Yala Jungle Haven

How friendly everyone was

Man kommer helt ned i øjenhøjde med naturen og man sænker automatisk tempoet. Det er det tætteste man kommer til at bo i en ler-hytte, men med et fungerende toilet og bad. Pent og rent og utroligt smuk område.

Die gebuchten 2 Nächte standen uns doch nicht zur Verfügung. Hätte der Anbieter gleich reagiert und geschrieben das es eine fehlerhafte Doppelbuchung gegeben hat wäre das nicht so schlimm gewesen. Kann passieren. Aber erst nachdem wir diverse Details zum Aufenthalt besprochen hatten viel dem Gastgeber knapp 24 Stunden vor unserem geplanten Eintreffen auf das es ein " kleines Problem" gäbe und wir nur eine statt 2 Nächte als 6 köpfige Familie bleiben können. Sinnfrei wenn der Grund des Besuchs eine Ganztagessafari im nahe gelegenen Yalapark beinhaltet. Ich habe erklärt das dies kein kleines Problem sei. Eine Lösung wurde nicht angeboten. Nur eine Beschwerde bei Booking das wir unseren Aufenthalt, welchen ich auf Nachfrage nicht buchen wollte, ohne Grund storniert hätten..

Wat een fantastisch verblijf hebben wij gehad! Vanaf het allereerste moment voelden we ons meer dan welkom; de eigenaar was ontzettend lief en we werden echt behandeld als familie. Een absoluut hoogtepunt was de safari die we samen met de eigenaar hebben gedaan, waarbij we zelfs een luipaard hebben gespot! Daarnaast hebben we in de avond unieke wandelingen gemaakt die we niet snel zullen vergeten. Ook het eten verdient een grote pluim: het was ontzettend lekker en er was meer dan genoeg. Dit was een unieke belevenis die we nog heel lang zullen koesteren. Een absolute aanrader!

Als er dan toch een nadeel is, is het gebrek aan koeling. Er zijn wel ventilators aanwezig in het hutje.

We had a wonderful stay here. The family who runs the place are incredibly kind and welcoming. The warmth and genuine hospitality made our vacation even more special.The Safari organised by the place was great, the driver and knowledgeable guide were brilliant. Would definitely recommend! Outdoor dinner set up around the fire 🔥was beautiful. A charming and comfortable stay with wonderful staff, good food and amazing location.

De gastvrijheid en behulpzaamheid van de eigenaar. Bovendien verzorgde hij een prima safari. Hij heeft ons ook meegenomen voor een wandeling rondom de lodge

Loved the wild jungle setting and the wonderful owner.

Nothing to dislike. Would have booked an AC room if there was one available but the fans were fine.

Es war ein fantastisches Erlebnis! Der Besitzer ist extrem freundlich, man bekommt alles, was im Dschungel möglich ist, extrem gutes Essen, Früchte, Wasser und davon soviel, wie man niemals essen und trinken kann. Die Hütte war extrem sauber und das ganze Anwesen extrem liebevoll hergerichtet. Das Leben mitten in der Natur mit Tieren, Blick auf die Wasserstelle inmitten von wunderbaren Bäumen (inklusive einem Hochsitz auf dem Baum) ist einzigartig und unglaublich friedvoll. Abends gibt es Essen mit Lagerfeuer und Fackeln auf einem Felsen mit tollem Blick in die Sterne. Außerdem wurde uns eine Safari organisiert mit einem extrem guten, erfahrenen Fahrer, der unglaublich scharfe Augen hatte, alle Tiere kannte und uns soviel Zeit, wie wir wollten, bei den Beobachtungen gab. Ebenso ging unser Host am Abend mit uns auf eine Buschwanderung, auf der wir ebenfalls viele Tiere und Spuren sahen und am 2. Abend führte er uns noch zu einem anderen wunderbaren Platz. Auch er kannte alle Tiere und Pflanzen. Um den Dschungel richtig zu erleben, ist das DER Platz- besser geht es gar nicht. Es war das Highlight unserer Reise.

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The experience was amazing. Truly unique.

What an incredible stay! We spent two nights at Yala Jungle Haven and it was truly magical. The place feels pure and peaceful. It is back-to-basic, but spotless and beautiful, with lots of shade. Right next to our hut was a small watering spot where water buffalo and even a crocodile came to drink, plus a birdwatching hut and several relaxing seating areas. Dinner was served on a rock lit by torches (absolutely unforgettable) and afterwards we went stargazing. We joined two safari tours and spotted five leopards, many elephants, countless deer and an amazing variety of birds. The food was great and plentiful, and our host knew everything about the wildlife and nature around us. I genuinely could have stayed much longer. An amazing, peaceful experience. Highly, highly recommended!

I left Yala National Park not only with incredible safari memories, but also with a new friend. Thusara is one of the warmest, kindest people I have ever met, and I will truly miss him. I could honestly write a whole book about everything that was wonderful here, but I’ll try to keep it short. The safari with him as our guide was absolutely amazing. We enjoyed the first one so much that we spontaneously decided to do a second safari the next day. On both days we saw leopards and many other incredible animals. The food was great, the dogs in the camp were adorable and incredibly friendly, and having dinner by the campfire under the starry sky was something really special. What stood out just as much was the kindness and hospitality of the host. We were even lucky enough to meet his wonderful family, which made the experience feel even more personal. To those who complain in the reviews about missing electricity or cold water: you should remember that you are in the jungle. The accommodation has everything your heart could wish for and even more. The rooms were perfectly clean. All in all, this was an unforgettable experience that I will always remember.

Это необычное атмосферное место с очень приветливым и интересным хозяином. Нас встретили чашкой ароматного чая и подарили каждому по символическому цветку. Хижина и территория содержатся в идеальной чистоте. Вечером нам разожгли костер и приготовили простой, но вкусный ужин. Мы ужинали у костра под звездным небом! Вместе с арендой домика хозяин помог арендовать джип для сафари в национальном парке, организовал воду и еду в дорогу. Мы ни о чем не беспокоились, здесь уже все продумано заранее. Есть один нюанс - дорога, ведущая от шоссе к хижине неровная и ухабистая, ее лучше преодолевать на джипе или придется тащиться на обычном седане лишние 20 минут. Так что лучше заранее написать об этом хозяину и он организует трансфер от дороге по гравийке.

Прекрасный отель с замечательными хозяевами, ухоженная и чистая территория, белое белье, вкусная еда, радушный прием и при этом полное погружение в джунгли, два домика в местном стиле, вокруг джунгли, водопой.Приехали на закате, но нам успели провести небольшую прогулку по джунглям, вечером развели костер на скале и устроили вкусный ужин.Кто хочет пожить в атмосферном отеле и испытать шри-ланкийское гостеприимство перед сафари-однозначно сюда.Персоналу отеля огромное спасибо, очень хорошие люди!

Une expérience incroyable avec un paysage dingue un hôte au petit soin avec des valeurs de vie. Prenez le temps de discuter, un tour dans le parc a pied pour voir les animaux . Et un repas le soir grillade et feux de camps le meilleur repas que nous avons mangé au sri lanka vraiment arrêtez vous ici, la route est largement praticables en voiture où van. Et la vie y est douce .

The staff are so attentive, you are right in there with nature and far away from anyone else. It’s like having your own private camp

Honestly nothing, for a rural stay it is awesome

This accommodation is an authentic jungle camp experience, it’s family run and you are literally immersed in nature. The accommodation consists of 2 hut / safari tents, they are basic but clean, they have a toilet and shower ( cold water) but this is fine as it’s very hot. There is a waterhole next to the property where buffalo, a crocodile, deer and lots of birds can be observed. The owners look after you very well, we couldn’t have asked for more. They will organise your safaris and the national park entrance is very close. They even arranged for my husband to go stick lake fishing with the owner’s friend. Breakfast is included and it is delicious. Dinner is served from a raised rocky area which is a viewing point, under the stars by a camp fire, the cooking is really excellent. No electricity in the day so take power banks and mobiles work with data, no WiFi, it’s good to be prepared and message the owner with questions they are happy to help.

Nothing.

Lokalizacja na uboczu ,w ciszy , atmosfera na miejscu , odgłosy natury , bardzo pomocny,życzliwy gospodarz ,który jako doświadczony przewodnik Parku Yala zorganizował niesamowite safari

Nähe zum Nationalpark Freundlichkeit des Besitzers Abendessen unterm Sternenhimmel

Kein warmes Wasser Die Hütten sind sehr spartanisch eingerichtet Abendessen war kalt Alter Jeep für die Safari

One of the best experienced we have had.. Am a big user of booking.com and this is the first time l have given a rating of 10. We did 2 morning safaris. Our host Toosharah was excellent. Yala Jungle Haven consists of pretty much 3 bush huts. Only 2 are for accomodation so you get very personilized treatment. You are in the middle of a bush setting on what is a family block.

Diese kleine Anlage ist in jeder Hinsicht außergewöhnlich: Abgeschieden in der Natur, einfache aber gute gepflegte Hütten und wahnsinnig herzliche Gastheber. Wir waren Ende August für zwei Nächte zu Gast und konnten sogar liebevoll zubereitete Abendessen unter einem beeindruckenden Sternenhimmel genießen — traumhaft und unvergesslich schön!

Es hat uns nichts ausgemacht, dass es nur nachts Elektrizität gab, wenn der Generator läuft. Wer jedoch rund um die Uhr eine gewohnte Versorgung erwartet, sollte vielleicht eine weniger authentische Dschungel-Unterkunft wählen.

I had an incredible experience at Jungle Haven Retreat! The setting deep in the Sri Lankan jungle is absolutely breathtaking. The staff was wonderfully welcoming and made us feel right at home. The houses were cozy and beautifully nestled in nature, creating a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. One of the most unforgettable moments was the amazing dinner we had on the rock, with a fire burning beside us under the open sky—it was truly magical and unlike anything I've experienced before. The traditional Sri Lankan meals were another highlight—so flavorful and made with love. If you're looking for a unique jungle experience with warm hospitality and unforgettable moments, this place is absolutely worth it. I can’t wait to return!

An incredible nest right inside the jungle! we spent 2 amazing days! the owner Thushara welcomed us with fresh coconut water and lead us around the property in the nature for a walking tour. He offered us tea/coffee and fresh fruit every time we came back from excursions and in the morning too💓 they kindly provided us anything we needed, including transports and we had amazing dinners around the fire under the stars ✨ super recommended !!! Visit this place and support these lovely people 🥰

Het personeel is geweldig. Ze maken het super comfortabel en de service is geweldig. Het eten was heerlijk, de kip was het beste wat we ooit hebben gehad. De eigenaar heeft een leuke wandeling met ons gedaan door de natuur op zoek naar dieren. Het huisje ligt naast een waterplas waar veel dieren komen drinken. Hierdoor kun je ook naast het huisje behoorlijk wat dieren zien.

Niks

Se volete vivere una vera esperienza nella giungla lo Yala Jungle Haven è il posto giusto. La camera è spartana ma pulita. Lo staff è stato splendido, molto gentili e disponibili. Ho cenato sotto le stesse e con il falò ascoltando i rumori della giungla…un’esperienza unica! Ho fatto il Safari con il proprietario della struttura ed è stato bravissimo.

Nulla

C’était parfait ! Merci pour l’authenticité ! Nous reviendrons avec plaisir !

Es una full experiencia en la “jungla”. Te encuentras en medio de la naturaleza alejado de todo. El staff súper amable y atento. Nos trataron increíble y nos prepararon una deliciosa cena de bienvenida. El sitio es idílico si eres amante de la naturaleza.

Al ser una full experiencia en medio de la naturaleza, pues nos encontramos reiteradas veces varias ranas en la habitación que salían del baño.

So secluded, watering hole opposite hut meant we had our own mini safari all day long with different animals coming along. Staff were incredible, great energy, wonderful with our young children, adjusted menu and timings to suit our kids.

If I’m being totally fussy the mattress is slightly hard for me - wouldn’t stop me going again.

I recently stayed at Yala Jungle Haven with my family, and it was an unforgettable experience! The safari organized by the team was the highlight of our trip, and our guide, Thusara, was exceptional. His knowledge and expertise made sure we had an amazing time, and we even spotted elephants bathing with a calf. The accommodation was authentic, serene, and comfortable, and our hosts went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time. The food was delicious, and we enjoyed the campfire under the full moon. Our kids loved the guided walk near the camp, where we witnessed an elephant grazing in the late afternoon. We also got to plant a tree in the camp and look forward to returning in the future when it has grown. I highly recommend Yala Jungle Haven for anyone looking to immerse themselves in nature and experience the beauty of Yala National Park.

This place is great. Facilities are nothing fancy but the staff are local, real and fantastic. Rebuilding after COVID devastated the local tourism industry. Food (dinner x2, packed breakfast for Safari) was great. Safari arranged by YJH was fantastic (saw the coveted leopard!). Room is basic but perfectly adequate. Fan only overnight but that was fine as we were only there at evening/night. No hot water but the weather is warm, so it didn’t matter. Mosquito nets provided. I was single mum with 2 teenage daughters. It was great for the kids to experience something a bit more basic near the National Park.

A bit hard to find, let’s just call it a hidden gem. The last 500m is best accessed with a 4WD. YJH can collect you and take you out in one of their 4WDs.

Forest experience with amazing food living in middle of jungle. The hosts are amazing and ready to provide with any kind of facilities !

Loved our stay at Yala Jungle Haven. The rooms are as shown and described. The dinner was great and really lovely to have a fire as well. The staff were wonderful and even took us on a walk before dinner to spot some wildlife. The safari through them was amazing and our guide, Suraj, was very experienced and even though there were many jeeps, we got a first look at a leopard and saw lots more!! Highly recommend, thank you!

Yala Jungle Haven is located just 15 mins from the Ticket Counter. This means that you did not need to wake up so early, and yet, you can be one of the earliest to get to the front of the queue at the Ticket Counter. Yet, the cabins are 'hidden' within the jungle, so you are completely surrounded by nature. This also means that electricity is available only from 6pm to 5+am by the generator. There is a fan, plugs for charging and some lights. Dinner can be ordered and the meals were delicious.

There was no curtain for the window, so there was no privacy for the one right next to the bed. For the other windows, it would be great if there are mosquito nets across the windows so that I can open to let in some air. I have given feedback to the management, and they were very happy to learn how they can improve the cabins for the comfort of the guests.

Great place if you want to be immersed in nature and super close to the Yala park entrance. Everything was easy to organise and they were super friendly.

Excellent host Pick up from the main road Night safari & camp fire with the owner Great dinner Early start into the safari to be the first ones in the NP

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Yala Jungle Haven, as its name imply, is quite a haven in the jungle. It is quite literally next to Yala National Park. So, the jungle hut is rustic, and my room have seen visitations from many frogs and geckos. You will hear many bird calls early in the morning, which is wonderful if you are into birding. But the best part is the owner Thushara, who is also a safari driver+guide. So if you book this accom, go with their safari! He is very experienced as evident in his driving and wildlife spotting skills. We had THREE (3) sightings of leopards and even a sloth bear! While wildlife sightings need the element of luck, one of the sighting of the leopard was initially spotted by him, so yes our vehicle was the first on the encounter. The sloth bear too. Needless to say, I had one of the best safari experience ever. Oh, their homecooked dinner is authentic curry & rice cooked by Thushara's parents :)

Ok, currently the place runs on generator power, so you will get electricity only from 6pm - 5am. If you are going for safari, it is ok but if you are sleeping a little late, the room gets stuffy once the fan stops running (5am onwards). They are working to get the place running on solar, so hope it gets installed soon. And of course, no wifi :)

A place immersed in nature a stone's throw from the entrance of the Yala national park. The owner and nephew are very hospitable and friendly, they took care of us by introducing us to the area and organizing everything for us. Highly recommended

Great stay in the middle of the national park. At night you can hear the animals. The hosts are very friendly, welcoming and friendly. Breakfast can prepared earlier so you can take it on a safari. Unfortunately, I had already booked a safari through another company but I would book through these guys if I come back again. Digital nomads be aware no wifi, no electricity till 6pm.

Everything was amazing! One of the best experiences of our lives. The kindness of the hosts, the dinner under the stars at the place — we felt right at home. We also booked the Yala safari with them, and they had some of the best guides in the area. We saw everything — leopards, elephants, crocodiles. Being just steps away from the national park was key to being among the first ones to enter. We recommend it a thousand times over!

- Nice location close to the park, surrounded by the jungle, far from other facilities so make sure to bring enough snacks + powerbank for the days you're there - Very friendly hosting family - Everything was very well organised and we felt very well taken care of - Recommend booking the safari through this place. Unique experience!

Great jungle retreat that is very close to Yala national park making it ideal for safari. We were looked after very well, as long as you are okay with basic amenities I would highly recommend!

We loved our time at Yala Safari Lodge, if you are looking for an authentic, natural and personal experience we can’t recommend this place enough. We visited with our 18month old son and stayed 1 night. The hosts were very welcoming and cooked us a lovely dinner of Sri Lankan food, and built us a campfire. The next morning we went on safari with the owner of the accommodation. He has over 25 years experience as a Yala safari guide and his passion, knowledge and want for you to have the best experience stood out to us. Being so close to Yala National park entrance gave us the opportunity to get to the front of the queue for the entrance early in the morning. We spotted 2 leopards - 1 extremely close to the truck. Along with many others animals including elephants, mongoose, deer, Monkeys, various birds. An incredible safari and couldn’t have left happier. You won’t regret staying here, the only thing we would say is if you can’t live without aircon - this isn’t for you. Book a fancy resort if that’s the case. If you are open minded and want an experience which is authentic, then book this place for you. Thank you again to Suneth, Thushara and Wijepala. We cannot thank you enough, and wish you every success in the future. Hope to be back again.

Everything. Nice houses surounded of nature. Managers were very helpful and friendly.

The hotel/ houses are located in the jungle, creating a natural atmosphere. We stayed for one night, and it was a great experience — fully immersing ourselves in nature. We really liked the staff, the host contacted us in advance and met us with a jeep at the main road, then brought us to the hotel. We saw deer and monkeys near the hotel :) They prepared a vegan breakfast for us upon request and also packed food for our safari tour. The host was very friendly and helped us with the safari tour. During the tour, we saw leopards, elephants, crocodiles, and many other animals and birds. We were very happy with our trip!

Wonderful jungle experience, great location, baby-friendly - our 8-month old boy loved it there. Amazing food (especially the grilled fish and chicken BBQ were fantastic) and the hosts are super-friendly and kind.

We spent one night in Yala Jungle Haven, and did half day safari with the owner. The localisation of the hotel is absolutly amazing, very close to the entrance of the national parc, immersion into the nature 100% guaranteed ! Thusara and his nephew are really kind, and they did everything to organize for us a wonderful safari. We get lucky enough to see 2 leopards!! And they did everything to manage to be the really first one to come inside the park. Thank you very much for this wonderful experience!!

Nothing, everything was great, but Don’t forget to have a power bank with you in case of, because electricity is working with a generator.

The experience was incredible. The accommodation is located at the gates of Yalla, extremely convenient to get there (before the others 4x4). Many animals to observe around the accommodation. The welcome from the hosts was very warm and they were very helpful at all levels. The accommodation is very clean and comfortable. I think it is a unique experience to live and linked to that of safari and exploration. We were there with our 3 children aged 10, 7 and 2. And if we had to do it again, we would definitely go back there. And thank you for the fire in the evening which allowed us to extend the experience even more and enjoy the starry sky and nature!

We had a great stay at Yala Jungle Haven during our visit to Yala National Park. The hosts, Thusara and Sineth, were incredibly kind and welcoming, making us feel at home. Sineth gave us a tour of the camp, sharing its story, and we enjoyed a delicious dinner of the chef underneath the stars. Afterwards, we fell asleep surrounded by the sounds of the jungle. The rooms were clean and nice. Thusara, an experienced safari guide, made our safari unforgettable. He arranged special tickets, ensuring we were among the first jeeps in the park. His knowledge of wildlife and special approach to avoid the jeep traffic cues made the experience feel unique and less crowded. We also lucky enough to see three leopards during the tour! In short, we really enjoyed our stay at Yala Jungle Haven and next time we will stay longer.

We were very satisfied, our stay in the camp was very, very nice, you are right next to the national park and right on a small lake (you don't have any problems with insects at all) and sometimes you can see crocodiles there. The staff are incredibly nice and do everything to make your stay even better (we went on a scooter safari in the area twice, it was very worth it) The food was also very tasty, it was cooked traditionally and even a barbecue was made, which was very tasty. We were even driven into town the next day so we didn't have to take a tuk tuk. The camp itself also offers safaris through the Yala National Park, which are also really inexpensive. I would definitely come here again

the beds were very hard. only a foam mattress, the rest was great local village feeling

Wow, what a special experience! The accomodation: The accomodation was located in the middle of the jungle with lots of space, a little lake and a fantastic rock to see the stars during the night. At the rock, the host arranged a campfire. Together with the fantastic noise of the jungle, this was breathtaking moment. By the way: the host offered us, next time we visit, we can sleep on the sun warmed stones outside and watch the stars😊 The room is very simple, with lots of space and a veranda. There are mosquito nets at the bets (didn't needed them, as we had no problems with mosquito). We arrived with the scooter, which is a bit tricky to find as the road, after a few days of rain, was more for the advanced riders. Important: take the road from the south (coast side). It's the road to the yala national park main entrance. At km09 sign, take the little path to the left (there is a stone marked with "yala wild house"). But the host is willing to help. There is no constant electricity at the camp. They are running everything with solar and partly a generator. So it's good to have a charged power bank as a backup. The host: we ordered a dinner for the night of arrival and it was fantastic. Rice, beans, herbs, and a lot of ingredients are home grown. Typical sri lanken curry. The host is running business with his family. They've just startet the business in September, and he is so pleased to talk to foreigners, get tipps and grow an income for his family. As he is a seasonal safari driver, living in this hidden area for decades, the host has a perfect education about flora and founa, wildlife, herbs and natural medicine. He told us about the challenging life in the jungle, growing plants and living with the Elefantens that trying to steel the harvest (now a days, they have electric fence around). In the morning, we were picked up on the exact time for safari, as the host double checked everything the night before.

It's a bit hart to find, but the host will hang signs on main road soon.

Superb place to spend an authentic Sri Lankan village experience. It was so unique, I have never done a stay like that before. Loved it