Local favourite national park · Hambantota, Sri Lanka
Yala National Park
Yala National Park is a national park in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.
Yala National Park: crowds and conditions
Typical pattern: usually quiet; mostly local visitors. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.
Status options for this national park: Open, good conditions · Very crowded · Approach road bad · Closed / not accessible.
Best time to visit Yala National Park
Season: November to March for sightings; sanctuaries may close in peak monsoon.
Crowd: Usually quiet; mostly local visitors.
Typical week: Mon quiet · Tue quiet · Wed quiet · Thu quiet · Fri light · Sat light · Sun light.
How to reach Yala National Park — distance from nearby cities
- From Arugam Bay (LK): about 95 km by road (76 km straight line) · directions · more places near Arugam Bay
- From Ella (LK): about 96 km by road (77 km straight line) · directions · more places near Ella
- From Nuwara Eliya (LK): about 127 km by road (102 km straight line) · directions · more places near Nuwara Eliya
- From Mirissa (LK): about 141 km by road (113 km straight line) · directions · more places near Mirissa
- From Ratnapura (LK): about 152 km by road (122 km straight line) · directions · more places near Ratnapura
Address: B499, Hungama 82120. Coordinates: 6.29291, 81.43027. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.
Places to visit near Yala National Park
- Sithulpawwa Raja Maha Viharaya · Buddhist site · Hambantota · ~13 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Great Basses Reef Lighthouse · beach · Hambantota · ~17 km · Must-see
- Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara · Buddhist site · Hambantota · ~19 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Yatala Stupa · Buddhist site · Hambantota · ~21 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Kataragama Holy Sanctuaries · attraction · Monaragala · ~22 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Dewalaya · temple · Monaragala · ~22 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Kiri Wehera · attraction · Monaragala · ~23 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Yala National Park · sanctuary · Monaragala · ~24 km · Well liked · Must-see
- Sellakatharagama Purana Ganapati Kovil · temple · Monaragala · ~27 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Little Basses Reef Lighthouse · beach · Ampara · ~44 km · Must-see
- Ridiyagama Safari Park · park · Hambantota · ~62 km · Well liked · Must-see
- Dematamal Viharaya · Buddhist site · Monaragala · ~67 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Buduruwagala Raja Maha Viharaya · Buddhist site · Monaragala · ~73 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Buduruwagala Rock Carvings · fort · Monaragala · ~73 km · Must-see
- Yala Beach · beach · Hambantota · ~2 km
- Yala National Park Museum · museum · Hambantota · ~4 km · Well liked
- Yala National Park - Block 1 · sanctuary · Hambantota · ~9 km
- Patanangala Beach · beach · Hambantota · ~12 km · Well liked
Other wildlife, forests & gardens near Yala National Park
- Yala National Park · sanctuary · Monaragala · ~24 km · Well liked · Must-see
- Udawalawe National Park · sanctuary · Monaragala · ~81 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Ella Organic Tea Garden · sanctuary · Badulla · ~96 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Horton Plains National Park · sanctuary · Nuwara Eliya · ~113 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Hakgala Botanical Garden · sanctuary · Nuwara Eliya · ~122 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Nilwala Crocodile Safari Matara · sanctuary · Matara · ~130 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Sinharaja Forest Reserve · sanctuary · Ratnapura · ~135 km · Highly rated · Must-see
- Victoria Randenigala Rantembe Sanctuary · sanctuary · Nuwara Eliya · ~144 km · Well liked · Must-see
- Yala National Park - Block 1 · sanctuary · Hambantota · ~9 km
- Onadi Yala Safari · sanctuary · Monaragala · ~21 km
Frequently asked
What is the best time to visit Yala National Park?
November to March for sightings; sanctuaries may close in peak monsoon. Usually quiet; mostly local visitors.
How far is Yala National Park from Arugam Bay?
Yala National Park is about 95 km by road from Arugam Bay (76 km straight line), 96 km from Ella and 127 km from Nuwara Eliya. Open the road-trip planner on Spotwander for turn-by-turn directions and stops on the way.
What are the places to visit near Yala National Park?
Nearby: Sithulpawwa Raja Maha Viharaya (Buddhist site, 13 km), Great Basses Reef Lighthouse (beach, 17 km), Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara (Buddhist site, 19 km), Yatala Stupa (Buddhist site, 21 km), Kataragama Holy Sanctuaries (attraction, 22 km), Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Dewalaya (temple, 22 km).