Rise before dawn, race to Yala’s gates ahead of the crowds and enter a world where wild leopards roam at the world’s highest density – this is Sri Lanka’s ultimate wildlife encounter.

Yala National Park’s Block I is home to the world’s highest density of wild leopards, and this specially designed early departure safari maximises your chances of encountering these magnificent big cats in the soft light of the early morning – the golden hour when Yala’s animals are most active and most visible. Departing before dawn, the drive south passes through the sleeping countryside before arriving at the park gates for the first game drives of the day, well ahead of the main tourist flow. Your experienced, government-licensed safari driver and naturalist guide will read the landscape expertly, following fresh tracks, listening for alarm calls, and positioning the vehicle for the best possible sightings of not only leopards but also elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles and the rich birdlife that fills the park’s lagoons and scrub forest.