Sri Lanka · Safari

3-Day Yala National Park Wildlife Safari with Galle Fort Visit

3 Days Round trip from Canada Friendship Rd Easy pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Go on a safari at Yala National Park
02 Witness a variety of wildlife and bird species
03 Explore Galle Dutch Fort and a spice garden
04 Offer your prayers at Gangaramaya Temple
05 Participate in fun-filled game drive sessions

Sign up for an exciting venture into the wild and be stunned by the majesty of nature at Yala National Park, home to Sri Lanka's most popular wildlife and bird sanctuary. Go on thrilling jungle safaris and fun-filled game drives as you look out for a variety of wildlife and bird species in this remarkable landscape. Along the way, also explore Galle Dutch Fort, visit a spice garden, and offer your prayers at Gangaramaya Temple. This 3-day journey combines wildlife, culture, and history across some of Sri Lanka's most interesting sites.

Sign up for an exciting venture into the wild and be stunned by the majesty of nature at Yala National Park, home to Sri Lanka's most popular wildlife and bird sanctuary.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 3 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Colombo, Galle, Yala National Park, Katunayake, Ahungalla

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Colombo to Yala via Coastal Heritage Sites

Connect with your tour guide at the airport or at any hotel in Sri Lanka and begin your journey to Yala.
En route, visit Madu Ganga, Galle Dutch Fort, and a spice garden.
Then, continue to the Moonstone Mine at Meetiyagoda, a well-known moonstone center in Sri Lanka.
Next, explore the turtle farm in Ahungalla and the mask factory in Ambalangoda.

Overnight stay at a Yala hotel.

Day 02

Full-Day Safari in Yala National Park

Early in the morning, leave for Yala for a full-day game drive in Yala National Park.
In the evening, visit a Hindu temple.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 03

Yala to Colombo with Temple Visit

After breakfast, transfer to Colombo Airport or your Colombo hotel.
If time allows, visit Gangaramaya Temple (Water Lake Temple).

Tour ends.

Where this trip takes you

Yala National Park, Galle Fort, Moonstone Mine at Meetiyagoda

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Canada Friendship Rd 5 cities · 3 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Accommodation for 2 nights in different cities as per the itinerary in star hotels.
English-speaking guide service, with the guide also acting as your driver.
Expert site guides who are reliable, experienced, and friendly, with excellent knowledge of nature, ancient archaeological sites, and cultural sites.
Day-to-day monitoring and communication with drivers and guests for smooth operation.
BB meal plans at the hotels where you will spend the night. Snacks are not included.
Experienced driver and luxury van, car, or bus with A/C.
Free entrance to the spice garden, gem museum, wood carving center, and tea factory and plantation.

What's Not Included

Tickets for various activities.
Medical and insurance costs, and tickets to gardens.
Orphanage visits, boat rides, safaris, massage, laundry, trips, mini bar, shopping, and similar personal expenses.
Any phone calls made locally or internationally. If you prefer to call us, it will be free of charge, but for other calls, the hotel will charge.
Entrance ticket prices are per person and are not included in the tour cost.

Know before you go

We will follow COVID-19 rules and regulation guidelines from the WHO and Tourist Board to protect our clients and the country. Travel is a vital part of the human experience. It expands our understanding of people and cultures exponentially. Re-establishing confidence in tourism is crucial for the industry, the destinations and communities visited, and the travelling public.
With global recognition, Sri Lanka has gained by effectively managing and controlling the spread of COVID-19 within the country. Potential travellers and tour groups have already inquired about travel into the country. While welcoming such gestures of good faith by tourists, Stelaranholidays (Pvt) Ltd realizes the importance of implementing planned, organized, and well-structured health protocols when resuming tourism in the country, so as to ensure the safety and good health of all guests, industry stakeholders, and the general public.
Personal safety measures
- Ensure the use of the traditional greeting of Sri Lanka, 'Ayubowan', at all times instead of hugging or handshaking.
- Before entering the hotel, we will need the required COVID-19 vaccine reports.
- The driver/tour leader should maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 meters between two people at all times.
- Ensure all tourists wear face masks and maintain a safe 1.5-meter distance at all times.
- The driver/tour leader should wear face masks and gloves when interacting with passengers.
- Travellers are requested to sanitize their hands frequently during the tour and site visits; further, they should wash their hands with soap and running water at the end of each site visit.
- Personal protective equipment is available in the vehicle, such as face masks, hand sanitizer, and wipes for passengers when needed.
All outside-country visitors: pre-departure COVID-19 PCR testing
- A negative PCR test is required prior to boarding your flight and on arrival in Sri Lanka. The test should be no older than 72 hours prior to boarding.
Madu Ganga is the second biggest wetland in Sri Lanka. The estuary is spread over 900 hectares, of which 770 hectares are covered with water, and is inhabited by 64 islands, of which 15 islands have a larger landmass. Abundantly rich in biodiversity, the area surrounding the Madu River is known for its natural beauty.
Galle Fort, in the Bay of Galle on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, was first built in 1588 by the Portuguese, then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. It is a historical, archaeological, and architectural heritage monument which, even after more than 432 years, maintains a polished appearance due to extensive reconstruction work done by the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. The heritage value of the fort has been recognized by UNESCO, and the site has been inscribed as a cultural heritage UNESCO World Heritage Site under criteria iv, for its unique exposition of 'an urban ensemble which illustrates the interaction of European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries'.
Meetiyagoda, also spelt 'Mitiyagoda', is situated only 4 km from the ocean and 10 km north of Hikkaduwa. Meetiyagoda is famous for its moonstone mines. Moonstone has been used in jewelry for millennia, including by ancient civilizations. The Romans admired moonstone, as they believed it was derived from solidified rays of the moon. Both the Romans and Greeks associated moonstone with their lunar deities. In more recent history, moonstone became popular during the Art Nouveau period; French goldsmith René Lalique and many others created a large quantity of jewelry using this stone.
Ambalangoda mask making is a popular tradition in Sri Lanka. Many Sri Lankan mask artisans ply their trade along the western, southwestern, and southern coasts of the island. Of these, the Ambalangoda area on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka is renowned for its talented artisans. Ambalangoda is famed for its history and expertise in mask carving and culture, and the best place to get your fill of mask lore is the Ambalangoda Mask Workshop and Museum in Sri Lanka.
Ahungalla turtle conservation is notable because turtles are among the most commonly found marine animals in Sri Lanka. They are also found in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans. Their English name refers to the colour of the fat found under their shells. Young green turtles are mainly carnivores. Adults, however, are herbivores, feeding only on marine vegetation with the help of their finely serrated jaws. They grow to a maximum length of 1 m and can weigh 250 kg. Adult females lay between 120-140 eggs at one time. Green turtles are regularly found on the beach at night every few years, and when they do, they lay several times in one season.
Yala National Park is known for the leopard, one of the most popular animals in the country, often called the lord of the jungle. With a leopard density higher than anywhere else on the planet, these predators prowl majestically in Yala, while elephants roam in numbers and deer move cautiously nearby. Yala National Park is a huge area of forest, grassland, and lagoons bordering the Indian Ocean in southeast Sri Lanka. It is home to wildlife such as leopards, elephants, and crocodiles, as well as hundreds of bird species. Inland, Yala National Park gives the best opportunity to witness Sri Lanka's broad variety of wildlife: colorful painted storks perched at the shores of lagoons where crocodiles rest, lovely fantailed peacocks in resplendent blues and greens parading through the woods, monkeys hanging, leaping, and chattering, elephants in the bush jungle, and the star attraction of the park - the leopard - crossing the tracks and wandering into the thorny scrub jungle.
A total of 32 species of mammals have been recorded. Threatened species include sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya), elephant (Elephas maximus), water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), wild boar (Sus scrofa), spotted deer (Axis axis ceylonessis), sambar (Cervus unicolor), and golden jackal (Canis aureus). Sri Lankan leopards (Panthera pardus kotiya) are said to be a distinct subspecies from their Indian neighbours. Leopards can be seen throughout the park, though the best period for enjoying leopard sightings is from January to July. Around 130 bird species have been recorded. Raptors include the crested serpent eagle and white-bellied sea eagle. Among the water birds attracted to the lagoons are lesser flamingo, pelican, spoonbill, painted stork, rare black-necked stork, grey heron, purple heron, night heron, and darter.
During the northeast monsoon, the lagoons are visited by thousands of migrating waterfowl, including pintail, garganey, Eurasian curlew, whimbrel, and turnstone, which mix with resident species such as whistling duck, yellow-wattled lapwing, red-wattled lapwing, and great stone plover. The forest is home to orange-breasted green pigeon, hornbills, and flycatchers, including Asian paradise flycatcher, barbets, and orioles. Notable reptiles include the mugger crocodile, which is abundant in the abandoned tanks, the estuarine crocodile found in the main rivers, and the common monitor. Other reptiles include cobra and Russell's viper. A variety of sea turtles, including olive ridley and leatherback, also use the Yala coastline as a major nesting ground.