Safari is a Swahili word meaning simply “a journey”, and I had not planned to take one during my trip through Sri Lanka. I had been on many safaris in Africa, and thought another would be a waste of time and money. Then I discovered I could sleep in a treehouse, and I changed my mind entirely.
The treehouse
While in Ratnapura for the gemstone mines, I telephoned Amila, my host, and arranged two nights and a safari, meals included. The next morning I set off on the four-hour journey, three different buses, to Tissamaharama, always shortened to Tissa, and my small jungle adventure.
Amila was a wonderful host, for whom nothing was ever any trouble. From the moment I reached Tissa he looked after everything: the luggage, the transfer to the treehouse, meals around the campfire, tips for the safari and for the stages of my trip still to come, and even an unforgettable, unofficial night safari before the real one. My little treehouse was simple and charming, and waking to the sunrise over the jungle from my own bed was one of those moments that leave you overwhelmed and simply happy. (A decade on, do check current options and operators around Yala, but if you can find a good treehouse stay, I recommend the experience with all my heart.)
The Yala National Park
The park, locally known as Ruhunu National Park, stretches along Sri Lanka’s south-eastern coast, in the Hambantota area, across the low coastal plain. It is divided into five blocks, of which only one or two are generally open to visitors, which is part of why the accessible section can feel busy.
The daily safari starts at 5.30am. I went in with Amila in a private jeep, but you can also turn up at one of the many agencies in Tissa and join a group to fill a jeep (really a pick-up with an open upper deck). Park fees for foreigners are far higher than for residents and rise regularly, and on top of the entry fee you pay for the jeep and driver, so check the current rates when you book, and remember the driver’s tip.
From dawn to dusk you pass from one landscape to another, monsoon forest, grassland, white-sand beaches, lagoons, mangroves and dramatic rocky outcrops. I spent the whole day with a helpless, happy grin. Only the coastal strip still bore scars: the ruins of a tourist rest point destroyed by the 2004 tsunami, which killed around 250 people here in the Yala area on 26 December. The animals, it is said, sensed it and fled to higher ground in time.
The wildlife
Yala is famous for its birds, over 200 species, and we saw a great many, though I am ashamed to say I remember not one name. The waterbirds over the lagoons stayed with me, the pelicans, the impossibly elegant flamingos, and the peacocks, gorgeous and astonishingly noisy in their courting. The lagoons also held large, unlovely crocodiles and swimming snakes; not the dreamy blue lagoon of a relaxing holiday.
The stars, though, are the mammals: leopards, sloth bears, herds of elephants with their “Bambi” calves, wild water buffalo, macaques and fishing cats. Yala is famous for having one of the highest densities of leopards anywhere in the world, though I did not see one. What I did see undid me: a huge bull elephant who crossed right by our jeep, so close I could not breathe, nudging us aside with his shoulder to pass, entirely unbothered, a true king. And later a mother who brought her calf to bathe, playing in the lagoon with a female companion while keeping jeeps and rival elephants at a careful distance, then leading her little one off through the bushes. A mother’s love, powerful and moving; I watched with tears in my eyes.
A word on doing it well
I will be honest, because it matters to me: the open section of Yala can get badly crowded with jeeps, and there is a real problem, here as at many popular parks, of vehicles clustering around a sighting, especially a leopard. A good driver makes all the difference. Choose an operator who keeps a respectful distance, does not chase or crowd the animals, and does not race others to a sighting. That mother elephant knew to keep the jeeps back; we should extend the animals the same courtesy. If the crush bothers you, ask about the quieter blocks or seasons, or consider one of Sri Lanka’s less-visited parks.
Overall, I think I preferred my Sri Lankan safari to those in Africa, for the sheer variety of landscape and how close you come to the animals. Between that and the treehouse, it gave me two truly extraordinary days.
A practical note Amila gave me: the best time to visit Yala is broadly February to July, when water levels are low and the animals do not hide. Note too that the main block usually closes for about a month each year, around September into October, so check before you plan.
And a postscript for the curious: there are two ancient rock temples within the park, Sithulpahuwa, the “hill of the quiet mind”, and Magul Maha Viharaya, important to locals and close together, though, I confess, they moved me less than the elephants.
Frequently asked questions
Yala (locally Ruhunu National Park) lies along Sri Lanka’s south-eastern coast, in the Hambantota area, not in the north-east as sometimes stated. The usual base is Tissamaharama (“Tissa”), reachable by bus or car from the hill country and the south coast; from Tissa, safaris and treehouse or lodge stays are easily arranged.
Yala offers a wonderful variety of landscapes and wildlife, elephants, buffalo, crocodiles, birdlife, and it has one of the highest leopard densities in the world, though sightings are never guaranteed (I did not see one). It is also the busiest of Sri Lanka’s parks, so a good driver and realistic expectations matter.
Broadly February to July, when water levels are low and animals gather at waterholes rather than hiding. Note that the main block of the park usually closes for around a month each year, often September into mid-October, so always check current opening dates before planning your visit.
Foreigners pay considerably more than residents for park entry, and the fees rise regularly, so check the current rate; on top of the entry fee you pay for the jeep and driver and are expected to tip the driver. Booking through your accommodation or a Tissa agency is straightforward.
Pick a driver and operator who keep a respectful distance from the animals, do not chase or surround them (especially leopards), and do not race other jeeps to a sighting. If crowding concerns you, ask about quieter blocks or times of day, or consider one of Sri Lanka’s less-visited national parks.
Further reading
- Planning the whole trip: independent travel in Sri Lanka
- Nearby: Ratnapura and the gemstone mines
- Up in the hills: Ceylon tea and the hill country
- Inland history: Sigiriya and the cultural triangle
