We’ve been generally lucky in terms of travel ephemera. In the Norwegian Arctic, we saw incredible displays of the northern lights. In Tonga, we swam with whaleson the very last day of the season and in the Galápagos, we snorkelled with penguins. Despite this, I kept my expectations low for our leopard safari at Yala National Park in Sri Lanka.
It was raining heavily and our guide, a Sri Lankan Scotsman named Damian, warned us that leopards tend to retreat to caves when it’s wet. In addition, fellow tourists had been out on two safaris the day before with no luck in sight.
We set out 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 too did our hopes. However, just as we readied to leave the park, Damian heard a monkey’s alarm call warning its peers that a leopard was close by. We were whisked away and within minutes were sat a few metres away from a majestic female leopard.
To help you get the most from your own visit, we put together 10 practical tips for spotting leopards at Yala National Park.
VISIT IN THE DRY SEASON
The dry season offers the best chance of spotting leopards at Yala National Park. These elusive creatures prefer dry weather and are more likely to be out on the prowl during the months of June to September when rainfall is at its lightest. In rainy months (Nov-Jan and Apr), the leopards often retreat to caves, reducing your chances of seeing them in the wild.
Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris helpfully offers the below chart breaking down the best months to go leopard spotting at Yala National Park.
It’s worth noting that we visited in January and despite fairly heavy rain, we managed to spot a leopard lazing in a tree so if you can’t visit in the dry season, don’t give up hope altogether.
Key
+ good chances of sighting
++ very good chances of sighting
Dark green background: Occasional rainfall expected
Light green background: Rainfall possible but unlikely
White background: No rainfall expected
suggested read: Visit Lunugamwehera National Park, Sri Lanka
DON’T BOOK A SAFARI OFF THE STREET
You might be told that you can just rock up to the gates at Yala National Park and pick up a safari on the cheap. This is true but be warned that cowboy outfits abound. Operators don’t need professional accreditation to bring visitors to the park and you’ll likely be stuck with an inexperienced guide.
PETER | ATLAS & BOOTS Without an experienced guide, we would have missed this leopard
Our guide had been in the game for nearly a decade and was able to recognise the aforementioned alarm call. Without Damian, the driver would have kept on driving and we would have missed our only opportunity to spot a leopard in the park.
BOOK MORE THAN ONE GAME DRIVE
It is intrinsic that you book more than one game drive if you’re serious about spotting leopards at Yala National Park. It’s true that we saw one on our first outing but fellow tourists at our camp only spotted one on their third.
We booked two drives and in hindsight, should have booked one more. Our fellow group headed out again and were rewarded with a far better view.
KIP HAYES; USED WITH PERMISSION Our fellow group was rewarded with a better view
MAKE A NIGHT OF IT
Many visitors choose to stay at a nearby hotel and drive to Yala National Park in the morning. This is a rather sanitised way to see the park. Instead, make a night of it by staying in a nearby camp.
ATLAS & BOOTSWe spent the night at a comfortable campsite
Given my aversion to camping, we chose Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris which offers a range of creature comforts while retaining the intimate ambience of camping.
Camping also allows you to meet guides who really care about nature, wildlife and Sri Lanka’s national parks. We spent a good hour talking to camp manager Saj about hunting, poaching and the controversial case of Cecil the Lion.
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