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National park in Sri Lanka
Photo: Thisara, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Yala National Park (also known as Ruhunu National Park) is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. It consists of five blocks, two of which are now open to the public; and also adjoining parks. It is in the southeast region of the country, and lies in Southern Province and Uva Province. The park covers 979 km2 (378 sq mi) and is about 300 km (190 mi) from Colombo. Yala was designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, and, along with Wilpattu it was one of the first two national parks in Sri Lanka, having been designated in 1938. The park is best known for its variety of wild animals. It is important for the conservation of Sri Lankan elephants and aquatic birds.
You can book a tour from any number of guest houses and hotels in the nearby town of Tissa (Tissamaharama). Most leave at 05:00 or 14:30, but it depends on if you are going for half, full day or overnight.
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Mattala · Regional · HRI
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