7-Hour Yala Safari with Leopards, Lunch & Bundala Bird Watching

Block 5 holds the world's highest leopard density, and you'll drive straight into it.

A full-day private safari through Yala and Bundala National Parks in Sri Lanka, with a 7-hour morning and afternoon drive through Yala's Block 5 jungle and an evening bird-watching shift at Bundala's UNESCO wetland. You travel in a luxury 4WD jeep with an experienced English-speaking tracker, lunch, water and binoculars included. Hotel pickup and drop-off are built in from Tissamaharama, Hambantota, Kataragama or Yala.

Step-by-step itinerary

Safari at Yala and Bundala Parks

• Morning safari at Yala National Park
• Spot leopards, elephants, and wildlife
• Enjoy lunch with fruits and bottled water
• Afternoon bird watching at Bundala National Park

The experience

The morning push into Yala's Block 5 is where the density pays off. This sector runs from salty bushland along the Indian Ocean into deep semi-dry jungle with rugged terrain and a river cutting through dark forest canopy. The terrain itself is what concentrates the wildlife. Your tracker knows where leopards, sloth bears and elephant herds move through the day, and the 7-hour window gives you the daylight window when they're active. You'll also spot sambar and spotted deer, wild boar, crocodiles, monkeys and the smaller species that fill the gaps.

The afternoon shift moves to Bundala National Park, a UNESCO biosphere reserve and RAMSAR wetland on the southern coast. Bundala is the bird-watching anchor: greater flamingos arrive in flocks up to a thousand at a time, covering the main lagoon in pink, and the park sits on the migration route for water birds moving between the Northern Hemisphere and Antarctica. The evening light and the water draw a different set of species than Yala's jungle, so you're seeing two ecosystems in one day.

The jeep is private (just you and your tracker), and the pace is set by what you find. Lunch, bottled water, a cool box and binoculars are included. The tracker speaks English and knows the parks well enough to read the terrain and the animal behavior, not just the roads. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included from Tissamaharama, Hambantota, Kataragama or Yala, depending on which option you choose at checkout.

What’s included

• Transportation in a luxury 4WD safari jeep.
• experienced English-speaking tracker and driver.
• 7 hours of safari driving through Yala's Block 5.
• evening bird-watching time at Bundala National Park.
• lunch and fresh fruit.
• bottled water and a cool box.
• binoculars.
• all taxes and fees.
• hotel pickup and drop-off from your chosen location.

Options for this experience

3 options

Luxury safari departing from YalaGuide in English · 05:30A luxury Toyota Hilux 4WD jeep is provided, along with an experienced driver/tracker who speaks English. Entrance tickets, lunch, fruit, bottled water and binoculars are all supplied.

Tissamaharama Luxury SafariGuide in English · 05:00A luxury Toyota Hilux 4WD jeep is provided, along with an experienced driver/tracker who speaks English. Entrance tickets, lunch, fruit, bottled water and binoculars are all supplied.

Luxury safari departing from HambantotaGuide in English · 05:00A luxury Toyota Hilux 4WD jeep is provided, along with an experienced driver/tracker who speaks English. Entrance tickets, lunch, fruit, bottled water and binoculars are all supplied.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 05:00 and 05:30

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problems

Operated by Merganser Holidays

Is this one for you?Book this if you want both parks in one day with a private jeep and dedicated tracker. Choose it over the half-day option when you're willing to spend the full morning in Yala for better wildlife spotting odds.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 4 years): free.

What animals am I most likely to see in Yala's Block 5?

Leopards are the headline (Block 5 has the world's highest leopard density), but you'll also encounter elephant herds, sloth bears, sambar and spotted deer, wild boar, crocodiles, monkeys and smaller species like mongoose and porcupines. The 7-hour drive gives you multiple passes through the terrain where they move.

Why is Bundala different from Yala if I'm doing both in one day?

Bundala is a coastal wetland and UNESCO biosphere reserve focused on water birds, while Yala is inland jungle built around large mammals. The evening shift at Bundala catches the flamingos and migratory species that don't inhabit Yala's forest, so you're seeing two distinct ecosystems and two different animal communities.

How does the private jeep work? Is it just me and the tracker?

Yes, the jeep is private to your group, so it's you, your family or party and the English-speaking tracker who drives and navigates. The pace and stops are set by what you find and what interests you, not by a fixed itinerary or other passengers.

What's included in the lunch, and can I request vegetarian options?

Lunch is included as part of the package. Vegetarian options are available if you advise your dietary requirements at the time of booking. Bottled water and a cool box are also included to keep food and drinks fresh during the long drive.

Which hotel pickup location should I choose?

You pick your starting point at checkout: Tissamaharama, Hambantota, Kataragama or Yala. The tracker will collect you from your hotel in that area and return you at the end of the day, so choose the town closest to where you're staying.