Yala safari from Ella: prices & routes

Prices depend on where you finish. A one-way Ella → Yala safari with a drop-off on the south coast (Tangalle, Mirissa, Galle) starts from $30 per person. A round trip back to Ella is $60 per person. Continuing to Arugam Bay is $115 per person. All prices are per person, include the 4×4 game drive, transport and hotel pickup, and have free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

The cheapest option is a one-way route where the safari replaces a transfer you were making anyway — Ella → Yala → the south coast from $30 per person, or the Ella → Udawalawe → coast shuttle. Because you'd be paying for transport to the coast regardless, folding the game drive into the journey makes it far better value than a separate return day trip.

No — park entrance fees (about $43 per adult, set by the Department of Wildlife) are additional. You can pre-pay them at checkout or pay in cash at the park gate. Every tour price above covers the jeep, driver-guide, all road transport and hotel pickup/drop-off.

Yes. A one-way route (Ella → Yala → the coast) is cheaper than the round trip back to Ella, because you're not paying for the return leg — and you end up exactly where you want to be next, with your luggage. If Ella is your base for several nights, the return trip makes sense; if you're moving on, the one-way drop-off is both cheaper and saves you a whole travel day.

The Yala game drive runs in a 4×4 with your own licensed tracker-guide. On the transfer routes you can add a private-vehicle upgrade at checkout if you'd like the jeep and transport entirely to your group.

Yes — that's exactly what these routes are for. Instead of a plain transfer, we collect you (and your luggage) in Ella, run a guided game drive in Yala, and drop you at your next hotel on the south coast, in Arugam Bay, or back in Ella. One day instead of two.

As early as you can — popular dates on the Ella → coast route are often booked several weeks ahead. Booking direct with us secures your date and the best price; free cancellation up to 24 hours before means there's no risk if plans change.

Yes, free door-to-door hotel pickup in Ella is included, wherever the lanes allow. A few Ella guesthouses sit up very steep or narrow tracks — if a vehicle can't safely reach yours, we'll agree an easy meeting point a short walk away and confirm it the night before.