Wadula Safari - Yala

If you want to do Yala Safari look no further - this is the perfect spot for you. The bungalow was very nice, super clean and very comfortable.

Be aware that you are basically locked up in your bungalow which is probably a given as you are directly in the surroundings of the nationalpark. Every transfer to and from the hotel needs to be arranged with the hotel (which they happily do! But of course you are very dependent on them) Since you can't go anywhere you are forced to take the dinner and also breakfast of the hotel which is good but also surprisingly expensive (it would have been nice to be informed about the prices beforehand - probably it would make more sense to only offer rooms with breakfast and dinner) This is not rating the hotel or affecting the rating but useful info nevertheless: We booked the safari with the hotel which makes sense but we probably haven't been super satisfied with the safari itself. In comparison the safari is on the more expensive side but we felt the driver was not very motivated (made breaks without giving information why and was making private calls or doomscrolling most of the time which we felt was not very professional). Also we lacked some information or any communication. If we could do it again we would probably ask for an additional English speaking guide (I am positive the hotel can arrange this aswell).

Der Service war von der Organisation der Anreise bis hin zur Safari super! Das Abendessen war sehr lecker und wir haben sogar noch eine Private Tour um den See herum bekommen. Von der Terrasse aus konnte man viele Tiere beobachten.

Lovely peaceful spot. Staff extremely helpful and attentive, organised our safari and transport to our next location. Not a lot to do but it was nice to have a bit of quiet time in a busy holiday!

The small hotel is a perfect location from one of the Gate 1 entrances of Yala being only a 15 minute drive away. Not being the main entrance it was less busy. The staff are very welcoming and when we arrived a lovely lady took us on a walk round the lake by the hotel where we got very close to sea eagles and saw a cobra shoot across! The cabins are clean comfortable with aircon and have a kettle which was great. Being so remote you are eating there and the food was lovely and very efficient. It is a vegetarian restaurant and the curry was delicious. There is no alcohol there which did my husband good to have 2 nights off a lion beer. If you want a peaceful spot this is the one!

Nothing

El entorno

Precios bastante altos, además si pagas con tarjeta te cobran un 3% más. El colchón no es muy cómodo.

Die Unterkunft liegt wirklich toll und mitten in der Natur. Das bedeutet allerdings auch viele Tiere (wir fanden das toll). Bei unserer Ankunft wurde uns zum Beispiel direkt gesagt, man hätte kurz zuvor eine Kobra in der Nähe unseres Bungalows gesehen. Man sollte sich dessen also bewusst sein. Für uns war es jedoch ein ganz tolles Erlebnis! Der Bungalow selbst war sehr sauber und wirklich sehr komfortabel. Bei unserer Ankunft hatte sich ein kleiner tierischer Bewohner in unser Zimmer verirrt. Dieser wurde allerdings direkt entfernt und das Zimmer wurde noch einmal komplett durchsucht und gesäubert. Das Personal war wirklich unglaublich bemüht und freundlich. Ich hatte während unseres Aufenthalts Geburtstag und man hat mir, ohne, dass wir darum gebeten haben, eine kleine Geburtstagsfeier mit Torte und Ballons ausgerichtet. Das war wirklich sehr schön.

Wir fanden das Preis-Leistung-Verhältnis für das Essen etwas zu hoch. Uns ist klar, dass man mitten in der Natur ist und die Möglichkeiten nur begrenzt sind. Das Essen war auf unserer gesamten Reise auf Sri Lanka aber leider mit am schlechtesten. Die Samosas, die wir bestellt hatten, waren von innen beispielsweise noch kalt und das Kottu wirklich fad. Wir haben zwei Safaris mit Wadula gemacht und fanden den Preis für das, was wir bekommen haben etwas zu hoch. Für eine 5stündige Safari wurden lediglich zwei Wasserflaschen gestellt, kein Snack oder sonstiges. Das kennen wir von anderen Safaris anders. Schade war auch, dass es kein Fernglas oder ähnliches gab. So hätte man manche Tiere noch etwas besser sehen können.

Great place to stay for a safari tour. Food is great and fresh, rooms are very nice and clean, owners are lovely and very eager to help :)

Walkable to lovely lake, private cabins in the jungle, clean. Pretty grounds. Helpful staff.

No real amenities so aside from the lake, there is nothing else on premises. Overpriced meals for Sri Lanka and breakfast not included. It requires a 4wd vehicle to access this property so someone on site must pick you up from a meet up spot which really limits your ability to go anyplace else. And somewhat binds you to the overpriced meals. Also, although it physically seems to border Yala, it still was a 25 minute drive to the gate so not as closely convenient as you would think.

Naturnah und sehr nahe am Yala Nationalpark. Die Mitarbeiter sind hilfsbereit und sehr nett. Ich empfehle jedem dieses Hotel zu buchen wenn man gute Safaris in Sri Lanka machen möchte. Die Zimmer sind sauber und komfortabel.

It was peaceful and serene.

Would have been nice to have a fridge.

Excellent location close to Yala National park entrance. Hotel staff helped organise a driver who picked us up from hotel. Beautiful lake on site of hotel perfect for sunset. Limited facilities but hotel staff were very helpful and cooked us meals. Would recommend for 1-2 nights.

Limited facilities. A swimming pool would be perfect to cool down after the safari.

Great location in a beautiful remote setting. Nice clean chalet overlooking an amazing lake with an abundance of wildlife - don’t miss the firefly dancing under the stars! Enjoyed the evening stroll with the host on the first night.

We had to ask for a step up in the quality and amount of food provided, which happened on the second day of our stay. Not blown away by its quality though. No drinks (soft or alcoholic) available at dinner. Thankfully we brought some Diet Coke, but were charged $4 a pop to have ice added to the glasses. Water in our rooms was not replaced either.

Beautiful forested lakeside location.

There was nothing not to like.

Great location on the edge of the park, very secluded and peaceful with great views for sunset! We had great service and that included a guided walk around the reservoir to spot wildlife as the sun began to set. Food from the restaurant was nice in the evening.

We opted for an early morning safari which unfortunately ended up with us stuck in some mud after hours of non stop rain, bit of a confusing experience as the driver was not very communicative but we made it out eventually. The breakfast to go was also nothing like the breakfasts we've enjoyed throughout Sri Lanka - for that reason we would recommend an afternoon/sunset safari.

The setting is very peaceful and idyllic. We enjoyed strolling along the property's path to the lake. The dinner served was delicious and they packed a good lunch for us to eat on the safari. Daluj and his helpers are very helpful and friendly.

Nothing.

- It’s a secluded, quiet lodge, right on a beautiful lake. The views are incredible! We saw so many birds and monkeys from the property grounds. It felt like a beautiful oasis in nature. It is dark after sunset so you need to be accompanied with torchlight any time you go to and from the room for your safety. - The rooms were really nice, quiet, and well furnished. - The staff were friendly and accommodating. We especially loved Anu, who took us on a short walk around the grounds! - Communication before and during the stay was excellent. - The lodge is really close to zone 1 of Yala National Park, which is the main tourist area. Zone 1 is busy with jeeps but apparently has the highest density of wildlife so this is why (we did a half day there which felt like enough). - We also did a full day of safari in zone 5 with a different company arranged by a friend, which we preferred as it was quieter, greener, and more beautiful views. I’m sure the hotel could arrange zone 5 if you ask them. - Don’t do the safari in any zone though with the strong expectation you will see a leopard, as they are very good at hiding! There are also other wildlife like birds, crocodiles, and elephants.

We would recommend the lodge highly, and just have some suggestions to boost the score to a 10. I’m sure they will take the feedback on board though, so don’t hesitate to book: - It was very quiet and functional. Maybe they could give the buildings a few touches to give it more personality (eg a social area, with beanbags or fire pit, local information/activity guides). - The tour arranged by the lodge was fine, but it could be improved. The food was very sugary and could be more healthy, and would be great to offer tea or coffee. They did not tell us in advance that an external tour guide would hop into the vehicle at the park. We would prefer if the hotel had selected the guide rather than leaving it to chance. The guide was ok but not very intentional nor spoke much English. He could name the animals we passed. However, apparently leopards are most active in that first hour of the park opening and then hide. We wish he would have prioritised leopard spotting and then come back to the other animals later. Also the guide completely ignored my wife, showing his book only to me. She felt left out and had to ask him every time to show her. I know there are cultural differences regarding how you speak to the opposite sex, but this was extreme and she has a right to enjoy the tour as much as me. - The room could do with a few updates like unclogging the drains and servicing the AC and ceiling fan (they were very loud).

Deilig mat, fin eiendom og veldig hyggelige og hjelpsomme verter.

Dont expect any shops or resturants nearby. But that what makes this place so sensational. You will be overwhelmed by the beauty of this place. Arrive at tea time and witness the sunset over the waters. The Setting is Jungle the staff incredible and friendly. If you want to go on safari. Book their Jeep. I didnt and paid double. Rooms are spotless food was excellent and other like minded hotel guests super chatty and friendly. This hotel followed by safari the following day where my best memories of Sri Lanka

There was nothing. Bring Mozzie repelant

Beautiful location in the forest.

Our safari was budget standard. Arranged in house 40,000 lkr per person Driver did not speak English We could not ask questions No explanation as to why we were rushing out of Park at 11:30. Suggest a pair of binoculars per vehicles as leopards can be seen in the far distance. Also Availability of headrests.

Sehr freundliche Gastgeber und Personal, wunderschöne Anlage in der Natur, Service fürs Shuttle und die Safari waren ebenfalls super.

Great location and very close to main entrance Yala national park.

We had to get out of our rooms at exactly 10 a.m. because they only had one jeep to bring us to the main road where our driver picked us up. I therefore suggest to have a 2nd vehicle for transportation available.

The owner went above and beyond to make our stay wonderful. They picked us up from the airport and even made a stop for sightseeing and breaks for food. They dropped us back at the airport and I felt very safe and confident. They even called a friend to ask about conditions for snorkeling before we went to check if it was a good day for it. The owner got us a painkiller when I had a headache, which was very sweet. They also arranged the safari for us which was great. They packed us plenty of food and water and made the trip great. If was really helpful having the hotel as the point of contact for all our needs. Only thing is that the road to the hotel is not paved and very bumpy. The experience will be better if they pave that road. But it's about 10-15 min to get to the hotel in the bumpy part. The location of the hotel is beautiful though and very close to the national Park.

Das Hotel liegt extrem nah am Eingang des Nationalparks. Die Safari konnte vorab organisiert werden. Das angebotene Essen war sehr lecker und preiswert. Alles wurde sehr sauber gehalten. Den Sonnenuntergang am kleinen See haben wir zudem sehr genossen.

Leider gab es keine Liegen in der Unterkunft und die vorhabenden Stühle hatten keine Polster, was den Nachmittag etwas weniger komfortabel machte. Rund um das Resort ist weit und breit Natur, weshalb man keine Angst vor wilden Tieren haben sollte!

The hotel and staff are amazing! They were so attentive to our needs and everything was so clean. The hotel had great communication with us through the Expedia app. We able to meet at a local temple for a late hour pick up. The drive in by jeep as the hotel is on the edge of the park! I can’t wait to go again!

Posto molto bello e pulito immerso nella natura. Cibo fantastico sia per cena che per colazione.

Il wifi nella camera in cui eravamo non funzionava molto bene. Posizione un po' isolata, non si è autonomi nell'uscire.

We really enjoyed our stay here. Beautiful small resort in the national park. You were surrounded by palm trees and nature and right on a lake. The bungalow was lovely, nicely decorated, clean and comfortable bed. We were able to walk to the lake and watch the sunset which was memorable. The host was very friendly and welcoming and arranged our morning safari.

Η τοποθεσία αν και είναι δύσκολα προσβάσιμη (βέβαια έρχεται ο ιδιοκτήτης με το safari jeep για την παραλαβή την μέρα του check-in και την επιστροφή κατά το checkout ) βρίσκεται σε εκπληκτικό-μοναδικό σημείο. Το φαγητό αν και είναι vegan (εννοείται ότι μας είχαν ενημερώσει νωρίτερα) είναι πολύ νόστιμο και χορταστικό, το προτείνω. Το προσωπικό είναι πολύ βοηθητικό και φιλικό. Κάνουν τα πάντα για να έχεις μια τέλεια και ευχάριστη διαμονή.

Owners were incredibly kind and accommodating. The property is beautiful. Wifi worked pretty well in the main area but not in the rooms.

An absolutely fantastic stay! The lodge is in a beautiful private location close to Yala National Park, with stunning interiors and everything we could possibly need. We loved being able to walk down to the lake to watch buffalo and crocodiles. The brothers who run the lodge were incredible hosts — so welcoming and attentive — and went above and beyond to organise our safari tour and taxis. We were escorted to dinner because of snakes, which we didn’t see, but it added to the thrill of being out in the wilderness.

Nothing - everything was excellent!

Zeer netjes en perfect in orde en zeer luxe

Niks

Je wordt vanuit een nabij liggende tempel opgehaald en met een jeep naar het park gebracht. Je kan er alleen met een 4x4 komen. Het personeel is super aardig, je wordt ontvangen met een drankje en koude handdoek om af te koelen, terwijl je koffers naar je huisje worden gebracht. Je kiest van te voren je lunch en diner uit het vegetarische menu zodat alles netjes klaar op tijd voor je klaar staat en het eten is super lekker. De huisjes zijn heel mooi, hele fijne bedden, douche en airco, precies zoals op de foto’s. De locatie is heel afgelegen aan een meer aan de rand van Yala, er lopen apen, varanen, waterbuffels. Het personeel komt je ‘s avonds en ‘s ochtends ophalen zodat je niet zelf in het donker hoeft te lopen. Perfecte locatie voor een Safari in Yala.

De weg naar het park is heel slecht en hobbelig en je kan er alleen met jeep komen, dus de locatie is lastig te bereiken en niet handig als je vanuit het park vaker dan alleen de Safari op en neer zou willen rijden.

These guys have got all their processes in place, and it runs seamlessly. Everything was excellent, from communication prior to arrival, to the welcoming, to the room and to an amazing dinner in the restaurant. It was faultless. We booked a Safari through them for the following morning, the day of my partners 30th birthday and they brought a cake with candles at 5:30am prior to us getting in the jeep. They were brilliant, and incredible value for money. I can't recommend this hotel highly enough. 20/10.

The cabins were lovely - modern, clean, and finished to a much higher standard than we were expecting given the price here compared to other accomodation in Yalla. The service from Dulaj, Chamith, and their team was absolutely outstanding. They arranged taxi transfer for us (including Dulaj himself driving us to Galle) and went out of their way to pick us up from the safari gate when I was feeling unwell during the afternoon. The food was great - simple but made with care. The location is excellent, surrounded by nature (Dulaj took us on a walk around the lake at sunset which was beautiful and teaming with wildlife) and very close to the entrance to the safari section of the national park. Dulaj also organised our safari, with our driver (Kosana) being fantastic. He was constantly getting updates on where the best spots were and clearly loved his job. We were lucky enough to see a leopard and a family of elephants bathing which was all down to his skill and knowledge. I would 100% recommend Wadula if you are looking for an excellent safari experience.

Nothing.

Lodge con poche camere (singole casette) a gestione familiare in un palmeto con palude propria e nelle vicinanze dell'ingresso del parco. Molto tranquillo e in ottima posizione. Gentilezza e disponibilità con organizzazione propria di safari individuali. Cena semplice ma buona.

The property was the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle — peaceful, calm, and incredibly relaxing. It’s an ideal spot to unwind and enjoy nature.

The location is a bit away from Kataragama town, which might be inconvenient for some. However, the hotel’s complimentary transport service to and from town was a thoughtful and helpful touch.

The staff was friendly when we first arrived

The place is completely isolated with a bumpy road that taxi cant get to , you’re stuck there, with almost nothing to do except the safari, which takes only half a day. The food is limited, and the bed was so uncomfortable I couldn’t sleep at all, extremely hard matresses and you could feel the springs. When I asked to check out early because I truly couldn’t face another night, the staff showed no concern and just insisted I pay for both nights. Honestly, I would rather lose the money for one night than torture myself staying there any longer. Very disappointing experience.

Great location on a picturesque lake. Very close to safari which they organised for us! The staff were extremely helpful and nothing was too much trouble. The food was exceptionally good and a lot of it 👍🏻

Great facilities and location, we were right next to the entrance of the Yala Safari. The staff was adorable, and the breakfast was good.

Everything was fine

The best place to stay when visiting Yala National Park. Great facilities, A/C, comfortable bed, nice bathroom. The staff are great, and will drop you in and pick up from the town - they will also arrange safaris for you, we saw plenty of leopards so absolutely worth it!

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Extremely helpful and friendly staff. Great location close to the entrance of the park. Excellent safari was organised. Lovely setting in a forest near a lake and with animals in the vicinity. Was very peaceful. Clean comfortable rooms. Very authentic experience - vegetarian Sri Lankan food. I'm a meat eater but really enjoyed the different experience. Recommend the Biryani. Was great for the kids to experience something different and also not have unlimited access to WIFI! There is wifi near the kitchen but not in the rooms but good mobile coverage.

It's like a safari - in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by wild animals. Magical at night and at day. Not possible to reach by normal cars, but the staff kindly picks up on the main road by a 4x4 Toyota Hilux and drives about 15 minutes to the bungalow free of charge. The staff was very kind and helpful, prepared a nice dinner and breakfast for us. Free wiifi available at the restaurant. Our family with kids would be very happy to come again

Slightly more cleaning (e.g. washing the curtains) and maintanance in the bathroom would help. The location shown here in booking.com is not correct, google maps show the right one.

Idyllic peaceful location in the jungle on the edge of a lake. So quiet & convenient for Yala. Owners & staff very attentive & incredibly helpful. Fabulous food. We wish we had arranged our safari directly with Wadula. Would recommend to other guests to do that.

Wadula Safari was amazing. We were greeted by the friendliest staff, taken for a walk around the jungle (where we saw monkeys, all kinds of birds, and lizards), and then served a delicious dinner. The room is spacious, clean and comfortable with amenities like coffee, tea, powerful AC and a modern bathroom. They also arranged a wonderful safari with a guide, and helped us speak with and find our taxi driver.

Super hospitality , clean rooms and highly supportive staff . The food was authentic Sri Lankan food and very tasty . The staff picked us up and dropped us off from /to the town and the whole day safari is a must have .

We loved everything .

Great location near Yala entrance, you get a small safari already when you take the jeep into the jungle where the hotel is and if you walk from your room to the eating area! Skilled staff and tasty food.

Really nice place surrounded by nature and adjacent to a serene lake. Lots of birds to watch while sipping your tea on your private patio and even the odd visit from neighbhood monkeys. Rooms are clean, with ceiling fan and AC, with very few bugs/mosquitoes inside. The staff are incredibly helpful and kind. They also offer safari from 4 hours to full day at seemingly standard prices. We did a six hour private safari for 31K PP where we saw elephants, mongooses, loads of birds, and even (just about) a leapord. Food is good, simple, traditional vegetarian Sri Lankan cuisine. No fresh coffee and no alcohol served but seemed ok with others bringing their own. The biryani comes with the local buffalo curd which is delicious.

food is ok. stuff super friendly

The location was excellent, located on the boarder of the safari park. The staff were very attentive and friendly. They took us out on the lake for an extra 2,000 Sri Lankan rupees which we thoroughly enjoyed. They also dropped us off in the centre so we could have a look around on one of our days there, as there’s not too much to do in the grounds itself. The bed was a bit uncomfortable and there were quite a few ants in the property. But the room did feel luxurious considering we were pretty much staying in the middle of nowhere! The food is vegetarian only and no alcohol is served on site, which was okay as we were aware of this prior to turning up. Overall we enjoyed our stay here and would recommend this to anyone who wants to be in the middle of nature. We came away feeling very relaxed.

We stayed two nights, my wife and I. The two brothers who own wadula, picked us up exactly as promised on time, and were so attentive to all our needs. We had not booked the safari but they got that sorted and the safari itself was wonderful. The driver Malinda was extremely knowledgeable on the animals explaining to us via my wife sitting in the front about them. He did everything possible to locate every animal including the elephant and the elusive leopard. Everything you need is on site and you can relax knowing that your every request will be immediately and fully done. The cabin is perfect with good Airc on and very comfortable It is nice to wander to the lake only 30 Mt's away and alongside it in the morning and evening. You can even go out in a kayak with a member of staff. I saw eagles and peacocks and loads of birds on my morning trip. Beau tiful Go there. Nowhere better Frank

It all ended too soon

Don’t look for any other place when looking for a place in Yala. This one is it.

Remote location in the middle of the jungle, rooms are separate little houses linked by forest paths. Loved being surrounded by all the nature, vegetarian dinner was delicious.

Not related to the accommodation but the safari we booked through them could have been better. We didn't have a guide to explain what we were seeing. We had a guide who was a park ranger but they sat in the cab with the driver and appeared to speak little English. However looking at all the other tours none seemed to have guides in the back with passengers so perhaps this is a Yala park rule. The elephant Safari we did in Sigiriya came with a guide who sat with us and explained what we were seeing which added to the experience.

beautiful location, basic bungalows with amazing view.

Restaurant service was very limited

The setting is beautiful with abundant wildlife. The food was superb as were the excellent staff. Highly recommended.

Everyone was super accommodating, the food was excellent and the area is beautiful truly amazing spot.

The accommodation was lovely but there’s no where to sit just hard wooden seats. Also the pool wasn’t available. The staff pick you up 2km from the lodges as the road is bad but that means you’re limited in what you can do without a car.

Very beautiful place. Very quiet, green and glorious forest around it. The lake next door is beautiful. The sunset from the restaurant was beautiful. One slight issue I found was big red ants in bathroom (didn't come to bedroom and didn't trouble when in bathroom but was concerning). Rest everything was fantastic. Dulaj and Chamita were wonderful hosts

Very remote on the edge of the National Park. Arranged for our safari trip including breakfast and lunch. This place is remote so you’ll be eating dinners at the hotel. A great experience

An opportunity to get very close to nature in a really beautiful setting.

Access is a little tricky as you do need a ride in a 4x4, so it may not be for everyone - but I think for most this adds to the adventure.

the safari was somewhat cool but overly crowded. very annoying

Amazing staff ! Going out of their way to create something really special for their guests. We were the first ones to experience a new floating candlelit dinner on the lake. Very cool and unique experience. Rooms clean and comfortable. Safari was great!

very nice for one night.

Fantastic spot, great location extremely peaceful by the lake but with lots of wildlife around. Super helpful staff. A great stay.

Exceptional service . Aruna met all août requests rapidly and with a smile

Clean room in quaint one room cottage in the jungle on the Yala National Park grounds . Jeep service to the site as the roads were impassable my car

Great location for easy access to a Yala safari. The room was very clean, looked brand new. Great service ans the food was good!

Everything was wonderful, staff so helpful and friendly, took us on a walk , picked us up and dropped us off in town (it’s the small things which make the journey easier) food great! Being in the jungle great.

Unfort it rained so had to eat dinner on the balcony - new dining area currently being built. Part of the appeal for us was sitting evenings in the candle light eating area. The safari guide we didn’t rate so highly, his English wasn’t very good & didn’t really tell us a lot. For that price we did have certain expectations- esp coming from Africa where you know what you get for a similar price.

an amazing experience. from the pickup on the road to the spectacular diner with candles light

The room is a spacious cabin and it’s beautiful. There is a nearby lake where we saw wild water buffalo and wild peacocks. The food in the hotel is a little pricey but well worth it. The best vegetable curries I have eaten in Sri Lanka! This hotel is a hidden gem!

Very remote location in the wilderness. We saw water buffalo bathing in the evening. Very peaceful surrounded by wilderness. Loved it :)

We wouldn’t stay here again… The bungalows of the hotel were really worn off, the TV was not working, there was no restaurant, no pool, no fridge (so warm drinks in a really hot climate!). All in all the property was only reachable by a Safari car and it took 20 min on an extremely bumpy road to the center (the center was also not really inviting). Instead of two the nights we booked we only stayed one (although paying the full price hence we couldn’t imagine staying more than one night). I honestly cannot understand the positive reviews bei any means and if I were to book again I would book a hotel closer to the center as well as with a pool and a restaurant. In general I would recommend staying one night in yala since there’s not much to do besides the safari. The safari we booked (offered by the hotel) was also not good, the driver was not ambitious as we didn’t even see elefants. Overall it was disappointing although the two guys managing the hotel were engaged. But it just wasn’t enough for us and way too boring.

They were very friendly and good to organise a Safari and provided tasty meals. We were very close to the Safari park and had monkeys around us, buffalos and other animals. It was special.

The place was very isolated, they faded to pick us up as it was very difficult to find. Once you’re there you depend on everything on them.

We spent 3 nights at Wadula, 1 full day safari and one afternoon safari. Family of 4, kids aged 11 and 8. The safari lodges are on Temple grounds so you’re in a very special place. You can’t purchase alcohol here or in the surrounding temple grounds, but there’s a place not too far where you can; all you need to do is ask. They might even drive you there. Cash is king here - rupees not dollars or cards. There’s a local cash point in town. The lodges literally border the safari park as we noticed on our drive from the pick up point. We travelled 4 hours down from Pasikudah. The pickup point for Wadula is by the temple; the taxi wouldn’t be able to cope with the rough terrain, I shared my location from my phone and the pick up was seamless and perfectly organised. The accommodation is very comfortable with everything you need, colour tv :), AC, etc. I’ve never slept so well! There’s no wifi but very good 4g coverage. I purchased a Sri Lankan SIM card with a little help from our taxi driver when we first landed - he used his ID to get it for us, it’s at their discretion. The lake is beautiful to see and they organised a little sunset walk. The food was DELICIOUS. We enjoyed every single mouthful. You are in the middle of the jungle with a lake full of crocodiles so you can understand why they don’t want you walking around in the dark on your own. We left it to Wadula to organise our safari’l trips. And wow, did they deliver. Our driver was very experienced and the spotter who rode with us was one of the park rangers. As the lodges are close to the entrance we were the first into the park. We saw everything we wanted to see. Pick up was from our lodge and they prepared us lunch, snacks, fruit and drinks. They really did spoil us.

Nothing

Great location in a bushy setting- we saw crocodiles, black faced languar monkeys, peacocks, toucans and a host of other birds around our accommodation The rooms were rustic outside and polished inside The food was excellent The aircon was good and needed Our hosts (two brothers) were excellent- they organised our safari, onward transfer and all our food. They went out of their way to make sure that we were happy at all times I chose this location so we could enter Yala from the quieter, Kataragama entrance and this worked well for us

The bed is a little bit too firm

Staff and management were just excellent - very friendly. We ate both evening meals at the hotel and the food was good, portions large and prices reasonable for remote location ($5-$7 per meal). Great service and attentive staff. Nice chalet style bungalow rooms, relatively modern but could do with a bit of a renovation in the near future

Wet room bathroom

The lodge was really clean and excellent size with good air conditioning. The hotel organised a great safari and transfer to next destination. They communicated well prior to arrival re safari options. Food made to order was lovely.

A fridge in the room would be good. As location is remote with no store nearby, it would be good to let guest be aware and then if they need to buy any bits in advance.

Surrounded by nature and wildlife, plus lovely room. Very helpful staff.

The staff were super friendly and couldn’t do enough for you. They have new mattresses which were soft and very comfy. The safari was incredible, and the driver was just amazing. I highly recommend Wadula Safari, unforgettable experience.

The staff was super nice and the owner took us for a walk around the area during sunset to show us all the birds and the beautiful nature. we had great candle light dinner and also used the opportunity to do a safari with them. They prepared breakfast for us which we had at the beach during the safari and our guide was an expert in finding the animals ;)

Very nice and clean rooms. We stayed in a bungalow in the middle of the jungle. The bungalow had nice high ceilings, a little porch and aircondition. The hosts are very nice and made us feel very welcome. We had a nice Dinner surrounded by oil lamps in the middle of nature. The hosts organized a half Day Safari for us and packed a nice breakfast with fruits and sandwiches. The place is very close to the park entrance so we started at 5:30 am bit were still one of the first jeeps in the park. The beds are comfortablewe slept really well.

Fantastic place such a fabulous spot and idyllic in every way the brothers who run it were so kind and thoughtful. Best biryani ever, given on a table under the stars and fireflies dancing around totally magic. The safari they organised was great as was the evening walk they gave us and we’ve were able to enjoy a sunset over the lake. I can’t recommend highly enough I think I have found paradise.

It was all perfect

Amazing location at the border of the Yala park. It’s quite incredible Dulaj and his team managed to build such luxurious bungalows in the middle of the jungle! You sleep with wildlife sounds surrounding you. Being super local they have great relationships with safari guides, Nalinda was a top animal spotter

it was in the middle of the jungle and near to the national park. Dulaj looked after everything and organised a safari tour for us. we saw so many animals! he even picked us up because the place was hard to find.

the beds were very hard.

The location is fantastic, just right next to the national park (do remember to contact prior to arrival because the place is really hard to find). The owner and other staffs are incredibly friebdly and helpful. And the safari trip they arranged was beyond excellent.

The mattress is slight hard to us so it wasn't a very pleasant sleep, but for the safari trip we need to get up at 4am so it doesn't matter that much. However an upgrade on the mattress would make it 10/10.

Spacious room, very convenient location for an early morning safari as this is very close to the park entrance. The end afternoon walk was nice and interesting too. Kind and helpful personnel.

Nothing we did not like, but if it can help others this hotel is really in the jungle with all what it means - it could be uncomfortable in some aspects due to the presence of animals (but would like to highlight the support of the personnel to make the stay as good as possible).

At end of a 4x4 dirt trail, the brothers have worked hard during difficult times to create a small high-end eco-friendly resort in the woods where monkeys play and peacocks crow. Recently built modern brick and plaster cottages with a/c face a lagoon lake with a property adjacent to Yala National Park. Service is excellent.

We enjoyed our stay at Chamith’s hotel. He owns the place with his brother and they’ve had a really hard go at it since covid. You can now really tell they’re doing their absolute best to give you an amazing experience. The bungalows are new, clean, large and have everything you need. The owners prepared us food for the evenings and even packed us breakfast for our very early safari (very tasty!). All in all, if you like wildlife and nature, don’t think twice before coming here! Thank you Chamith.

The only negative would be the very very hard bed (and we usually prefer harder beds). Kinda felt like sleeping on the floor. The bungalows are located in the middle of swamps - my frog-phobic girlfriend hated it, but it’s really because she’s from the city, so barely a negative.

The place was great. And the room Super clean and organised with everything.

Nothing

+ The owners of the hotel try really hard to make the stay of their guests enjoyable. Appreciate it! + It was quite an experience to live for a couple of days in the middle of a jungle!

- The mattress is too hard for my taste - They don’t have any meat or alcohol. Not a big problem for us but it is better to be informed about it in advance - Our safari driver wasn’t very friendly