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| Leopard-Yala |
Yala National Park, one of Sri Lanka 's premier eco tourism destinations, lies 24km northeast of Tissamaharama and 290km from Colombo on the southeast coast of Sri Lanka, spanning a vast 97,878 hectares over the Southern and Uva Provinces.The vegetation in the park comprises predominantly of semi-arid thorny scrub, interspersed with pockets of fairly dense secondary forest. Small patches of mangrove vegetation also occur along the coastal lagoons. The park is renowned for the variety of its wildlife and its fine coastline.It also boasts a large number of important cultural ruins, bearing testimony to earlier civilizations and indicating that much of the area used to be populated and well developed.
Leopards
Yala West has probably one of the world's densest leopard populations. Panthera pardus kotiya, is a distinct subspecies of its Indian cousins, the largest in Asia. The best time to see leopard is February to July, when the water level of the park is low. Vepandeniya is considered a favourite spot. However we need to be accompanied by a resident naturalist.
Elephants
The resident elephants are best seen during the dry season from around January to May, near water sources.
Mammals
Among the 32 species of mammals are Sambar deer, spotted deer, muse deer, barking deer, wild boar, wild buffaloes, pangolins, porcupines, stripe-necked & ruddy mongooses, rabbits, wild cats, jackals macaque, langur monkeys, toque monkeys etc.
Sloth bears
Sloth bears
Sloth bears are occasionally spotted, particularly in June, when they feed on local fruit.
Crocodiles
There are also plentiful crocodiles marsh as well as estuarine.
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| Sloth Bear-Yala |
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| Crocodile-Yala |
Birdlife
The Palatupana saltpans on the Tissa Road, 6km before the park entrance, are one of the best sites in the world for watching waders: the park is worth visiting for its birdlife alone. There are about 130 species overall. These birds include white-winged black terns, curlews, pintails, barbets, hoopers, Malabar pied hornbills, orioles, Ceylon shamas, & paradise flycatchers, though pea & jungle fowl are the most frequently seen.A bird-watching focused day trip including the riverrine forest of the River Menik may yield over 100 species, among them such rarities as red-faced malkoha, great thick-knee, sirkeer malkoha, blue faced malkoha & painted stork. Along with birds of prey is hawk eagle. Among the colorful smaller species are green & blue bee eaters, hoopoes, parakeets & bulbuls. You will not miss Peacocks.Aquatic birds
The expanses of wetlands attract serpent - eagle, eastern grey heron, painted stork. White-fowl arrive each winter to augment the resident population. Among the common aquatic birds are various storks, egrets, pelicans, sandpipers, herons, ibises, kingfishers & the magnificent Indian darter. With a little bit of luck, you may also spot the rare black-necked stork near Buttawa on the coast.
Situlpahuwa Monastery
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| Situlpahuwa Monastery |
Located right in the Ruhuna Yala National Park is the famous archeological site named Sithulpahuwa. The second century monastery proudly presents the renovated majestic dagobas. Rock carvings & more than 60 inscriptions testify to the history of the site.
History
The Yala Group of National Reserves was once a part of the ancient Sinhalese kingdom of Ruhuna. A monastic settlement, Situlpahuwa, alone had housed about 12,000 inhabitants including thousands of Buddhist monks during the period of ancient kingdom of Ruhuna of Sri Lanka. Recently resorted, Situlpahuwa is an important centre of pilgrimage en route to nearby Kataragama. Restored Magul Mahavihara & Akasa Chetiya date to the first & second centuries BC testify to a part of the ancient kingdom of Ruhuna. Magul Maha Vihara was built on the spot where King Kavantissa & Vihara Maha Devi were married. In Sinhalese magul means 'wedding'.
Situlapahuwa Monastery archeological site
Five km from Tissamaharama, the watering hole of the animals in transit to Ruhuna Yala National Park, the main road branches off to well laid gravel road. A half an hour drive through the woods that becomes thicker at each turn of the road takes us to barrier point of the game warden. From the barrier another half an hour's drive takes us to Situlapahuwa archeological site of stupas, temple, wild elephants & herbal tea. The monastery comprises of two rock-top dagobas with a small lake in between.
Into the middle of wilderness
The little path leads out of the shrine room with both sides of the path having caves in which monks used to meditate in the ancient times. The path takes us to a rocky outcrop from where we could see the whole expanse of Yala National Park. The existent dagoba on the top of the rocky outcrop is built over the foundations of an ancient dagoba. The inscriptions scattered around the site have identified Situlpahuwa as a monastery of great piety & scholarship.
Kuda Situlpahuwa (Little Situlpahuwa)
Still more into the wilderness & another kilometer through the woods takes us to a smaller dagoba atop another rock outcrop, which is even higher than Situlpahuwa. We will be trekking up a near vertical rock face with the help of rickety hand rail made of iron & tiny toe holds carved into the rock face. Once again we have a panoramic view of the national park.
History
The Yala Group of National Reserves was once a part of the ancient Sinhalese kingdom of Ruhuna. A monastic settlement, Situlpahuwa, alone had housed about 12,000 inhabitants including thousands of Buddhist monks during the period of ancient kingdom of Ruhuna of Sri Lanka. Recently resorted, Situlpahuwa is an important centre of pilgrimage en route to nearby Kataragama. Restored Magul Mahavihara & Akasa Chetiya date to the first & second centuries BC testify to a part of the ancient kingdom of Ruhuna. Magul Maha Vihara was built on the spot where King Kavantissa & Vihara Maha Devi were married. In Sinhalese magul means 'wedding'.
Situlapahuwa Monastery archeological site
Five km from Tissamaharama, the watering hole of the animals in transit to Ruhuna Yala National Park, the main road branches off to well laid gravel road. A half an hour drive through the woods that becomes thicker at each turn of the road takes us to barrier point of the game warden. From the barrier another half an hour's drive takes us to Situlapahuwa archeological site of stupas, temple, wild elephants & herbal tea. The monastery comprises of two rock-top dagobas with a small lake in between.Into the middle of wilderness
The little path leads out of the shrine room with both sides of the path having caves in which monks used to meditate in the ancient times. The path takes us to a rocky outcrop from where we could see the whole expanse of Yala National Park. The existent dagoba on the top of the rocky outcrop is built over the foundations of an ancient dagoba. The inscriptions scattered around the site have identified Situlpahuwa as a monastery of great piety & scholarship.
Kuda Situlpahuwa (Little Situlpahuwa)
Still more into the wilderness & another kilometer through the woods takes us to a smaller dagoba atop another rock outcrop, which is even higher than Situlpahuwa. We will be trekking up a near vertical rock face with the help of rickety hand rail made of iron & tiny toe holds carved into the rock face. Once again we have a panoramic view of the national park.
Accommodation
A couple of kilometers from the park entrance, with sixty plush a/c bungalows scattered around ten acres of jungle between sea and lagoon.
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| Yala Village Hotel |
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