Leopard Trails, Yala
Yala National Park

Leopard Trails is one of Ampersand's Top 10 Safari Lodges in Asia.

Yala National Park is where Sri Lanka’s safari story is most vividly told; a wilderness of arid scrubland, golden grass plains and monsoon forests that is home to one of the world’s highest densities of leopards. It’s here, on the park’s fringes, that Leopard Trails Yala has made its name as the island’s original and most stylish luxury safari camp.

This is safari as it should be, canvas tents, lantern-lit dinners and fireside nights under a canopy of stars, but with just enough modern polish to keep it comfortable. Expect crisp linens, polished brass details, air-conditioning and en-suite bathrooms that balance the romance of old-world expeditions with today’s conveniences. The Deluxe Tents bring you closest to the wild, complete with outdoor showers open to the elements and verandas for quiet moments between drives. The Lake Suites step things up with more generous interiors, private decks and views across a tranquil waterhole, perfect for spotting birdlife at dawn. The Pool Suites are the most indulgent option, with private plunge pools to cool off after a hot afternoon in Yala National Park. Families are well catered for too, and little adventurers can join the Junior Ranger programme by day, before drifting off to sleep to the sounds of the jungle by night.

Days fall into a rhythm of morning and afternoon game drives in Yala National Park, the landscape shifting in character as the light changes. In the cool early hours, elephants and buffalo move slowly through the mist, by afternoon, crocodiles bask on sun-warmed riverbanks, bee-eaters flash turquoise across the sky, and, if fortune favours you, a leopard pads silently across your path, the undisputed king of Sri Lanka’s jungle. The guiding here is first-rate with expert naturalists who bring humour, passion and deep local knowledge to every drive.

Back at camp, the pace softens. Afternoons are for books in the shade, a quick nap or cooling off with a gin and tonic in hand. Evenings gather around the campfire, where guests and guides swap stories before sitting down to alfresco dinners of fragrant curries or freshly grilled seafood, and wines chosen to pair with Sri Lanka’s bold flavours. It’s convivial, unpretentious and deeply atmospheric.

What sets Leopard Trails Yala apart is not only its setting but its spirit. The camp has been praised by Condé Nast Traveller as “Sri Lanka’s most stylish safari camp,” and one of our own Top 10 Safari Lodges in Asia. The Telegraph singled out its guiding team as “among the best in Asia,” testament to the camp’s ability to combine polished hospitality with a genuine passion for the wilderness.

For those keen to explore more of Sri Lanka’s wildlife, Leopard Trails also has a sister property in Wilpattu National Park, Leopard Trails Wilpattu. This intimate camp brings the same signature combination of luxury, style and authentic safari adventure to the island’s northwestern forests, offering guests the chance to experience two of the country’s most remarkable national parks within a single journey.

For travellers seeking a boutique safari experience in Sri Lanka, Leopard Trails Yala delivers authenticity; close encounters with wildlife, an atmosphere of old-world adventure and enough luxury to ensure that even in the depths of the jungle, nothing feels lacking.

Travelling is like flirting with life. It's like saying, 'I would stay and love you, but I have to go; this is my station.
Lisa St. Aubin de Teran