Yala Safari

Yala National Park is a sprawling natural paradise teeming with wildlife, in southeastern Sri Lanka. Shrouded in legend, Yala is believed to be the former kingdom of Ravana, from the Hindu epic Ramayana. The region was an important trading port, and a few abandoned traces of its former glory still remain. Today, dense forests, open grasslands and rocky outcrops provide a natural habitat for elephants, bears and deer, while crafty crocodiles gather at abundant watering holes. The park was a former hunting ground, and the verdant landscape boasts a striking population of leopards and birds,. It is also home to two major sacred pilgrimage sites for Buddhists and Hindus alike.