Yala Block 6 Safari, Sri Lanka

Block 6 — officially gazetted as Lunugamwehera National Park — is the most open and most quiet of the blocks we operate in. The landscape here is different from Block 5 and from Block 1. More sky. More space. The terrain is less dense and the visibility is better, which changes how you experience wildlife encounters.

On most mornings in Block 6, you will not see another safari vehicle. That is a genuinely rare thing in Yala today. For guests who find the convoy atmosphere of Block 1 uncomfortable, Block 6 is often a revelation.

The honest truth about Block 6: leopard sightings here are very rare. If that is what you are primarily coming to see, we would tell you to consider Yala Block 5 or to reconsider Block 1. But if the idea of a quiet morning in open ground, completely alone, with the chance of a herd of elephants entirely to yourself, sounds like a worthy experience in itself, Block 6 suits you well.

The most complete Yala experience we offer is the full-day safari, which covers both Block 5 and Block 6 in a single day. You start in one block during the early morning hours, take a break during the hot midday period, and move into the other block for the late afternoon.

Doing both blocks in a day gives you the contrast of the two habitats. Block 5 (Weheragala) is denser, more enclosed, and better for sloth bear. Block 6 (Lunugamwehera) is open, quiet, and better for elephant. Many guests find the combination tells a more complete story of Yala than either block alone.

It is a long day. But it is rarely one people regret.