13 Ella Safaris Tours to Build a Day Around

1.Drop to Tangalle/Hiriketiya/Mirissa & Yala Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 296 reviews · 4 - 10 hours · from $11Our pick

Travel from Ella to Yala and onward to Tangalle, Hiriketiya, Mirissa, Galle, or nearby towns in an air-conditioned vehicle. At Yala, switch to an open jeep for about three hours with guides such as Sasanka, Dilan, or Ishan, looking for leopards, elephants, crocodiles, buffalo, monkeys, and birds.

“Sasanka was an excellent driver. We were amazed by how he easily drove us into the safari. We saw a lot of animals. He explained to us. It was really a good experience”

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2.Yala Safari with Tangalle/Mirissa/Galle Drop-off

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 198 reviews · 9 hours · from $10Best value

Start in Ella with a hotel pickup, ride to Yala, and spend about four hours in a guided 4x4 safari with guides such as Isuru, Kavee, or Srimal. Look for leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, and birds before continuing by car to Mirissa, Tangalle, Hiriketiya, Unawatuna, or Galle.

“Pick-up was on time from Ella. Car was very comfortable and clean. My guide is Srimal, very nice guy and did his best to show me everything. It is very safe for a solo female traveler like me, from pick up to the safari. Highly recommended 👍🏽”

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3.Shuttle to Tangalle/Mirissa/Galle w Udawalawe Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 166 reviews · 7 hours · from $48Top rated

Ride from Ella to Tangalle, Mirissa, Galle, or nearby beaches, stopping for a three-hour Udawalawe jeep safari. Guides such as Pathum, Koshala, and Mahesh are praised for spotting elephants and explaining wildlife. Park entry costs extra, so carry cash.

“Mahesh our guide was great, we managed to see elephants, water buffalo, crocodiles, mongoose and an array of birds. A great morning.”

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4.Yala National Park Safari Tour in a 4×4

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 155 reviews · 8 hours · from $49

Leave Ella before dawn or later in the day for Yala National Park. An air-conditioned transfer carries you to the park, where guides such as Sasanka, Dilan, Muthu, and Tikiri lead a three-hour 4x4 safari. Expect elephants, crocodiles, birds, buffalo, and a possible leopard.

“It was really cool to see a lot of animals. The Dilan guide tried to look for new ones every time and talked about them, it was very interesting.”

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5.Yala Safari with Drop at Tangalle/ Hiriketiya/ Mirissa

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 74 reviews · 9 - 16 hours · from $11

Travel from Ella to Yala National Park in an air-conditioned car, spend about four hours on safari in a 4x4 jeep, then continue to Tangalle, Hiriketiya, Mirissa, Galle, or Hikkaduwa. Expect long driving, a maximum of six people per jeep, and a separate park entrance fee.

“Everything was amazing, perfectly organised, the safari guide was a skilled driver willing to do his best to show us everything he could while sharing fun facts and still respectful to the animals. Great experience!!”

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6.Transfer to Tangalle/Mirissa/Galle & Yala Safari Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 43 reviews · from $20

Leave Ella, Haputale, or Bandarawela for a Yala National Park safari, then continue to Tangalle, Hiriketiya, Matara, Mirissa, Weligama, Unawatuna, Galle, or Hikkaduwa. Your English-speaking driver-guide handles the route and wildlife spotting, with Vishwa and Ishan among the guides praised for their care and patience.

“Vishwa was a great guide. That was fantastów experience. Recommend this tour for everyone.”

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7.Udawalawa Safari and Tangalle/Hiriketiya Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 30 reviews · 7 hours · from $48

Leave Ella, Haputale, or Bandarawela in an air-conditioned car, then switch to an open jeep for a 3-hour Udawalawe safari. Guides such as Pathum and Mahesh are praised for finding elephants and other wildlife before your onward drop-off on Sri Lanka’s south coast.

“Pathum was an excellent tour guide, getting quite close and overtook everyone in the park to allow us to see sooo much. Can’t recommend this enough”

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8.Udawalawe Safari with Elephant Transit Home Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 26 reviews · 8 hours · from $70

Leave Ella by air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide such as Koshala or Pathum. Visit the Elephant Transit Home for 30 minutes of baby-elephant feeding, then ride through Udawalawe National Park by safari jeep. Expect elephants, crocodiles, buffalo, birds, and careful animal spotting.

“Nous avons passé un bon moment au parc et vu de nombreux animaux : éléphants, buffles, paons, oiseaux, crocodiles… Koshala notre guide était sympathique. Merci!”

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9.Yala Safari & Transfer to Tangalle/Mirissa/Galle

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 25 reviews · 10 - 17 hours · from $29

Travel from Ella in an air-conditioned car, stop at Ravana Waterfall, then spend about four hours in a 4x4 at Yala National Park. An English-speaking guide such as Damith or Hirosh helps spot leopards, elephants, buffalo, crocodiles, and birds before your coastal drop-off.

“In general it was good- I booked the 11am slot which we did end up leaving at 11.40 not too sure why- so we got there for around 1.45 and the safari was about 4 hours- the tour guide was good the park was just very busy with other jeeps and we queued for nearly an hour because it was so busy, to see a cheetah which I didn’t see probably because everyone scared it off! I think we saw about 4 elephants, some peacocks and buffalo’s so not as many animals as I was anticipating. At the beginning of the tour I realised I had lost my wallet- which…”

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10.From: Ella – YALA Safari – Drop off: Arugam Bay / Arugambay

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 21 reviews · 9.5 hours · from $110

Travel from Ella to Yala National Park for a dawn safari in a Toyota Hilux, then continue by air-conditioned vehicle to Arugam Bay. Guides such as Sasanka, Janaka, Muthu, and Dolan help spot leopards, elephants, crocodiles, buffaloes, monkeys, and birds.

“dolan was a very good driver, explained what was what with the wildlife. Spotted Elephants, water buffalo’s monkeys a leopard and many other animals”

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11.Yala Safari Tour with Drop at Tangalle/Hiriketiya

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 16 reviews · 9 - 17 hours · from $29

Travel from Ella or the south coast in an air-conditioned car, spend about four hours inside Yala National Park in a 4x4 jeep, then continue to Tangalle, Hiriketiya, or another listed drop-off. Guides such as Chutte focus on finding leopards and other wildlife.

“A really good experience, our guide Chutte was the best!”

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12.Shuttle to Tangalle/Hiriketiya with Yala Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 12 reviews · 9 hours · from $31

You leave your Ella hotel by air-conditioned vehicle, visit Yala National Park with a safari guide such as Sasanka, then continue toward Tangalle or Hiriketiya. Expect elephants, crocodiles, monkeys, birds, and a chance of leopards. Bring cash for the separate park fee and confirm luggage space.

“No hotel pickup. No luggage space on bus despite being a transfer. Driver continuously on mobile phone. Left safari at start of 'golden hour'”

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13.From Tangalle/Hiriketiya: Ella Transfer & Udawalawe Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 12 reviews · 8 hours · from $48

Travel from Tangalle or Hiriketiya to Ella in an air-conditioned vehicle, stopping at Udawalawe National Park for an open-top jeep safari. Look for elephants, crocodiles, monkeys, buffalo, peacocks, and birds. English-speaking guides such as Mahesh and safari driver Pathum may lead the wildlife portion.

“Transport from hiriketiya to Ella was seamless. The safari was incredible! Saw over 20 elephants as well as other animals, and our guide let us stay for as long as we liked to take pictures. Would have loved more commentary about the animals but still 100% recommend this experience”

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