Excursion Game drive at yala national park tour at Hambantota

Take a Jeep safari in Yala National Park, the most visited, second oldest and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. Experience a full day (nine and half hours) adventure in this sanctuary that is home to 215 bird species, including six that are endemic to Sri Lanka, and 44 mammals, including one of the highest densities of leopards in the world.

Embark from the pier at Hambanthota Port, located on the Southern tip of Sri Lanka, and board your coach for the one-hour drive to the Yala National Park entrance. Meet your guide and climb into your Jeep for the four-hour photo safari. Explore areas in the Park's five blocks that include Ruhuna National Park (Block 1) and adjoining Kumana National Park (Yala East) and cover 378 square miles of uninterrupted habitat over two provinces.

Witness the variety of wild mammals in this important conservation area, including Sri Lankan elephants and Sri Lankan leopards. See many of the aquatic birds within this designated IBA (Important Bird Area). Notice the changes across the different ecosystems within the semi-arid park, ranging from moist monsoon forests to freshwater and marine wetlands. Learn from your guide about the ancient civilizations that inhabited this territory and who built the now protected Buddhist pilgrimage sites of Sithulpahuwa and Magul Vihara, where cave temples, stupas, and Buddha statues still stand.

Reboard your coach for the half-hour drive to your Forest Brunch. Step into the special setting created for you at a particularly scenic spot within the forest. Enjoy a generous and relaxed meal of traditional and familiar foods at the pop-up restaurant.

Return to your coach for the two-hour drive back to the Hambanthota port pier.

Note

Please note: This excursion is suitable for guests with limited mobility. Comfortable clothing that is dull colored is recommended, including hat or cap and comfortable walking shoes. There are about three hours of driving in air-conditioned coaches, and approximately another three hours of driving in jeeps, which are not air conditioned. Mobile camp style restrooms are available at the forest brunch location.