Yala National Park: Special Leopard Safari (4:30 Am–11:30 Am)

Our family had a wonderful experience with Yala Osha Safari and enjoyed every minute of the journey. It was the perfect opportunity to escape busy schedules and spend quality time together surrounded by nature. The scenery was stunning, and the wildlife sightings made the day even more exciting. We were delighted to see elephants, deer, crocodiles, monkeys, peacocks, and many beautiful birds in their natural environment. The guide was courteous, knowledgeable, and always willing to share interesting information about the animals and the park. We appreciated the relaxed pace of the safari, which allowed us to fully enjoy each sighting and take plenty of photographs. The vehicle was comfortable, and the entire experience felt safe and well organized for families. Seeing the excitement on our children's faces made the trip even more special. The combination of excellent service, breathtaking wildlife, and unforgettable family moments made this an experience we will always treasure. We highly recommend Yala Osha Safari to anyone looking for a memorable family wildlife adventure in Sri Lanka.

My partner and I joined the morning safari with Yala Osha Safari from 4:30 AM to 11:30 AM, and it was an amazing experience. The early start was absolutely worth it because the park was peaceful and full of wildlife activity. One of the highlights of the trip was seeing several elephants up close in their natural habitat. Watching them move freely and interact with each other was truly special. We also spotted deer, peacocks, monkeys, crocodiles, and many beautiful birds during the safari. The guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and always eager to help us spot animals along the way. The jeep was comfortable, and the entire tour was well organized. The beautiful morning scenery and unforgettable elephant sightings made this safari a memorable part of our trip. Highly recommended for couples looking for a fantastic Yala safari experience.

It was great! We really had a super time with Naleke. He has great driving skills and he is very good in finding all the beautiful animals. He spotted the location of the jaguar long before the other guides! So we got a super video of the jaguar! When the other trucks came the jaguar was already gone… We also saw the bear, jackals, elephants, monkeys, antilope, an eagle eating his catch, spotted deers, antilopes, crocodiles, fantastic birds and many more animals. Margôt and Ardaan

Er had a wonderful safari with our guide Shachi. He was a very polite and funny guy and a very professional driver and guide concerning the animals we saw. His ability to see the animals while driving and explaining was very impressive. For a safari in Yala we can highly recommend this. It was a great and unique experience

We had a very nice safari with Nalaka. He explained the animals we found (also a Leopard) and gave us an exciting adventure. Thank you!

Perfect. Had the best driver. Saw amazing wildlife. Boar, bear, leopard, crocodile, jackal, elephant, land monitor, peacocks, water buffalo, deer and more, all in their natural environment.

The safari has been a great experience! The guide has worked at the park for more than 15 year and you can feel that. He carried a tasty homemade breakfast as a part of the tour,

Our special leopard safari was amazing! Our guide spotted many animals like crocodile, mongoose, eagles, monkeys, water buffalo, land monitors etc. and we were very lucky to see both elephants and a leopard crossing the road. Traditional Sri Lanka breakfast midway through the morning - very tasty!

Yala Osha Safari is one of The best experiences of our lives, we stayed at My Resort Yala ( best place to stay ) , and at 4:30 we went to the safari, we saw elephants, crocodiles , monkeys, leopards and lot more animals. The organization was perfect, the driver súper professional . I will recomend everybody to do this safary. We stayed at Bentota and they organized all the transfer with Nisha was fantastic, stayed one night at My Resort Yala and then back to Bentota, is sorry doing it. Thank you for this amazing experience

We really enjoyed the safari at Yala National Park. We could see plenty of different wild animals (a leopard, crocodiles, buffalos, black bears, boars, many different birds, monkeys and elephants with little babies). Sudu, our experienced driver took much time to share his knowledge about the wildlife and nature with us. His kind, honest and calm, but yet humorous personality created a pleasant atmosphere. Sudu was also well informed of the hazards of a safari, so his behavior was really responsible. We definitely recommend a safari with Sudu as a driver!

My partner and I did the special leopard safari in late June with our fantastic guide and driver, Sudu. We were accompanied by two other parties of two and arrived at the gate to Yala National park well before many other jeeps. Sudu was a fantastic host and asked us for our preferences and opinions throughout the tour. He was also very experienced and knowledgeable with excellent leopard spotting skills! It was well understood that there is no guarantee in spotting wildlife as they are, of course, wild animals! However, on the day, we saw two leopards, elephants, boar, buffalo, deer and many species of birds! It was a fantastic day!

Remember this meme of "expectation vs reality"? Well, that was the one. Getting up at 4 am and paying a hefty amount of money... to see a bunch of peacocks. Probably the biggest disappointment of our trip, especially considering we were with the kid. Peacocks are fun, until ninth or tenth time you see them shaking their rear by the road. After that they become another kind of fun. Looks like the other animals delegated their job to peacocks that morning. Truth be told, we did see some other animals - the beginning and the end of our visit were the most interesting bits. But in between them - just several hours of tedious cruising the same rough roads among the bushes, swallowing the dust of the jeep in front. The jeeps around were also plenty, same as peacocks. The experience becomes even more spicy with a kid - they don't tend to be very patient. We couldn't suffer it for very long, so asked for an early wrap-up. Being much glad we didn't take the full day. The other couple riding with us supported ardently. Maybe it was just our bad luck that day, seeing so many positive reviews. Maybe it's just the ones with positive experience who write them - others preferring not to bother. I'd say - I don't understand how the animals would show up with such traffic in this not so large area. I'd say - reduce the number of vehicles entering the zone drastically, if you want to make it a real "national reserve", and not just another money-squeezing overmarketed attraction.

Janaka is a great guide and very nice. The safari with him as guide was awesome and we saw all animals WE wanted to see. I totally recommend to book a safari with Janaka.

Our driver, Sudu was amazing. Not only an excellent driver but he also told us a lot about the animals and the park. He was very informative, professional and also funny. December isn't the best time to visit Yala National Park due to frequent rain however thanks to our guide/driver he enjoyed the experience a lot

Best experience ever and Sudu the best guide. He was so professional, he knew amazing spots inside the park and we saw amazing animals, plus he gave us amazing breakfast and very good explanations about the animals - if you are considering a safari, ask for Sudu! Super profesional, EVERYTHING PERFECT! ✨

We booked this half day tour as our 3rd and final safari in Yala. What we liked about our driver: he escaped the crowds. Everyone else went one way - he went another. He seemed to have a very good grasp of where to search for leopards and identified the exact area by listening for the warning call from the deer. We probably wouldn’t have spotted the big cat without our guide’s help. Unfortunately, some idiot self driver came up and refused to turn off his motor and scared off the leopard before it would come out of the bush but we did get a few nice pics. The driver also ensured we got front row seats to a group of elephants including two babies. I will say that I wished the driver could have just stopped for a bush toilet instead of letting me wait for 45 min and making me run through the pouring rain to a regular one, but oh well - I know these are technically the park rules. For travelers who are pressed for time, I think this is an excellent option. However, I would recommend everyone to do the full day tour because you get to see other corners of the park and increase your chances to also see a sloth bear.

Our driver/guide did everything he could to ensure we would see all the animals on our list - including leopard and sloth bear - and he succeeded! His driving skills were amazing. In nearly all the cases, we saw the animals close up and from different perspectives. He proved to have an in-depth knowledge of all the animals and plants we enquired about. We could not have been happier! I highly recommend this company.

We had a great safari with Osha safari in Yala. We saw a lot of animals and very special was the slot Beer. Unfortunately no leopard besides al the effort of our driver. Everything was arranged very well including a breakfast. I can highly recommend this safari.

We had a super experience. We saw elephants, water buffels, crocodiles and the Leopard. In addition, the sloth bear also appeared, which is apparently even harder to see then the leopard. Our guide was super skilled, very knowledgeable about the entire wildlife and very pleasant. We can only recommend.

Very good safari ! Our guide was very motivated to show us leopards and all the other beautiful animals. At the end of the half day tour we saw all possible animals including elephant, beer and leopard!

We had a wonderful morning with Janaka. His English is very good and he describe everything very clear. We felt very comfortable and Janaka takes care of the animals. He don’t drive to near and take the motor off when we was standing by an animal. He was driving small ways where we don’t see other jeeps. We absolutely can recommend this tour and also has a good price-performance ratio. Thank you a lot!

Perfect safari with a perfect Guide. Drove safe and slowly and didn’t follow the other jeeps so we’ve been a lot on our own. Definitely recommend it!

Everybody should book this tour with Janaka. He has the best drivers with the best knowledge and driving skills. We saw everything you can think of including leopard and bear. Highly recommended.

Just came back from one of the best safaris we ever had. Janaka the driver did an excellent job driving us and giving everything that we see what we searched for! Ended up seeing 3 Leopards and numerous elephants and other wildlife. We were 3 persons in total in a 4x4 made for 6 persons. Our vehicle seemed to be at the upper range of what you can get, and compared to other ones we saw, it was comfortable to do a full day safari. If you want to book a safari in Yala you have to make sure to go with Janaka!

The diver/guide somehow managed to find us 4 leopards in one half day, it was amazing... He clearly has experience. We saw elefants playing in the water like children, so cute, it's a must experience!

11/10 experience with Janaka. We just had THE BEST day at yala nationalpark. Communication beforehand was perfect. Pick up perfectly on time in the morning. We were the first ones in the park and Janaka is just a pure expert. He spotted Leopards before where no one else saw them. We actually saw bears, many elefants, eagles, basically everything they promote the park with. The great thing is, he's just as enthusiastic as we were to see the animals and always very respectful regarding safety distances towards the animals. He explained a lot about the animals as well. Most of the time we were alone at the spots or at least the first ones to arrive. His wife prepared a delicious breakfast and lunch for us as well. We actually heard many stories about other safaries where they didn't see a thing. So if you're visiting the nationalpark, he's the best to go with!

It was very nice. We had luck and saw a lot of elefants and leopards. Also other animals like buffalos, monkeys etc. Our driver was very nice and showed and explained everything. He kept a respectful distance to the animals, but close enough to take some photos.

We started our safari in the earliest morning and it was worth it! On our safari we saw different birds like bee eaters and a Brahimin kite that we would have overlooked if Janaka hadn’t told us. Besides we saw crocodiles, Sambur deer and many elephants, even a baby elephant. The highlight were definitely two young leopards that where right above our truck in the tree. It was amazing! Janaka is a friendly and funny guy and a very safe driver. Also, he tries to avoid overcrowded places and respects the wild animals. His comments on the animals are super interesting and you can ask him and stop the truck anytime. Janaka knows the good places and what feels like every animal in the park. It was a comfortable, interesting safari and we couldn’t wish for more.

We saw a leopard and elephants. Everyone was satisfied, everything was perfectly organised. Thank you!

We had a great safari with lots of elephants and one leopard seen, among many other animals and birds. I am glad we did our booking with them, as our driver seemed to have a sixt sense to know when the leopard was coming, but most importantly because he was a good driver. There are too many jeeps fighting to see the animals and many other drivers were too aggressive. We even witnessed two minor collisions amongst jeeps. So I was very glad to have a good and calmed driver. Fully recommend!

It was an amazing Morning Safari! The Driver was very professional and you feel, that they know what they are doing. Waiting sometimes and you wonder, what are we doing here? And then there comes the Leopard crossing the Street! Of course there is no guarantee to see the Leopard, but the Driver tried everything. We saw Elephants, Snakes, Birds, Magoos, Buffalos, Monkeys and finally a Leopard. Thank you for this Experience!

We went on a special leopard safari with Janaka. Booking 2 days in advance via WhatsApp (+94 (77) 965 2158) as well as communication was very easy and smooth. We were picked up from our hotel near Tissa at 4.30; Yala opens only at 6 but since sometimes 100 jeeps queue to enter the park it is worth starting so early since then you can enter among the first ones. Janaka explained beforehand what we should expect from the day. He is very well connected to other drivers and thus always got first-hand information on where leopard/elephants could be spotted. This allowed us to see a leopard from 2 metres distance Before all the other jeeps did - And it was just WOW (we also saw elephants, many birds, bores, deer, crocodiles etc). Go ahead booking with Janaka/Yala Safari, you can‘t do wrong! (But generally expect a chasing of the leopard/animal in the park by all keeps as soon as one is spotted).

A spectacular experience from the first contact. Even before our arrival they were looking out for us, resolving all our questions and helping us with the organization of the safari. The service included the entrance fee, breakfast, water, fruit, and binoculars, all very well prepared. However, what we want to highlight the most is our driver, Srimal. In addition to being a great professional and doing everything possible so that we would enjoy the safari, he shared with us very interesting conversations about his life and the reality of Sri Lanka. It was one of those encounters that enrich a trip far beyond the places you visit. Thanks to his experience, we learned a lot during the tour and we take away a very special memory of this day. If we had to recommend a company for the Yala safari, it would be this one without a doubt.

We had a great morning with Su. Even if we were picked up a little late and then already waited some cars in front of us at the gate, we were not disappointed! To bridge the waiting time, Su made a small tour in front of the gate, where we could see elephants and water buffalo. Already after about 30 minutes then the highlight of our tour - and also with one of the highlights of our entire trip - the leopard sighting! The guides are well linked to each other, so we quickly received the information that a leopard was sighted. With calmness and skill Su put us in the perfect position to watch the leopard for about 15 minutes. Afterwards we saw various water buffaloes, elephants, elephant calves, crocodiles, birds and other animals. Su has been able to tell us all the necessary information about the Yala and many interesting facts about the animals and the area. It was really a great experience we can recommend!

We had a great 7-12 safari with Su as driver & guide. We were the 3. Jeep in line at the opening of the park and have spent most of their time in areas with few other Jeeps, which we liked very much. We could see many animals, including 5 elephants and a leopard, although unfortunately only very briefly, as it was already moving away. The price-performance ratio was also top. We can definitely recommend this provider.

Easy booking and clarification of collection via WhatsApp. Punctually it started at dawn. Our driver had a very good eye so we were able to admire 2 leopards on a tree next to the road. Many more animals followed. During the break we were provided with a small breakfast. There were many opportunities to photograph. Our telephoto lens helped us to take a closer look at the animals. Unbelievable what's roaming in a relatively small space. We also received a lot of information about the birdlife.

The tour was really incredible. The national park and its animals are super impressive and our driver really gave everything that we see leopards. You could rely on the driver's good hearing, so we spotted two leopards right away. A truly incredible experience - we would do another tour with the Yala Osha team immediately!

We had booked the special (5-12) from home quite simply via whatsapp. We were then picked up outside our hotel at 05.50 that day. There were only 2 couples in the jeep, which we found very pleasant. The driver was very nice and likeable from the beginning. During our tour he gave us interesting information about the animals we could just see. He went to great lengths to show us the leopards. With his knowledge and patience we could actually see 3 leopards and they were very close to the jeep. That was an incredible moment as the animal passed us, the bright eyes of us as well as the happy face of our driver. Highly recommended. Unbeatable value for money (even the locals in the area say)

Excellent experience. The guide picked us up by car from the hotel. Thanks to him we were able to see a leopard, many elephants, crocodiles, deer and others. The guide knew the areas very well to see as many animals as possible. I recommend 100%

It was perfect! the driver is super friendly and knows the park as his pocket. This allowed us to see all the animals in the park in one day, leopard, bear, elephants etc.

I can only recommend the safari, everything worked perfectly. We ordered easily and uncomplicated via watsapp, were picked up directly from the hotel and were just before the entrance at 06:00 in Yala National Park. The driver recommended us to take a few photo tops first and focus on the Jaguar search, that worked out very well. We first found a jaguar, then photographed other animals, elephants, crocodiles and others... it was very impressive!

Driver experiments he knows perfectly the park, animals and animals Trust him, he does everything possible to show you EVERYTHING!