Sri Lanka · LEOPARD SAFARIS

15 Leopard Safaris in Sri Lanka That Earn the Day

29 tours  ·  from $17

The good leopard safaris go weeks ahead and the best go first. Below: the 15 to sort out early, what each one includes, and where they part company.

Leopard Safari Tour in Yala National Park - What happens inside the park
Leopard Safaris, National Parks, Safari, Tour Reviews, Tours, Yala Safaris

Leopard Safari Tour in Yala National Park

1.Leopard Safari Tour in Yala National Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 281 reviews · from $20Our pick

Start early at Yala National Park and ride in a safari Jeep with a driver-guide such as Mudhu, Tikiri, or Rashandra. The focus is leopards, elephants, and sloth bears, with other animals explained after the morning golden hours. Hotel pickup, drop-off, and optional breakfast and lunch are available, but the park fee costs extra.

“The tour could give specific information earlier that we could enjoy our day more. But unfortunately they sent a location through e-mail but when clicked the link there was written that it’s untrusted site, I tried to continue to see further ‘which Read more”

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Special Leopards safari - Yala National park - 04.30 am to 11.30 am - Leaving Tissamaharama or Kataragama
Leopard Safaris, National Parks, Safari, Tour Reviews, Yala Safaris

Special leopards safari Yala National park – 04.30 am to 11.30 am

2.Special leopards safari Yala National park – 04.30 am to 11.30 am

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 186 reviews · from $36Top rated

Meet early for a small-group Yala safari from 4:30 to 11:30 am. Your driver, possibly IG, Suthu, or Janaka, takes you through the park in search of leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, deer, and birds. A luxury jeep, binoculars, water, and breakfast are included. The park entry fee is extra.

“Great experience, our driver picked us up right on time and got us to the gate very early in the queue On entering the park we saw a leopard almost immediately, and then some elephants with a baby. We drove for awhile , seeing many of Read more”

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Leopard Safari in Yala National Park(Full Day/Half A Day) - Key points to know before booking
Full-Day, Leopard Safaris, National Parks, Safari, Tour Reviews, Yala Safaris

Leopard Safari in Yala National Park(Full Day/Half A Day)

3.Leopard Safari in Yala National Park(Full Day/Half A Day)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 96 reviews · from $22

Set out before sunrise from Yala, Tissamaharama, or Kirinda in a private 4WD with a driver-tracker such as Ranga or Amila. Choose a 5-hour, 7-hour, or full-day game drive to search for leopards, elephants, sloth bears, jackals, and more than 150 bird species. Park entry costs extra.

“Very fun morning for the sunrise safari! We saw so many animals including the elusive leopard! Would definitely reccomend”

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Special Leopards safari - Yala National park - 04.30 am to 11.30 am - Leaving Tissamaharama or Kataragama
Leopard Safaris, National Parks, Safari, Tour Reviews, Yala Safaris

Special Leopards Safari Yala National Park – 04:30 AM to 11:30 AM

4.Special Leopards Safari Yala National Park – 04:30 AM to 11:30 AM

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · from $17Best value

Start around 4:30 AM for a small-group Jeep safari in Yala National Park, with up to six people per vehicle. Driver-guide Vinu is praised for spotting leopards, elephants, and birds. The package includes pickup, water, fruit, breakfast, and a luxury Jeep, but the $43 park admission fee is extra.

“The great experience for us.my driver qas vinu.he was excellent for during the safari he saw us one leopard alone in the safari he has sharp eyes.because first he saw.breakfast was amazing”

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Full Day Safari ( The Best for Leopards ) in Yala - The gate, the jeep, and the six-person limit
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Full Day Safari ( The Best for Leopards ) in Yala

5.Full Day Safari ( The Best for Leopards ) in Yala

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 76 reviews · from $60

Leave your Yala-area hotel around 4 to 5am for a full day in the park, usually from 6am to 6pm. A luxury jeep carries up to six people, with water, Sri Lankan breakfast and vegetarian lunch, plus binoculars. Guides such as Mala, Ish, Sudu, and Amila focus on leopards, elephants, birds, and smaller wildlife.

“We were picked up on time at 5am for the full day safari. Before coming to Yala, we had read a lot of reviews citing 2 or 3 leopard sightings in one day, so we were very hopeful. Upon arrival in December, however, there was water everywhere, Read more”

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Special Leopard Safari Tour in Yala National Park by Malith & the team - The 6 AM entry and the two-hour leopard search
Leopard Safaris, National Parks, Safari, Tour Reviews, Tours, Yala Safaris

Special Leopard Safari Tour in Yala National Park by Malith & the team

6.Special Leopard Safari Tour in Yala National Park by Malith & the team

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 60 reviews · from $85

You’ll leave your Yala-area hotel between 4 and 5:15 AM with Malith and his team, reach the park gate early, and spend the first two hours looking for leopards. The six-person vehicle then searches for elephants, crocodiles, deer, peacocks, birds, and wild boar before returning around noon.

“Wow! Malith had our vehicle near the head of the entrance line. And by 6:25 am he had led us to this handsome male leopard, Yasa. Malith is passionate about seeing the wildlife with you, and gives a much longer trip than many providers - Read more”

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Yala National Park: 7 hour & 12 hour Leopard Safari Tours - The early pickup from Tissamaharama and nearby towns
Hambantota Tours, Leopard Safaris, Leopard Safaris in Hambantota, National Parks, Safari, Tour Reviews, Tours, Yala Safaris, Yala Safaris in Hambantota

Yala National Park: 7 hour & 12 hour Leopard Safari Tours

7.Yala National Park: 7 hour & 12 hour Leopard Safari Tours

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 46 reviews · 7 - 13 hours · from $18

You’ll spend 7 to 12 hours in Yala National Park in a spacious 4x4 jeep, guided by an English-speaking wildlife spotter. Guides such as Anupa, Kavee, Sule, and Isuru work hard to locate leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, deer, monkeys, and birds. Pickup, breakfast, water, fruit, and lunch on the full-day option are included.

“Our Guide Anupa made this trip a truly memorable experience. We managed to see multiple families of elephants, peacocks, mangons, monkeys, crocodiles, squirrels etc and even a rare bear. We always felt that we were at the right spot at the right time. He did everything he could so that we would see leopard and just 30minutes before the end of our trip WE DID thanks to how connected he is to other guides and the numerous tips he receives all the time. The pickup was timely, food was satisfactory, nothing to complain about - apart from the fact that we didn't bring a better camara ;)”

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Special Leopards safari - Yala National park - 04.30 am to 11.30 am - Leaving Tissamaharama or Kataragama
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Special Leopards safari – Yala National park – 04.30 am to 11.30 am

8.Special Leopards safari – Yala National park – 04.30 am to 11.30 am

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · from $30

You leave Tissamaharama or Kataragama at 4:30 am for seven hours in Yala National Park. A safari driver takes up to six people along quieter routes in search of leopards, elephants, and birds. The tour includes a luxury jeep, breakfast, and binoculars, but the 12,000 LKR park entry fee is extra.

“We booked this half day tour as our 3rd and final safari in Yala. What we liked about our driver: he escaped the crowds. Everyone else went one way - he went another. He seemed to have a very good grasp of where to search for leopards aRead more”

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Yala National Park: Leopard Safari Tour with Park Tickets - Quiet tracks, lagoons, and the search for a leopard
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Yala National Park: Leopard Safari Tour with Park Tickets

9.Yala National Park: Leopard Safari Tour with Park Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 35 reviews · 4 - 12 hours · from $76

Join Ceylon Nature Tours for a dawn, afternoon, or full-day 4x4 safari in Yala National Park. Guides such as Yasha, Tikiri, Sasanka, and Dillan use quiet tracks to look for leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, and birds. Full-day trips include breakfast and a vegetarian rice and curry lunch by a beach inside the park.

“Naja was great, we saw leopards and elephants! Thank you :)”

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Yala National Park Special Leopard Safari Tour - Inside the safari jeep for five hours
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Yala National Park Special Leopard Safari Tour

10.Yala National Park Special Leopard Safari Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 33 reviews · from $28

Leave your Tissamaharama or Yala-area hotel before dawn for a 5 to 6-hour safari with a professional driver-guide. Ish has led departures that reach the park gate around opening time, when leopards may still be active. The jeep includes breakfast, water, and binoculars. Park entry costs 12,000 LKR per person extra.

“Ish picked us up from our accommodation at 4:45am and we were the second jeep let into the park when it opened at 6am. We saw a leopard, buffalo, deer, elephants, and lots of birds and other animals. Ish was a great driver and guide, wRead more”

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Knuckles Leopard trail Trek from Kandy - Tea Trails, Bridges, and Bush Forest
Hiking & Trekking, Hiking Tours in Kandy, Kandy Tours, Knuckles Range Treks, Leopard Safaris, Tour Reviews

Knuckles Leopard trail Trek from Kandy

11.Knuckles Leopard trail Trek from Kandy

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · from $100

Leave Kandy early for a private hike through the Knuckles Conservation Forest. Your guide leads you along tea trails, rocky paths, wooden bridges, dwarf forest, bamboo, and quiet mountain tracks. A picnic lunch, bottled water, tea or coffee, park fees, and private transport are included. Guides may include Manju, Shyamal, or Lakmal.

“The hike was unique, you can’t experience that on your own and Shyamal and his lovely driver were the perfect guide for it! First they took me to a coffee place were we also had some local food and after that they drove me to the starting poiRead more”

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Private Day Tour from Colomb to Yala Safari (Leopard Safari Tour) - What makes the private format useful
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Private Day Tour from Colomb to Yala Safari (Leopard Safari Tour)

12.Private Day Tour from Colomb to Yala Safari (Leopard Safari Tour)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · from $90

Travel from Colombo to Yala National Park in a private vehicle, then spend about four hours on safari searching for leopards, elephants, crocodiles, and birds. Hotel pickup, drop-off, a driver, and bottled water are included. A separate 4x4 jeep and park entrance fee are required.

“The tour operator is a rip iff. As per the govt, Indian passport holders get a 20 percent discount on everything which means the price of the ticket entry and safari jeep seat which is 35 USD should be around 28 USD. I was asked for 3250Read more”

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Yala Best Extended Half Day Safari By Ceylon Leopard Safari - Entering Yala and searching the tracks
Hambantota Tours, Leopard Safaris, Leopard Safaris in Hambantota, Safari, Tour Reviews, Yala Safaris, Yala Safaris in Hambantota

Yala Best Extended Half Day Safari By Ceylon Leopard Safari

13.Yala Best Extended Half Day Safari By Ceylon Leopard Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · from $35

Spend about six hours exploring Yala National Park in a private Toyota Land Cruiser, Hilux, or photography-ready Land Rover. Guides such as Thushara, Udayanga, and Nilupul track leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, and birds. Pickup, water, binoculars, bird books, and safari photos are included, but park entrance tickets cost extra.

“The best yala safari . yesterday we visit with thushara he is highly professional safari driver and safari guide .and he has luxury land cruiser jeeps also. So I highly recommend Ceylon Leopard Safari.”

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From Hikkaduwa/Mirissa/Galle/Tangalle - Yala Leopard Safari - Four hours in a Yala safari jeep
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From Hikkaduwa/Mirissa/Galle/Tangalle – Yala Leopard Safari

14.From Hikkaduwa/Mirissa/Galle/Tangalle – Yala Leopard Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 24 reviews · 9 hours · from $41

Travel from Mirissa, Galle, Hikkaduwa, or nearby towns to Yala National Park in an air-conditioned car, then spend four hours in a 4x4 jeep with an English-speaking guide. You may see leopards, elephants, crocodiles, sloth bears, deer, and birds. Mari, Mahesh, and Imal have earned special praise for guiding and driving.

“Ottima esperienza ben organizzata e contatti con loro ottimi e puntuali! Consigliata 💛”

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Exclusive: Full Day Leopard Safari at Yala National Park - Morning game drive: patience pays off
Full-Day, Hambantota Tours, Leopard Safaris, Leopard Safaris in Hambantota, National Parks, Safari, Tour Reviews, Yala Safaris, Yala Safaris in Hambantota

Exclusive: Full Day Leopard Safari at Yala National Park

15.Exclusive: Full Day Leopard Safari at Yala National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $75

Leave Hambantota or Katharagama at 5:30 a.m. for a private Yala National Park safari with an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport, snacks, water, and picnic lunch. Your small group searches for leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, and birds, then pauses by the beach before an afternoon game drive.

“Excellent trip. There were many other companies offering the same tour, but what our day was the tour guide we had. He was in contact with other drivers throughout the day so he could take us to the best spots. He set up table and chairs in prime position by the beach foRead more”

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New in Leopard Safaris

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★ 5.0Knuckles Leopard trail Trek from KandyFrom $1086 reviews
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