Overview in Negombo

Negombo, Sri Lanka · Animals, Day Trips, Food, Beaches, Literature · USD 160

Private Yala safari from Colombo or Negombo: return transport by car (1–3, US$160) or van (4–7, US$230) plus an afternoon jeep safari. Jeep and tickets extra. Our private Yala safari from Colombo is a full day out to Sri Lanka’s most famous national park and back. Your English-speaking driver picks you up from your hotel in Colombo or Negombo at around 8:00 am, drives you down the Southern Expressway to Yala for an afternoon jeep safari, and brings you back to your hotel by about 9:30 to 10:00 pm. The price covers your private return transport: US$160 for 1 to 3 people in an air-conditioned car, or US$230 for 4 to 7 people in a van. The safari jeep and Yala National Park entrance tickets are extra. We can book your jeep for you: a private half-day Yala safari is US$60 per jeep for up to 6 people. Is a Yala safari day trip from Colombo worth it? It is a full day, about 14 hours door to door, but it is the easiest way to see leopards and elephants if you only have one free day near Colombo. Looking for a safari in Colombo itself? There are no national parks in the city, so Yala, Udawalawe and Wilpattu are the closest big safari parks. If you prefer a slower pace, we can add a night near Yala and a morning safari the next day. How far is Yala from Colombo? Yala is about 280 km from Colombo, roughly 4 to 4.5 hours by road using the Southern Expressway. From Negombo and the airport, allow about 30 minutes more. Read more about the park in our Yala National Park guide. Want to stay longer on the south coast? See our 3 nights Yala and south coast itinerary, with Galle Fort, Mirissa, two Yala safaris and a night on the beach. More day trips from Colombo Yala is one of many day trips from Colombo and Negombo that we run with hotel pickup. For more ways to see Sri Lanka’s wildlife, see our safari tours in Sri Lanka. See all day trips from Colombo → Highlights - Yala safari day tour from Colombo or Negombo, back the same night - Private air-conditioned car (1–3 people) or van (4–7 people) - English-speaking driver and hotel pickup in Colombo, Negombo or the airport area - Afternoon jeep safari in Yala National Park, home to leopards and elephants - Fast route on the Southern Expressway, about 4–4.5 hours each way - Transport from US$160 · safari jeep and entrance tickets extra Itinerary Your driver collects you from your hotel, guesthouse or the airport area in Colombo or Negombo at around 8:00 am. We confirm the exact pickup time after booking. The drive south follows the Southern Expressway past Galle and Matara towards Hambantota, with a short break on the way. You reach Yala at around 12:30 pm. Lunch at a local restaurant near the park before the safari (lunch is not included). Your driver will take you to a good place nearby. Your jeep safari starts at about 1:30 pm at the Palatupana entrance. Spend the afternoon searching for leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles and birds until the park closes at 6:00 pm. The jeep and entrance tickets are extra; we can book a private jeep for you for US$60. After the safari you exit the park at 6:00 pm, meet your driver and start the journey back to Colombo or Negombo on the expressway, arriving at your hotel at about 9:30 to 10:00 pm. What’s included Included - Private air-conditioned car or van for the whole day - English-speaking driver - Hotel pickup and drop-off in Colombo, Negombo or the airport area - Fuel, parking fees and highway tolls Not included - Safari jeep (private 4x4 jeep from US$60, can be booked with us) - Yala National Park entrance tickets (paid at the gate) - Meals and drinks - Tips for your driver (optional) FAQs Yala is about 280 km from Colombo, around 4 to 4.5 hours by car on the Southern Expressway. From Negombo and the airport, allow about 30 minutes more. Yes. Our Yala safari from Colombo picks you up at around 8:00 am, includes an afternoon jeep safari from 1:30 to 6:00 pm, and has you back at your hotel by about 9:30 to 10:00 pm. It is a full day of around 14 hours, so some travellers prefer to add a night near Yala. Private return transport costs US$160 for 1 to 3 people in a car or US$230 for 4 to 7 people in a van. The safari jeep (US$60 per jeep if you book it with us) and Yala National Park entrance tickets are extra. No. The price covers your private transport from Colombo or Negombo. We can book a private 4×4 safari jeep for you for US$60 for up to 6 people, and the park entrance tickets are paid at the gate. Yes. We pick up from hotels in Colombo, Negombo and near Bandaranaike International Airport at no extra cost. Yes. Add a night near Tissamaharama or at a safari camp and you can enjoy a morning safari the next day. Message us and we will send a quote. February to July is usually best for leopards. Yala’s main block usually closes for part of September and early October, when we suggest Udawalawe instead. There is no national park in Colombo itself. The closest big safari parks are Wilpattu, Udawalawe and Yala, and we run day trips to all three from Colombo and Negombo.