From Ella:Shuttle to Tangalle/Mirissa/Galle with Yala Safari Tour
Description
This is our warm invitation for you to explore breathtaking wilderness of Sri Lanka. From Ella, moving to the sandy beaches in down south (Tangalle/Hiriketiya/Thalalla/Matara/Mirissa/Weligama/Ahangama/Habaraduwa/Koggala/Unawatuna/Galle) is the most popular option. We give you the opportunity to transfer from Ella to down south while enjoying the experience of a Wildlife Safari in YALA, which is the second largest National Park in the country. The biggest attraction of the YALA national park is the Sri Lankan Leopard, which is native to Sri Lanka. YALA is considered to have the highest density of leopards in anywhere in the world.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will start the journey from Ella, one of the top tourist attractions in Sri Lanka. Our driver will come to pick you up from the hotels in and around the Ella/ Bandarawela/ Wellawaya area. Pick up vehicle will be an air-conditioned car or mini van. Pick up times will be (Morning Safari - 3.00 a.m. / Afternoon Safari - if you want to have lunch before the safari select 11.30 a.m. / else 12.00 p.m.) The time will be slightly adjusted depending on the location of your hotel and the locations of other guests' hotels who are going to SHARE the safari with you. The Taxi is on SHARING BASIS. After the start of the journey, you will be transferred to Tissamaharama in 2 hours. You will have the chance to witness the sunrise in the latter part of the journey.
In Tissamaharama, you will get down from the transfer vehicle and get on to the SHARED SAFARI VEHICLE. Your safety and comfort is our top priority, so we use only the rugged Toyota Hilux 4x4 vehicle for the safari, specially equipped to navigate the YALA National Park's diverse off-road conditions easily. Safari vehicles consist of 6 individual seats, which gives a 270 degree view to the guest.
This is the first game drive of the day, one of the highlights of the journey. The duration is 2 hours. we are aiming to be in the YALA National Park at dawn. This is one of the best times of the day, which gives you the highest chance of spotting the elusive Sri Lankan leopards, which is a leopard subspecies native to Sri Lanka. YALA boasts approximately a hundred individual leopards.
At the end of the first game drive, you will be given a break to refresh yourself at the Patanangala beach inside the YALA National Park facing the Indian Ocean. You can enjoy your breakfast in the break. Breakfast is not included in this tour but you can request it from us with an additional charge. Sri Lankan picnic breakfast with Plain Hopper, Egg Hopper, Rotti, Coconut Sambol, Sini Sambol and Sri Lankan fruits
After the break, you start the 2nd game drive of the day. Duration 1 hour. Marvel at the sight of majestic elephants, graceful spotted deer, and elusive sloth bears, among a plethora of other mesmerizing species. Your knowledgeable driver cum guide will regale you with insights into the behaviors and habitats of YALA's diverse wildlife, enriching your safari experience. With every moment promising an unforgettable encounter, YALA offers a sanctuary where the extraordinary becomes the norm.
After completing the 2nd game drive, you will come out of the YALA National Park and travel to Tissamaharama by the safari vehicle. You will get down from the safari vehicle and get into the transfer vehicle.
2 -4 hours - Transfer from Tissamaharama to the area of Hambantota/Ranna/Tangalle/Hiriketiya/Matara/Mirissa/Weligama/Ahangama/Habaraduwa/Unawatuna/Galle/Hikkaduwa areas and suburbs.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Our driver will come to pick you up from the hotels in and around the Ella/ Bandarawela/ Wellawaya area. Transfer vehicle is an Air-conditioned car or minivan with luggage space and on SHARING BASIS. All pick up times - (Morning Safari - 3.00 a.m. / Afternoon Safari - if you want to have lunch before the safari select 11.30 a.m. / else 12.00 p.m.) The time will be slightly adjusted depending on the location of your hotel and the locations of other guests' hotels who are going to SHARE the safari with you. Sometimes, management of the hotels assign a location within the hotel premises other than the lobby area, for guests to be picked up by the drivers. Please communicate beforehand with the hotel staff and get to know the location, if not, the driver and you will be waiting for each other in two different locations. Be at the specific place on time and you will meet our driver. For any further details please contact us via email or WhatsApp What happens after I book? Once your booking is confirmed, we receive your details instantly. You do not need to message us to confirm – rest assured, we’ve got everything! Will I be picked up from my hotel in Ella? We always try our best to offer direct hotel pickups. However, due to the size of our vehicle and some narrow roads in Ella, certain hotels may not be accessible. In such cases, we’ll provide you with a nearby pickup point that’s easy to reach. When will I know my pickup time? Your pickup time will be mentioned in your booking voucher as an initial guide. We will also send you a separate confirmation email the evening before your tour, once the product’s booking cut-off time has passed and we have finalised all next-day arrangements.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We can accommodate dietary needs of Vegetarian and Vegan for your meals.
Reviews(23)
Our guide Sasanka was fantastic!! He literally sped as soon as he heard there were leopards. And we saw 2. But he was so nice as well as he would check on us and ask if it’s okay to go fast and let us know when we wanted to stop or if we were ready to go. The experience was great, got picked up on time and great value for money tbh. Thanks sasanka!
Worst shuttle experience of my entire life. The whole thing was a mess from start to finish. Zero coordination or organization from the team. They called with practically no notice and said I had to go somewhere else to get picked up, at the last minute, even though homestay pickup was supposed to be part of the package. Then they were incredibly late, zero leopards because we only had 2 hours at Yala before it closed, and an extremely long day with zero meal breaks. Just a total nightmare. Avoid at all costs.
We were picked up 1/2 hr late with no communication. After placing luggage on coach we drove to an office to be transferred to jeeps for our safari. The organisation for this was extremely poor with nobody explaining anything. On completion of our very rushed safari we were dropped back to the office. On arrival we noticed that none of the other people on the coach were there and neither was the coach. We were left wondering what was going on until we approached one of the staff. We explained that we needed our transfer to Tangalle and enquired about our luggage on the coach. The coach had departed without us (6 people) and our luggage with it. After arguements amongst the staff and 1/2 hr passing a plan was devised to take us to collect our luggage from the coach which was approx 1 hr away. The rain started to pour when we arrived and we were told to take shelter under a tree. We retrieved our luggage and waited patiently under a tree as the coach left. A minibus appeared and we were told to get on it. There were only 4 seats available and nowhere to put our luggage other than the aisle. Arguments developed for the other passengers as the organisers were adament we all needed to get on bus with on 4 seats for 6 people. We were then told to get off the bus in the pouring rain and wait under a tree while the other 4 got on the minibus. We were left under the tree while the minibus departed, not knowing what was going on. A taxi was ordered by the organisers and we were told to get in. The taxi then proceeded to our hotel in Tangalle but we arrived approx 2 hours later than expected.
Great tour with Ishan as a guide, the place is spectacular and full of different animals, shame not to have seen the Leopards.
Wonderful journey. We enjoyed the Yala park alot. Our guide is well experienced knowledgeable about the park. Transfer also worked fine. Easy transfer.
We were given unclear pickup instructions for Ella to Mirissa (with a stop at Yala national park). We arrived on time to our pickup location in Ella. The driver did not. He was 35 minutes late (very unacceptable). As there were two cars going the same direction (due to lots of peple) - we had to turn around and go back for the other car due to the fact they ran out of gas. Through this all- there was no detail given by the driver. The driver arriving late and since we had to go back for the other car- this delayed our experience at Yala park. The safari felt rushed and was very unsatisfactory. We did spot some animals but were allowed very little time to watch due to the park closing time. When we got back to where our driver dropped us in order to switch to the safari vehicle- we waited another 30 minutes as he was not there. Once again- no communication. I was considering a “pick me” car on the app to take me the rest of the way to Marissa. I do not recommend this company.
Great tansportation and safari. Tikiri was a great driver - very detailed and spotted even the smallest of animals to show us. We saw elephants, water buffalo, elks, a variety of interesting birds, a lizard, spotted deer and many more!
Best safari ever! Perfect blend of adventure and nature. Our guide made it extra special with insights and excellent spots for photos. Worth every minute! 📸🦌
Saw elephants, leopards, and so many birds. Comfortable jeep, friendly guide, and great organization. Highly recommended!
Absolutely loved Yala! Wildlife up close, beautiful scenery, and a professional, friendly guide Sasanka. Truly one of the highlights of our Sri Lanka trip! 🐾
