Can I see sloth bears in Yala Block 5?

Yes. Block 5 has had good sloth bear sightings in recent seasons. Sloth bears are found foraging in rocky terrain and scrub. Sightings are not guaranteed, but when found they tend to be excellent and without crowds.

Yala Block 5 Safari, Sri Lanka | Leopards & Sloth Bears

Q: How is Yala Block 5 different from Yala Block 1?

Block 1 receives the vast majority of safari vehicles in Yala. When a leopard is spotted there, dozens of jeeps converge. Block 5 has a fraction of the vehicle numbers. The driving is slower, the waiting longer, and the atmosphere much calmer.

The experience

What Block 5 actually feels like

Block 5 — officially gazetted as Weheragala National Park — has a different character from Block 1 from the moment you enter. The scrub is denser, the terrain more varied, and the driving pace noticeably slower. This is not a block where you race from one sighting to the next. You spend time at waterholes. You wait in the shade. You watch how the animals move and how they behave when they are not being disturbed.

There are usually very few other vehicles in Block 5 on any given morning. Some mornings you might not see another jeep for an hour or more. That kind of quiet is genuinely rare in Yala today, and it changes the whole experience.

The trade-off is real: if you want maximum leopard probability, Block 1 is the stronger option. Block 5 requires patience. If you come with patience, it rewards you.

If you want to combine Block 5 with the open landscapes of Yala Block 6, our full-day safari covers both blocks in a single day.

View full day package

Wildlife

What you might encounter in Block 5

Crested serpent eagle in Yala Block 5, Sri Lanka

Sloth Bear

Block 5 has been particularly good for sloth bear in recent seasons. When found, usually without a crowd. Rich habitat also supports abundant raptors like the crested serpent eagle.

Occasional · currently notable

Elephant

Seen occasionally in Block 5, usually in smaller family groups moving through the scrub. Tank areas are worth watching in the afternoon.

Occasional

Sri Lankan Leopard

Leopards exist in Block 5 and sightings happen. They are not common. When found, you will generally have the animal with very few other vehicles. That is a meaningful difference from Block 1.

Possible, not common

No wildlife sighting is ever guaranteed in any Yala block. What Block 5 offers is a calmer experience when sightings do happen. The animals are on their own terms, as they should be.

Is this right for you?

Who Block 5 suits

Block 5 suits guests who are genuinely interested in wildlife rather than simply collecting sightings. If you enjoy sitting quietly at a waterhole, watching crocodiles and buffalo for an extended time, and letting the experience develop at its own pace, Block 5 will feel very right.

It is also well suited to wildlife photographers. The light in Block 5 at first light can be excellent, and there are spots here where you can work without another vehicle in frame. Prasanna is a wildlife photographer himself and knows where to position for the best results.

If your goal is to see a leopard and a leopard sighting is the sole measure of a successful safari, be honest with yourself about whether Block 5 is right. We will tell you the same thing. Block 1 gives higher leopard probability. Block 5 gives a better experience around every other encounter.

Common questions

Questions about Block 5

Leopards are present in Block 5 but sightings are not common. If your only goal is maximum leopard probability, Block 1 is statistically the stronger choice. Block 5 gives a quieter experience — and when a leopard is found, you are unlikely to have fifteen other vehicles around you.

Yes. Block 5 has had good sloth bear sightings in recent seasons. Sightings are not guaranteed, but when found they tend to be excellent and without crowds.

Block 1 receives the vast majority of safari vehicles. When a leopard is spotted there, dozens of jeeps converge. Block 5 has a fraction of the vehicle numbers. The driving is slower, the waiting longer, and the atmosphere much calmer.

Early morning from around 5:30am until 11am is when most wildlife is most active. Late afternoon from 3pm to 6pm is the second best window. For photographers, the golden hour at first light in Block 5 can be exceptional.

Weheragala National Park is the official gazetted name for what is commonly called Yala Block 5. It covers the southern extension of Yala and is managed as a separate but adjacent protected area. Most visitors and guides refer to it simply as Block 5. The wildlife, habitat, and safari experience are the same regardless of which name you use.

Interested in a Block 5 safari?

Ask Prasanna anything. He will tell you honestly whether it suits what you are looking for.

Chat on WhatsApp