Yala National Park’s Blocks 1 and 2 - the zones that give the best leopard sightings in Sri Lanka - will reopen to visitors from 6 a.m. on Thursday, 16 October 2026. Both zones have been closed since 14 September due to severe drought conditions, which prompted park authorities to suspend access and carry out road repairs inside the park.
What closed and why
The Department of Wildlife Conservation shut Zones 1 and 2 on 14 September to protect wildlife during the dry period and allow the park’s internal road network to be repaired before the high season. Zones 3, 4, 5, and 6 remained open throughout the closure, but they see significantly lower visitor numbers because the core leopard territory sits inside the closed blocks.
What’s opening on 16 October
From Thursday morning, jeep safaris in Zones 1 and 2 resume as normal. If you have a safari booked through an operator in Tissamaharama or via an agency, it should proceed without any change - contact your operator to confirm your slot is still confirmed.
Tourist bungalows and campsites inside the park will remain closed until 1 November 2026, when they are scheduled to reopen for overnight stays. If you’re planning to stay inside the park, book from November onwards.
What this means for your trip
October and November mark the start of the peak wildlife season at Yala. The dry season concentrates animals around the remaining waterholes, making sightings more reliable than during the wet months. Leopard density in Zone 1 is among the highest of any national park in the world, and the reopening coincides with ideal viewing conditions.
For travellers arriving in the next few weeks, the timing is good. If your visit was delayed because of the closure, it’s worth rebooking - spots in Zone 1 sell out quickly once the park is open and word spreads.
If Yala is fully booked when you arrive, Wilpattu in the north is the alternative worth considering, with lower crowds and good leopard activity of its own. For a full side-by-side breakdown of Sri Lanka’s main safari options, see our safari comparison guide.
Plan your safari within a broader trip using our Yala National Park safari guide, which covers zones, entry fees, and the best time to go.