Leopard yala National park
East of Kataragama in the south east corner of the island in wild, tangled country where jungle meets the sea is Sri Lanka’s premier wildlife reserve. Yala West is one of the few Sri Lankan national parks still open to travellers Its northern boundaries border on the Lahugala Elephant Sanctuary. Within its 1200 square kms roam bear, elephant, boar, leopard, deer, sambhur and peacock. Water birds skim the inland lakes and bring the trees to life Situated 309 km. south of Colombo.
Yala enjoys the added bonus of a scenic ocean frontage with beautiful lagoons. The terrain is varied flat plains alternating with rocky outcrops. The vegetation ranges from open parkland to dense jungle. Water holes, small lakes, lagoons and streams provide water for the animals and birds. The speciality here is the large numbers of elephants. Four wheel drive jeep hire is essential to explore the national park. It is also important to start early and be in place near a waterhole at dawn or dusk.
