The coast → Yala → Ella
Galle, Mirissa or Tangalle to Ella, with a Yala safari on the way
Coast to country in one clean move — leave the beach at dawn, reach the hills by evening. We collect you from Hikkaduwa, Galle, Unawatuna, Ahangama, Weligama, Mirissa, Matara, Dickwella, Hiriketiya or Tangalle, run a guided Yala game drive on the way, and drop you in Ella with your bags.
- One day replaces a whole travel day plus a separate safari
- Your luggage travels with you — no storage, no backtracking
- Leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles & 200+ birds
- Air-conditioned van transfer, open 4×4 for the game drive
- Pickup anywhere from Galle down to Hambantota
- Morning or afternoon game drive to suit your plans
- PickupSouth coast
- En routeYala safari
- Drop-offElla
7 Hours
$60$30/ person
Free cancellation up to 24h · no booking fees
How the day runs
Your journey, hour by hour
One driver, one vehicle, your luggage with you — and a proper game drive in the middle of it.
03:00 (or 12:00)
Hotel pickup on the coast
Collected with your luggage from your hotel in Tangalle, Hiriketiya, Mirissa, Weligama, Unawatuna, Galle or nearby — door to door where the roads allow.
~05:30
Arrive at Yala
Straight to the park gate for the best light and the most active wildlife.
06:00 – 09:00
3-hour Yala game drive
Swap the van for an open 4×4 — leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, water buffalo and over 200 bird species.
~09:30
Breakfast & onward
Optional picnic breakfast, then back into the air-conditioned van for the scenic climb into the hills.
Afternoon / evening
Arrive in Ella
Dropped at your Ella hotel — door to door wherever the lanes allow — in time for a sunset at Little Adam's Peak.
Before you book
Why your pickup is at 03:00
It's the question we're asked most, so here's exactly how the morning works.
Yala National Park’s gates open at first light, and that is when the park is at its best — wildlife moves at dawn and settles once the heat builds. Getting you there for the gate means starting in the dark.
These are shared tours, so we run a staggered collection: vehicles work across town picking up one hotel at a time, and everyone converges at our office in Debarawewa, Tissamaharama at the same moment. From there you transfer into the safari jeeps and head for the gate together.
That’s why we quote a window rather than a single time. Where you fall inside it depends on the day’s bookings and where your hotel sits on the run — we confirm your exact time the evening before, so you are never guessing.
- Morning game drive
- 03:00
- collection window
- Afternoon game drive
- 12:00
- collection window
We collect from
Every town on the south coast, and how far it is
Wherever you're staying along the southern coastline, we collect from your hotel door at no extra charge. Distances and driving times are measured from our Tissamaharama base.
Hambantota & the east
- Bundala40 min
- Hambantota1 hr
- Ambalantota1 hr 5
- Kalametiya1 hr 15
- Ranna1 hr 20
- Kahandamodara1 hr 25
- Rekawa1 hr 30
Tangalle & around
- Goyambokka1 hr 40
- Tangalle1 hr 45
- Marakolliya1 hr 50
- Nilwella1 hr 55
- Silent Beach1 hr 55
- Dickwella2 hr
- Hiriketiya2 hr 5
- Talalla2 hr 10
Matara & Mirissa
- Gandara2 hr 10
- Dondra2 hr 15
- Matara2 hr 20
- Polhena2 hr 20
- Mirissa2 hr 35
- Weligama2 hr 40
- Midigama2 hr 45
Galle & Hikkaduwa
- Ahangama2 hr 50
- Koggala2 hr 55
- Habaraduwa3 hr
- Thalpe3 hr 5
- Dalawella3 hr 5
- Unawatuna3 hr 10
- Galle3 hr 15
- Gintota3 hr 25
- Hikkaduwa3 hr 40
Drive times are door to door from our Tissamaharama base, one way. Staying somewhere not listed? Tell us the address — we almost always reach it.
Distances are approximate and by road. Staying somewhere not listed — a villa down a back lane in Talalla, a surf camp at Midigama, a guesthouse in Kalametiya? Tell us the address when you book and we’ll get you there. We also serve Tissamaharama, Kirinda, Kataragama and Weerawila around the park itself. Spots well beyond the southern coast can be arranged too — just ask, as a small surcharge may apply.
What’s included
- Guided 4×4 Yala game drive with a licensed tracker
- Air-conditioned van transfers (small-group, sharing basis) with luggage space
- Luggage carried with you the whole way — no storage, no backtracking
- Door-to-door hotel pickup & drop-off at both ends, where the roads allow
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Good to know
- National park entrance fees (≈$43pp — add at checkout or pay at the gate)
- Meals & drinks (picnic breakfast/lunch available at checkout)
- Personal expenses & gratuities
- Bumpy off-road terrain — not ideal for pregnant guests, back problems or wheelchair users
- Under-2s ride free; under-12s must travel with an adult
- Weather in Yala can be changeable — bring a light layer
10,000+ five-star reviews
Loved by travellers from every corner of the world
“Our tracker spotted a leopard within the first hour. He knew exactly where to wait — the whole jeep was speechless. Best morning of our Sri Lanka trip.”
“Picked us up in Ella, safari through the park, dropped at our beach hotel by evening. Zero stress and we saw dozens of elephants. Incredible value.”
“Comfortable jeep, flexible timing, and a guide who genuinely loves the wildlife. Booking was simple and the price was honest. Cannot recommend enough.”
Good questions
Route FAQs
Anywhere between Hambantota and Galle — Bundala, Hambantota, Ambalantota, Kalametiya, Ranna, Kahandamodara, Rekawa, Goyambokka, Tangalle, Marakolliya, Nilwella, Silent Beach, Dickwella, Hiriketiya, Talalla, Gandara, Dondra, Matara, Polhena, Mirissa, Weligama, Midigama, Ahangama, Koggala, Habaraduwa, Thalpe, Dalawella, Unawatuna, Galle, Gintota, Hikkaduwa and everywhere between. Give us your hotel name when you book and we'll confirm your pickup time.
Around 03:00 for the morning game drive, so we reach Yala for the gate opening. If you'd rather not start that early, choose the midday departure and do an afternoon safari, arriving in Ella at night.
Yes — it travels in the transport vehicle with your driver all day, then comes with you to Ella. No storage fees, no backtracking.
The game drive runs in a small-group 4×4 with your own licensed tracker-guide. Prefer the whole jeep to yourselves? Add the private-vehicle upgrade at checkout.
Roughly 2.5 to 3 hours from Yala up into the hills, on one of the prettiest roads in Sri Lanka.
We drop door to door wherever the roads allow. Ella has a few places up steep, narrow lanes; if the vehicle can't safely reach yours we'll drop you at the nearest accessible point — usually only a short walk — and help you with your bags.
Our safari jeeps have rain covers, so a passing shower is no problem — Yala is often at its most active just after rain. If the weather turns too severe to safari safely, we'll reschedule your tour or give you a full refund.
Sunscreen, a cap and sunglasses, comfortable shoes and a refillable water bottle. If you're a Sri Lankan resident or from a SAARC country, bring your ID or passport for the reduced park rate. And if you haven't pre-paid your park tickets at checkout, bring cash for the entrance fee at the gate.
Yes — children of all ages are welcome. Under-2s ride free and under-12s travel with an adult. Let us know their ages when you book and we'll make sure the vehicle suits.
Other safari + transfer routes
Going somewhere else?
Every one of these turns a travel day into a safari day, with your luggage carried the whole way.
One day, two places, zero wasted miles
South coast to Ella, the wild way
Instant confirmation, luggage carried, free cancellation up to 24 hours before you travel.