Sri Lanka: Yala & Galle Fort — 2 Days

Wildlife safari and colonial fort through Sri Lanka's south coast, 2 days from Colombo

This short tour moves between Sri Lanka's wildlife heartland and its most intact European fortification. Travelers depart Colombo for a six-hour drive south to Yala National Park, where two safaris offer sightings of leopards, elephants, and resident bird species across dry-zone grassland and scrub forest. A overnight stay at Chandrika Hotel provides a base for early and afternoon game drives. The second day reverses the route, with a morning safari followed by a three-hour drive to Galle Fort, the seventeenth-century Portuguese and Dutch stronghold that still dominates the southwestern coast. A walking tour of the fort precedes the final two-hour return to Colombo. The itinerary is built for travelers with limited time but sufficient interest in both wildlife and architectural history to justify the long drives.

Highlights

Afternoon and morning safaris in Yala National Park for leopard, elephant, and bird sightings
Walking tour of Galle Fort, built by Portuguese colonists and later occupied by the Dutch
Overnight accommodation at Chandrika Hotel in Yala with views toward the national park

Day by day

1Colombo to Yala National Park and Afternoon SafariColombo to Yala National Park · Yala National Park · Chandrika Hotel in Yala

Meet your driver in Colombo for a six-hour drive to Yala National Park. An afternoon safari at 3 PM offers chances to spot leopards, elephants, sloth bears, and numerous bird species. Overnight at Chandrika Hotel in Yala.

2Morning Safari, Galle Fort, and Return to ColomboGalle Fort · Yala National Park · Yala National Park to Galle · Galle to Colombo

A morning safari returns to Yala National Park before the driver begins a three-hour drive westward to Galle. Upon arrival, a walking tour takes in Galle Fort, the fortified old town built first by Portuguese colonists in the sixteenth century and later expanded by Dutch occupation. The fort's walls, bastions, and internal streets retain their colonial layout. A final two-hour drive returns to Colombo.

Where you go

Map: Sri Lanka: Yala & Galle Fort — 2 Days route — Numbers follow the itinerary order. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap

1Yala National Park
2Galle Fort
3Yala National Park

Included

Accommodation in mentioned hotels
Meals as per mentioned meal plans
Air conditioned transfers with an English speaking chauffeur guide
All mentioned activities and park entrance fees
Prices may vary plus/minus depending on the season
Accommodation and meals (For 2 Adults)
1 night in Chandirka Hotel in Yala on bed and breakfast basis