Yala National Park Safari

Drive times and duration

Dawn drive: departs at 5:00 am.
Dusk drive: departs at 2:30 pm.
On the day, our resident naturalists fine-tune departure to the season's sunrise, heat, and recent sighting patterns. Guests are briefed the evening before.
Each drive lasts a minimum of 3 hours inside the park.
Full-day safaris run from 5:30 am to 6:00 pm, with a complimentary packed lunch.
Under Department of Wildlife Conservation rules, all jeeps in the park remain stationary between 12 noon and 2:00 pm.

Jeeps and naturalists

Our safari jeeps are canopied, providing shade from the sun and dust. We seat a maximum of six guests per jeep, which keeps a seat available for a naturalist to join.

The hotel has six resident naturalists. A naturalist joins your drive subject to availability, on a first-come basis. Reserve when you book your drive to secure one, especially during peak months.

What a safari costs and what's included

Every rate includes:

Yala National Park entrance fee
Safari jeep
All applicable taxes
Bottled water
One pair of binoculars per jeep
A naturalist, subject to availability
Prices are per person.

Guests	Private Jeep	Sharing
1 guest	USD 200	—
2–3 guests	USD 120	USD 100
4 or more	USD 100	USD 100

Guests	Per Person
1 Guest	USD 250
2-3 Guests	USD 180
4 or more	USD 140


Children under 6	Free
Children aged 6-11	Half Rate
Guests aged 12 and above	Full rate

Booking, children, and what to bring

There is no minimum age — infants are welcome on safari.

For a dawn departure, book with reception by 8:30 pm the previous evening.

A packed breakfast is available for dawn drives — request it from reception by 8 pm the day before. Or head out at 5:00 am and return to the breakfast buffet, which serves until 10:30 am.

One pair of binoculars is provided per jeep. Wear lightweight, breathable clothing in neutral colours — beige, khaki, olive — with closed shoes, a hat and sunglasses. A light long-sleeved layer helps: the open-jeep ride at 5:00 am is surprisingly cool, and the same layer becomes sun protection by mid-morning. Keep perfume minimal in a wildlife environment

When to go, and the wildlife at your doorstep

In our naturalists' own observation, May to September brings the strongest leopard sighting conditions, as the drought concentrates animals at waterholes — it is also *palu* (ironwood fruit) season, which improves the chances of sloth bear and elephant encounters. No sighting is ever promised: leopards keep their own schedule.

Yala Block 1 traditionally closes in September–October, depending on the drought. During closure we run drives to Yala Block 5, Udawalawe, and Bundala National Park instead.

Yala National Park is one of Sri Lanka's 70 Important Bird Areas, home to over 300 bird species and 44 mammal species, and is considered to hold one of the highest leopard densities in the world. The dry-zone park receives most of its rain in the December–February northeast monsoon. You don't leave the wildlife at the gate: the hotel's own 2023 biodiversity assessment recorded 165 bird species, 31 mammal species and 67 butterfly species on the property itself

An Elephant Walking Up A Flight Of Stairs

How far is Yala National Park from Cinnamon Wild Yala?

Cinnamon Wild Yala sits on the border of Yala National Park. The park's Block 1 entrance at the Palatupana ticket office is 3 km from the hotel, a 10-minute jeep ride.Cinnamon Wild Yala sits on the border of Yala National Park. The park's Block 1 entrance at the Palatupana ticket office is 3 km from the hotel, a 10-minute jeep ride.

What time do safaris leave Cinnamon Wild Yala, and how long do they last?

The dawn drive departs at 5:00 am and the dusk drive at 2:30 pm, and each drive lasts a minimum of 3 hours inside Yala National Park. Full-day safaris run 5:30 am to 6:00 pm with a complimentary packed lunch.

How much does a Yala safari from Cinnamon Wild Yala cost, and what's included?

Half-day safaris cost USD 100 to USD 200 per person and full-day safaris USD 140 to USD 250 per person, depending on group size, with rates valid to 31 March 2027. Every rate includes the Yala park entrance fee, the jeep, all applicable taxes, bottled water, and one pair of binoculars per jeep; a naturalist joins on availability.

Can children go on a Yala safari from Cinnamon Wild Yala?

Yes. There is no minimum age and infants are welcome on safari. Children under 6 join free, ages 6–11 pay half rate, and guests 12 and above pay full rate.

How do I book a dawn safari at Cinnamon Wild Yala?

Book with reception by 8:30 pm the previous evening, and reserve a naturalist when you book your drive to secure one. A packed breakfast is available for dawn drives if you request it from reception by 8 pm the day before.

When is the best time to see leopards in Yala?

In the Cinnamon Wild Yala naturalists' own observation, May to September brings the strongest leopard sighting conditions, as the drought concentrates animals at waterholes, though no sighting is ever promised. Yala Block 1 traditionally closes in September–October, and during closure the hotel runs drives to Yala Block 5, Udawalawe, and Bundala National Park instead.

Yala Block 1 safaris from Cinnamon Wild Yala

Drive times and duration

Jeeps and naturalists

What a safari costs and what's included

Half-day safari — morning or afternoon

Full Day Safari

Children's Rate

Booking, children, and what to bring

When to go, and the wildlife at your doorstep