From our trackers' logs for this safari. Wild animals keep their own schedules.

  • LeopardPanthera pardus kotiyaGood odds
  • Sri Lankan elephantElephas maximus maximusNear certain
  • Mugger crocodileCrocodylus palustrisNear certain
  • Wild water buffaloBubalus arneeEverywhere
  • Sloth bearMelursus ursinus inornatusPossible
  • Indian peafowlPavo cristatusEverywhere

It's a long day

Fourteen hours door to door, most of it in a jeep. Rewarding, but tiring.

Midday is hot and slow

Between 11:00 and 15:00 most animals rest in the shade, and that's when we eat lunch.

The far tracks are rougher

The deeper loops are bumpier and dustier than the main roads near the gate.

What to bring

Pack for a long day out.

  • Hat & sunglasses
  • Sunscreen & insect repellent
  • A light layer for the dawn
  • Spare batteries & a power bank
  • A scarf or buff for the dust
  • Passport number for the ticket
Good to know

Questions guests often ask.

Is a full day too long for children?

Children from about ten usually enjoy it. For younger children, two half-day drives with a rest at the hotel in between is often easier.

Are there toilets in the park?

Yes. The designated rest stops, including the picnic area at Patanangala, have basic toilets. Your tracker plans stops around them.

Is a leopard sighting guaranteed?

No. A full day gives you the best odds of any safari we run. In the dry season our guests see a leopard on roughly eight in ten full days.

When is Block 1 closed?

Block 1 usually closes for part of September and October. The Department of Wildlife Conservation announces the exact dates each year. During the closure we run this safari in Block 5.

How do I pay, and can I cancel?

There's no deposit. You pay after the drive, in cash (LKR or USD) or by card. Cancel or change your date free of charge up to 24 hours before pickup.

Other ways in

Shorter on time? Try these.

If a full day is too much, a morning or afternoon drive still covers one of the day's best windows.

May – July A Sri Lankan sloth bear standing on a rock beneath a fruiting tree

Sloth bear in palu season Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0

Sloth Bear Season

From$195 /jeep
View
Reserve a jeep

Twelve hours in Yala. We'll plan the day.

Tell us your date and where you're staying. We'll confirm your jeep, your tracker and your pickup time, usually within a few hours.

  • No deposit, pay after your safari
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • Park tickets bought for you, no queue

Sunset over Yala Pramod Thilanka · CC BY-SA 4.0

Book the Full-Day Expedition

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