4.9 · 10,000+ reviews50% off the 2026 seasonSince 1987
Track Sri Lanka’s leopards with licensed expert guides in an open 4×4 — free hotel pickup, honest direct pricing and instant confirmation. Pick a safari below and you’re two minutes from booked.
Licensed trackers Free hotel pickup Free cancellationCompare tours
50% off
2026 season
Rated 4.9 by 10,000+ travellers
GetYourGuide · Viator · TripAdvisor
Best price, direct
Book straight with the operator — no agency mark-up, no middlemen.
Licensed trackers
Department of Wildlife certified guides who know where the leopards are.
Free hotel pickup
Door-to-door from Tissa, Yala, Kirinda, Kataragama & Weerawila.
Free cancellation
Plans change. Cancel free up to 24 hours before your safari.
Choose your safari
Every tour runs in an open-top 4×4 with a licensed tracker and free hotel pickup. Prices are live and the 50% season deal is already applied.
The half day tour is dedicated towards exploring the most accessible areas of the Yala National Park.
This comprehensive safari tour is specially designed to maximize your chances of encountering the park's most elusive inhabitants.
The full-day tour allows you to have a truly memorable experience amidst the beauty of Yala.
Park entrance (~$43/adult) payable in cash at the gate, or pre-pay during booking.
What you'll see
One of the best big-cat destinations on earth — and a whole lot more roaming the plains and waterholes.
Sri Lankan leopard
World's highest density
Wild elephants
Herds & lone tuskers
200+ bird species
Endemics & migrants
Sloth bears & crocs
Seasonal sightings
A day in the wild
From a pre-dawn pickup to golden-hour sightings, here's how the full-day adventure unfolds.
5:00 – 5:30 am
Hotel pickup
Your driver collects you in an open 4×4 as the jungle wakes.
6:00 – 12:00
Morning game drive
Prime leopard hours — deep into the park with your tracker.
9:00 am
Picnic breakfast
Served in the bush with a cool box and ice pack provided.
12:00 – 2:00 pm
Lunch break
Relax by the river or beach before round two.
2:00 – 6:00 pm
Afternoon game drive
Explore the lesser-travelled tracks for more sightings.
~6:00 pm
Drop-off
Back to your hotel, camera full of memories.
Plan your visit
Local knowledge from the team that has run Yala safaris since 1987 — so you arrive prepared and leave amazed.
Yala National Park is open year-round, but the dry season from February to July is the best time for a Yala safari — water is scarce, so leopards, elephants and sloth bears gather at lagoons and waterholes. The 5:00 am departure catches the golden hours when big cats are most active; afternoon drives from 2:00 pm are best for elephants and birdlife. Block 1 usually closes each September for maintenance, when we run Lunugamwehera (Yala Block 5) and Bundala instead.
Booking direct means no agency mark-up: the half-day Yala safari costs $15 per person, the 7-hour tour $21 and the full-day adventure $46 — jeep, driver and licensed tracker-guide included. The only extra is the park entrance fee (about $43/adult, $22/child), set by the Department of Wildlife. Pre-pay it online with your booking or bring cash for the gate — your choice.
Yala sits in Sri Lanka’s deep south, about 300 km from Colombo and 90 minutes from Ella’s hill country. Our base in Tissamaharama is the classic gateway — we include free hotel pickup from Yala, Tissamaharama, Kirinda, Kataragama and Weerawila. Staying in Ella, Mirissa, Tangalle, Galle or Arugam Bay? Our safari + transfer combos collect you, run the game drive and drop you at your next destination in one seamless day.
Short on time? The half-day safari covers Yala’s most wildlife-dense tracks in five hours. Serious about leopards? The 7-hour tour spends ~5.5 hours inside the park, reaching quieter territory. For photographers and wildlife lovers, the full-day safari with breakfast in the bush and lunch by the river is the ultimate Yala experience — morning and afternoon drives, deep in the jungle.
Family-run and licensed since 1987, Ajith Safari Jeep Tours also runs safaris in Udawalawe, Bundala and Lunugamwehera national parks.
10,000+ five-star reviews
“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.”
Staying further afield?
Coming from Ella, the south coast or Arugam Bay? Do your Yala safari on the way — one seamless day, zero wasted miles.
7 Hours · from 2:30 AM
7-8 Hours · from 2:55 AM
7 - 8 Hours · from 4:00 AM
7 Hours · from 3:00 AM
Keep exploring
One trusted, licensed team since 1987 — pair your trip across Sri Lanka's finest reserves.
Good questions
Our Yala safari prices start from US$15 per person for the half-day tour, US$21 for the 7-hour tour and US$46 for the full-day safari — with the 50% season deal already applied. The only extra is the park entrance fee (about US$43 per adult, US$22 per child), which you can pre-pay online or settle in cash at the gate. Children aged 3–11 get discounted rates and infants under 3 ride free.
Book directly on this page in under two minutes: choose your tour, pick a date and start time, add your group and any extras, then enter your details and pay securely by card. You'll receive an instant email confirmation with your pickup time and driver details. Need help? WhatsApp us any time — we reply in minutes.
The dawn and dusk game drives offer the best wildlife activity. Yala is open year-round, but February to July (the dry season) gives the highest chance of leopard sightings as animals gather near waterholes. Block 1 typically closes each September for maintenance, when we run neighbouring blocks and parks.
Park entrance is roughly US$43 per adult and US$22 per child, set by the Department of Wildlife and payable in cash (local currency) at the gate. It is not included in the tour price by default — but you can pre-pay it during booking if you'd prefer a cashless experience.
Yes — free hotel pickup and drop-off is included from hotels in Yala, Tissamaharama, Kirinda, Kataragama and Weerawila. Staying elsewhere (Ella, the south coast, Arugam Bay)? See our safari + transfer combos.
The half-day (5 hrs) explores the most accessible, wildlife-rich areas on a morning or afternoon drive. The 7-hour tour adds time to reach the park's more elusive residents. The full-day tour ventures far into the jungle with both a morning and afternoon drive — the best odds of seeing the widest variety of species.
Yes. On our safari + transfer routes, tick "Make it a private tour" at checkout and the 4×4 Toyota Hilux (up to 7 guests) and tracker-guide are yours alone — the upgrade price is shown before you pay. For the half-day, 7-hour and full-day tours, message us on WhatsApp with your dates and group size and we'll quote a private jeep.
Yala is famous for leopards and also home to elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, water buffalo, spotted deer, jackals and over 200 bird species. Sightings are wild and never guaranteed, but our trackers know the park intimately to maximise your chances.
Absolutely. Yala safaris are family favourites — children under 3 ride free, and reduced child rates apply for ages 3–11. Flexible departure times and open-top jeeps keep things comfortable for little ones.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before your safari for a full refund. Book with confidence.
Your leopard is waiting
Instant confirmation, free hotel pickup and free cancellation. The 50% season deal ends soon.
4.9 · 10,000+ reviews
From $15 / person
