Understanding Yala National Park

Yala National Park is divided into five blocks, but only three are currently open to the public. In addition to these main areas, there are two adjoining parks: Kumana National Park (also known as Yala East) and Lunugamvehera National Park. Each block has its own name and characteristics—for example, Block 1 is known as Palatupana.

We ended up visiting Block 1, which is also the most visited and popular block—mainly because it offers the highest chances of spotting wildlife, including leopards, elephants, and sloth bears. At the time, we had no idea which block we were going to. Our jeep tour simply took us straight to Block 1 without even mentioning it.

This seems to be the standard route for most safari tours, unless you specifically request something different. That said, you can visit other blocks too. We met other travelers who explored Block 5 independently, but unfortunately, they didn’t have much luck with animal sightings.

So if you’re booking a safari and want the best chance of seeing wildlife, we recommend confirming that your tour will focus on Block 1—especially if it’s your first time visiting Yala.