Yala National Park Sanctuary
Yala or Ruhunu National Park is one of the best and most popular parks in the country due to its diversity and density ofmammals. It consists of five blocks covering an area of 97,881 hectares. Block I which was established in 1938 covers an areaof 14,101 hectares and it is widely used by tourists due to its very extensive network of roads. Block II was established in1954, Block III in 1967, Block IV in 1969 and Block V in 1973. The vegetation of the park is primarily semi arid thorny scrub
interspersed with riverine forests and fairly dense pockets of forests. There are many places to stay just outside the park inPalatupana as well as a number of bungalows inside the park. These bungalows, as with the case of all national park bungalows,and camp sites have to be booked beforehand from the head office of the DWLC. A cook and a caretaker are provided and thevisitors are required to take all the rations needed. As with almost all national parks, excluding the Horton Plains National Park,a permit and a guide should be obtained at the park
How to get there: - 1) Colombo -Galle -Matara -Tangalle -Tissamaharama -Kirinda-Yala
2) Colombo -Ratnapura -Pelmadulla -Kahawatta -Udawalawa Junction -Embilipitiya -Weligatta Junction -Turn right towards Bundala NationalPark -Kirinda -Yala (5 1/2- 6 hours).
BIRDS: Black-Necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant Stork, White-Necked Stork, Openbill, Hoopoe, Malabar Pied Hornbill, CeylonGrey Hornbill, Orange-Breasted Green Pigeon, Rosy Starling, European Bee-Eater, Orange-Headed Ground Thrush, BlueFacedMalkoha, Red-Backed, Black-Backed Yellow, Yellow-Fronted Pied and Brown-Capped Pygmy Woodpeckers, IndianPitta, Lesser Whistling Teal etc.
