Yala Safari Tour Operator - Yala Wild Safaris

Aziza R.

15 days ago

Disappointing Safari Experience

I reserved a €175 private Yala safari from Tangalle, but it was a letdown. The driver was 20 minutes late, the vehicle was uncomfortable, and the safari itself was awful — there were no animals, only cows. There was no guiding or commentary either. When I requested a refund, they flatly refused. This experience isn't worth the price, so I recommend researching and choosing a more dependable provider. I do not recommend this tour operator at all!

Service

1

Value

1

Hannah G.

15 days ago

Avoid this tourist transport service

This company offers a package to transport you from your hotel to a safari, but they fail to mention that their minibus can't access hotels located on high roads in Ella. They claim they send location details beforehand, but I was told they don’t allow cancellations after 24 hours, and they don’t confirm pick-up locations via WhatsApp. They also refuse to issue refunds when they can’t fulfill their service, and they come off as quite scammy towards tourists! There are plenty of other tourist companies in Ella that are trustworthy. Look elsewhere!

Service

1

Value

1

Tina H.

2 months ago

Enjoyable tour with Prasana

We had an amazing tour led by our friendly guide, Prasana. We encountered various animals, though we missed seeing the leopard because of the weather conditions. :-)

Service

5

Isrou K.

2 months ago

Superb experience

Charlie

2 months ago

Disappointing Experience with Yala Wild

Our time with Yala Wild was quite disappointing. We chose this operator based on their mention in Lonely Planet, but the experience was subpar. We had to wait for an hour in the dark for the driver at 3am, which felt very unsafe. The online description promised an air-conditioned vehicle with ample leg room and reclining seats, but that was not the case. There was no AC, no space to stretch out, and we were all crammed in with our backpacks on our laps. Additionally, there were no seatbelts, which I believe is a legal requirement, and the driving was so reckless that we ended up taking an Uber for the next leg of our journey after the safari. Overall, it was poorly organized and executed, falling far short of the expectations set by their website. We also did not get to experience the patanangala break. The jeep had a driver, but there was no guide, and the driver hardly spoke at all.

Service

1

Value

1

Ambiance

1

V A.

2 months ago

We saw a lot of elephants. Our guide was very good and spotted a lot of animals

Dinesh R.

2 months ago

Fantastic Yala Safari Experience

We had an incredible time on our Yala safari today. From the moment we booked until we returned, the team was friendly, professional, and made sure everything was safe. Our guide and driver were great and added to the enjoyment of the trip. During the safari, we were fortunate to spot a leopard, crocodiles, elephants, deer, and a variety of beautiful birds. It was truly an unforgettable experience. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Yala!

Service

5

Kayvon

2 months ago

A Mixed Safari Experience

We were picked up from our hotel at 4:30 am in a jeep that didn’t have seatbelts. We arrived at the park entrance around 5:30 am, where we were third in line to get in. When the park opened at 6 am, it turned into a frantic rush to spot leopards. The ride was bumpy on uneven roads, and the fast driving added to the chaos—but it was somewhat enjoyable! We managed to see two leopards, along with elephants, lizards, numerous buffalo, peacocks, various birds, monkeys, jackals, mongoose, deer, and crocodiles. It was fantastic to catch sight of the leopards, although there were many other jeeps trying to do the same. Most of these sightings happened in the morning. It was raining during the morning, and our driver would stop the jeep while we sat in the rain, which wasn't ideal since he was sheltered inside the cabin. We took a lunch break at around 11:45 am and left the spot around 2 pm. The lunch was quite good, featuring curry, rice, and lots of watermelon. When we set out for the afternoon, the driver asked us what our plan was, to which we responded that it was his tour and he should guide us. We ended up driving for another 2 to 2.5 hours before the driver took us out of the park around 4:30 pm (the park closes around 6). The afternoon safari was much more pleasant since there were fewer jeeps, and the driving was less frenzied since we’d already seen leopards (and there was no rain). It’s said to be quite difficult to spot leopards in the afternoon. A significant point to mention is that the driver is not really a guide, contrary to what the website claims. He mainly drove us around and would occasionally stick his head out to point out animals without offering any explanations. However, he did get us as close as possible to the wildlife. It would have been nice to have some information about the park and its animals. From what I observed, other jeeps had more people, suggesting that other companies might provide a better experience.

Food

4

Service

2

Value

3

Ambiance

3