Watching leopards in Yala National Park: 10 practical tips

Watching leopards in Yala National Park: 10 practical tips

We've generally been lucky when it comes to travel ephemera. We saw incredible northern lights in the Norwegian Arctic. In Tonga we swam with whales on the very last day of the season and in the Galápagos we snorkeled with penguins. Still, I kept my expectations low for our leopard safari in Sri Lanka's Yala National Park.

It was raining heavily and our guide, a Scotsman from Sri Lanka named Damian, warned us that leopards tend to retreat into caves when wet. Additionally, other tourists had been on two safaris the day before with no luck in sight.

We set off and drove for several hours. We saw herds of spotted deer, peacocks, wild boar, buffalo and a whole host of birds - but no leopards. As the light faded, so did our hopes. But just as we were preparing to leave the park, Damian heard the alarm call of a monkey warning his fellow monkeys that a leopard was nearby. We were whisked away and within minutes were sitting just meters away from a majestic female leopard.

To help you get the most out of your own visit, we've put together 10 practical tips for spotting leopards in Yala National Park.

Visit in the dry season

The dry season offers the best chances of seeing leopards in Yala National Park. These elusive creatures prefer dry weather and are more likely to be out and about during the months of June to September when rainfall is at its lowest. During the rainy months (November to January and April), leopards often retreat to dens, reducing your chances of seeing them in the wild.

Noel Rodrigo's Leopard Safaris helpfully provides the following table, which breaks down the best months for leopard viewing in Yala National Park.

alt=”Best time to spot leopards in Yala National Park”>

It's worth noting that we were there in January and despite fairly heavy rain, we managed to spot a leopard lounging in a tree. So if you can't come in the dry season, don't give up hope completely.

Legend+ good chances of sighting++ very good chances of sightingDark green background: Occasional precipitation expectedLight green background: Rain possible but unlikelyWhite background: No rain expected

Do not book an off-road safari

You may be told that you can just rock up to the gates of Yala National Park and pick up a cheap safari. That's true, but be warned that cowboy outfits abound. Operators do not require professional accreditation to bring visitors to the park, and you will likely rely on an inexperienced guide.

alt="The best national park in Sri Lanka for leopards is Yala">Atlas & BootsWithout an experienced guide we would have missed this leopard

Our guide had been in the game for almost a decade and was able to recognize the alarm call mentioned above. Without Damian, the driver would have continued on and we would have missed our only chance to spot a leopard in the park.

Book more than one game drive

It is essential that you book more than one game drive if you are serious about spotting leopards in Yala National Park. It's true that we saw one on our first trip, but other tourists in our camp only saw one on their third.

We booked two trips and in hindsight we should have booked one more. Our colleagues set off again and were rewarded with a much better view.

alt="Yala National Park">Kip Hayes/Used with permissionOur colleagues were rewarded with a better view

Make a night of it

Many visitors opt for a nearby hotel and head to Yala National Park in the morning. This is a fairly hygienic way to see the park. Instead, make a night of it by staying at a nearby camp.

alt="We spent the night at a cozy campsite">Atlas & BootsWe spent the night at a cozy campsite

Given my aversion to camping, we chose Noel Rodrigo's Leopard Safaris, which offers a range of amenities while maintaining the intimate atmosphere of camping.

While camping you can also meet guides who are genuinely interested in nature, wildlife and national parks of Sri Lanka. We spent a good hour talking with camp manager Saj about hunting, poaching and the controversial case of Cecil the Lion.

Be calm

“This is the first time I've heard the Americans stay silent,” joked a fellow traveler when we met our leopard. The people in question were a group of friendly but chatty New Yorkers chattering their way through the park. When we came across the leopard, the sight silenced them.

It is important to be quiet so as not to scare the leopards. Don't use your camera flash or make distracting movements.

Upgrade your photography equipment

If you're planning on upgrading your photography equipment, now is the time to do it.

alt="A crocodile captured by Peter's six year old zoom lens">Atlas & BootsA crocodile captured by Peter's six-year-old zoom lens

Peter packed his six-year-old zoom lens instead of the updated version he's saving up for. Unfortunately, its limitations became clear as the light began to fade. If photographing leopards in Yala National Park is a priority for you, don't skimp on equipment.

Additionally, if you don't have a waterproof camera cover, you should buy one because you will need it when it rains.

Be decisive

Your safari guide will need to estimate when everyone in the vehicle is ready to leave. Occasionally they may not stop at something you find interesting. Be clear and concise to help them get their work done.

alt="Peacock in Yala National Park">Atlas & BootsIf you see something you want to photograph, clearly ask your guide to stop

When you want to stop, don't say "Oh, there's a peacock" or "Wow, look at that land monitor", say "Can we please stop". This clearly signals that you want to observe the animal. When you're ready to go, say "We're ready to go." This ensures you get your shot, reduces confusion and reduces wasted time.

Pack rain pants

Your camp will likely provide waterproof ponchos, but pack a waterproof jacket just in case. Avoid heavy or clingy clothing and try to bring the following.

• Leichte, atmungsaktive Baumwollkleidung
• Pullover/Cardigan für morgendliche Pirschfahrten
• Kamera plus erforderliche Ausrüstung
• Zusätzliche Speicherkarten
• Ladegeräte (für Kamera/Telefon)
• Sonnenhut oder Mütze
• Sonnenbrille und Sonnencreme
• Schal/Sarong als Staubschutz
• Insektenschutz
• Stirnlampe
• Kleine Tagestasche

alt="In waterproof ponchos in Yala National Park">Atlas & BootsIn waterproof ponchos in Yala National Park

Share premium seating

Depending on the season, you may need to share your vehicle with another party. If this is the case and you get prime seating on your first game drive, offer to swap seats on your second drive.

This may mean you end up with the dud seat (the middle of the back seat), but it's better that you endure it once than have someone else do it twice.

alt=”Offer to trade places and share prime photo ops”>Atlas & BootsOffer to trade places and share prime photo ops

Be considerate when it comes to photo ops. Once you get a great shot from the perfect angle, offer to temporarily swap places so someone else can access that position.

Be prepared not to see any leopards

There is no guarantee that you will see leopards in Yala National Park. The fact that we saw one on our first game drive during the rainy season bodes well, but you never know.

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Atlas & Boots

Follow the park regulations at all times and do not put pressure on your guide. Try not to compare your experiences with others. We saw a leopard on our first trip but not on our second. We were perfectly happy with this until we found out that our American friends saw two leopards on the second trip - and killed one leopard!

Try to remember that you are lucky just to be there. On that second ride, after a fruitless morning in the relentless rain, Peter turned to me and asked if I was okay.

I smiled. “Of course,” I said. “Look at where we are, what we’re doing.”

Yala National Park: the essentials

What: Spot leopards in Yala National Park.

Where: We stayed at Noel Rodrigo's Leopard Safaris campsite, a 40-minute drive from the entrance to Yala National Park. Accommodation ranged from spacious canvas tents – each with a living area overlooking the jungle and a private toilet and shower – to a luxury lodge tent with a four-poster bed and an outdoor dining terrace.

Three hearty meals of traditional cuisine are served in a communal restaurant with plenty of drinks and snacks in between - all included in the overnight price.

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Atlas & Boots

The most striking aspect was the camp staff who had a clear passion for nature and wildlife, from Praneeth, who can tell you how many species of birds are endemic to Sri Lanka, to Saj, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of creatures large and small.

When: The best time to spot leopards in Yala National Park is June to August, when there is least rain. February and May are also good months. We were there in January and saw a leopard, so there is hope outside of those months too.

How: Entrance fees to Yala National Park are $15 per person for a day visit and $30 for an overnight stay.

The towns of Tissamaharama and Kataragama provide the best access to Yala. From Colombo Fort Station you can take the train to Matara (check timetable here). These run around the south coast. From Matara you can take bus 32 to Tissamaharama or Kataragama and take a tuk tuk to the entrance of Yala National Park. You should note that we found bus travel in Sri Lanka to be quite stressful, so you may want to take a transfer instead. Your hotel can arrange this, but it's always worth negotiating a discount as these are usually excessive (e.g. if it says LKR 15,000, ask for 11,000).

Many tourists choose to hire a driver for the entire trip. This costs approximately $45 per day (including days you don't use the driver). We used Ajaa (+94 777 284 178) and Sisi (+94 777 203 083) for shorter transfers and found them friendly and reliable.

Most international flights land at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB). Book via Skyscanner for the best prices.

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