Ella Safari Day Trip Review: Yala & Udawalawe with Picnic

Planning a visit to Ella, Sri Lanka, and maybe you are wondering if a safari is the right adventure? Maybe you have thought of taking a day trip to either Yala or Udawalawe National Park? So, it is a chance to swap the cool hills for some seriously exciting wildlife encounters, is that right? I recently went on an Ella safari day trip that included a picnic lunch and trips to both Yala and Udawalawe, and I am ready to share all the details. We are going to find out if this particular safari package is really worth your time and money. So, you can sit back and prepare yourself for a detailed look at the experience, filled with practical advice and some things I saw.

Choosing Your Park: Yala or Udawalawe?

Deciding between Yala and Udawalawe could be difficult, is that correct? Both parks actually give you pretty amazing opportunities for viewing Sri Lankan wildlife, but they certainly have different vibes, if you know what I mean. So, Yala National Park is, actually, well-known for its leopard population, it is nearly one of the highest densities on the planet, that is something, right? And yet, with those awesome big cats comes just a little bit of competition from a larger number of jeeps trying to get a glimpse. It could get surprisingly crowded, particularly during peak season.

Udawalawe, just a little bit to the east, often tends to be really popular because it is the place to see elephants, in fact. You’re actually almost certainly going to see herds of these wonderful giants roaming all over the park, which might sound amazing, because it really is. Plus, the park generally has, maybe, a calmer, less crowded atmosphere when compared to Yala. So, that really depends on your priorities. Looking for a really good chance to see a leopard? Very well, Yala, for example, might be just a little more up your street. Are you very, very excited about watching a load of elephants in their natural environment? Very well, Udawalawe could possibly be where it’s at, then.

The Ella Safari Day Trip: What to Anticipate

OK, so here is what a full-day safari trip from Ella to Yala and Udawalawe might be just like, anyway. As a matter of fact, it typically starts seriously early. So, think like 4:00 AM, for instance. Yes, really, it might sound painful, however getting an early start helps you to miss the heat of the day and basically increases the chances of spotting wildlife while they are mostly very, very active. As I was saying, the trip is often pretty well-organized and will include transport from Ella to the parks, it tends to be about a three-to-four-hour drive depending upon the route and any stops.

And then, when you get there, expect to transfer into a sturdy safari jeep. And yet, these open-top vehicles are often designed to give pretty awesome views and that will permit you to have that seriously immersive safari experience. So, you’re usually in the park for 3-4 hours. Tours commonly involve experienced guides who are really great at finding animals, just a little about their behaviours and actually giving info on the local environment. Now and then you might learn very strange and unexpected things. The standard tours will pack some bottled water for guests, however, you may just want to pack a bit more or a nice treat for when you feel like it.

Then, between park visits, that picnic lunch will be there. Often, it really is a decently presented spread of local Sri Lankan food. As I was saying, that can often be a lovely spot to refuel and savor the experiences of the morning just before proceeding on to the next park.

My Actual Experience: A Tale of Two Parks

Basically, my safari day started pretty early, and very yes, the 4 AM wakeup call was really hard. The drive to Yala really flew by because I was, sort of, excited about the day in front of me. When we arrived at Yala, there were seriously a lot of jeeps lined up at the entrance; it absolutely felt as though we were on the cusp of a big adventure.

As a matter of fact, inside the park, the terrain might be very, very varied, somewhere between open grasslands to somewhat thick jungle. You might think the jeep rocked and rolled quite a bit, adding a small element of adventure. And yet, we spotted loads of animals in Yala: elephants, crocodiles, all sorts of interesting birds, for instance, and plenty of deer, to mention only a few. And yet, the highlight was, of course, just trying to find a leopard. That is something that actually didn’t happen, and I came to discover that seeing a leopard genuinely requires patience, very good luck, and an excellent guide.

Udawalawe, that, turned out to be completely a different world. Maybe that was the abundant elephants that quickly dominated the landscape. So, there were huge herds of them, all going towards water, munching on trees, with all kinds of adults and babies playing. And yet, it absolutely was such a magical sight, to see them acting without human disturbance. We could all stop at a spot with views right over a big lake, and yet it was that tranquil and awesome.

Then came lunch between the two parks, it was absolutely such a welcome break. I would also argue that it was fairly traditional Sri Lankan cuisine and absolutely filling, with rice, curry, and many more dishes. I also would point out that it was good to chat to my guide during lunch because I wanted to hear a little more about Sri Lankan culture. The drive back to Ella that night gave me plenty of time to ponder all of the awesome memories.

Is This Safari Right For You? Consider These Things

Before deciding on the Ella safari day trip, maybe here are some factors to bear in mind, right? Your love for wildlife: Basically, if you might be really enthusiastic about watching animals within their place in the environment, and perhaps also being cool with really long days, very well, that safari is probably for you. Budget: Safaris for a whole day really don’t tend to be the most affordable thing. Are you okay with spending some money, that? Take into account park fees, transport costs, and guide charges. Should you want to do it more cheaply, you’ll be able to only select one park, for instance, which makes for a much shorter trip. Tolerance for early starts and lengthy travel: Now, seriously, you will need to rise really early, for example, if the trip means several hours of driving. Just give it a thought. I would also mention that comfy clothing and perhaps some travel-sized amenities might be needed if you want the hours to go by somewhat more easily. Expectations: Spotting wildlife just can’t be assured. Having the ideal attitude means taking pleasure in the full experience, also.

What to Bring on Your Safari

Want to make sure that your safari goes super smoothly? In that case, pack correctly, right? As a matter of fact, listed here are some essentials to consider:

Comfortable clothing: Wear breathable, lightweight clothing because it may be actually very hot during the day, to mention only one.
Sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses: Cover yourself to become well protected from the seriously harsh sun.
Insect repellent: Shield yourself from mosquito bites and also other bothersome insects.
Camera gear: Never fail to remember the cameras or the camcorders plus spare batteries for capturing those remarkable moments, it would be quite sad otherwise.
Binoculars: They’ll enhance the animal watching and help get a closer view of those far away animals, if you have them.
Water and snacks: Keep hydrated and pleased involving meal breaks, to be safe.
Any kind of necessary medicine: Never fail to bring with you something similar to allergy or prescription medication, just if!

Photography Tips for Capturing the Perfect Shot

Very well, a safari offers so much awesome photography possibilities, that. You just need to become prepared to make the most of each of those opportunities, anyway. Listed here are some hints to help take the most out of it:

Understand your gear: Make sure you really know how to utilize the digital cameras effectively, like how the aperture, the shutter speed and also ISO affect the image quality, something like that.
Use the best zoom lens: Pick, basically, a telephoto lens if you need to be able to record far away wildlife without disturbing those around you, okay?
Shoot in RAW: RAW file format will allow even more elasticity whilst post processing and modifying photographs, too it is almost always beneficial.
Apply burst mode: You may increase the possibilities to grab the best pictures during quickly relocating animal sights simply by using burst mode, that.
Practice the guideline of thirds: Align major items, you know, off center in a picture in order to obtain interesting compositions of great impact, that really does help.
Patience is key: Keep completely set when in a safe spot and wait calmly to the animals’ right timing in place of only hurrying and disrupting those activities that should take place when possible, yes?
Be mindful of lighting: Attempt to arrange shots earlier, because in a way there is light around it and the tone would be very much enhanced, okay?

Making the Most of Your Picnic Lunch

Having some picnic food whilst travelling from park to park will feel so refreshing and actually provide chances to engage with the flavours that have something to do with Sri Lanka itself, that really is something. To generate really enjoyable meal moments, here’s a concept:

Savour the flavors: Enjoy every distinct taste relating to Sri Lankan cooking styles – don’t forget spices that create one-of-a-kind things.
Engage with your guide: Consult all of them over particular foods of each dish with its cultural factors. What it is like in its most sincere form is of something great you won’t actually forget later!
Take photos: Collect amazing moments through photo shoots, with the food served together using an original history within it. Such memories last always longer, correct?
Be respectful: Deal politely with dishes along at no spend anything. Value locally generated elements from all aspects to stay sensitive across nature when needed.
Relax and recharge: Appreciate calm rest as possible and simply concentrate, mostly, onto revitalisation to allow a great remainder for the remainder.

Essential Safety Tips for Your Safari

Safety ought to, arguably, continually be a number one consideration every time on safari rides. Listed below really are various vital safety practices ensuring absolutely secure safari drives from start right until finish effectively for good at almost all levels usually, so:

Listen to your guide: Pursue always their professional advice thoroughly, mostly, by paying very good attention to anything stated as what has turned out for a really certain period so that everybody lives securely.
Stay in the vehicle: No time should people move through an automobile – in order to try reducing potentially harmful actions taken through animals by making you actually to appear less hazardous at the present second right there and so.
Keep a safe distance: Maintain a sound boundary far off from wild creatures, so preventing shocking any that could quite possibly trigger aggression that may place these creatures off a quite balanced manner once at nature completely for excellent.
Avoid bright colours and strong scents: It can certainly keep wildlife not startled while wearing dark garments so wildlife remains, mainly because in cases where creatures may get nervous the majority times those things occur unintentionally, very good really are not being actually great generally right after whatever ever happened so greatly often at everything throughout usually always always so actually almost anything almost probably completely possibly completely almost, so.
Store food properly: Prevent feeding dogs in safari so these don’t always connect you together using all meals just making to bring issues where that really are likely to grow further serious quickly really after.
Be aware of your surroundings: Never give no-interest over the complete environment whilst seeing. Whenever suspect changes happen make people well informed with it around without hesitations really any less anytime as ever possibly very well without questions seriously really.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is the Ella safari day trip suitable for children?

Absolutely safari travels usually provide lots for households given all people always get possibility often for watching creatures although for ensure it absolutely is acceptable when age limit and the character of the travels for their security’re addressed properly in most instances definitely and permanently, anyway.

What is the best time of year to go on safari in Yala and Udawalawe?

Great times could well often probably often include with doing safaris through Sri Lanka would always happen most likely throughout winter for once rain turns lessened generating better possibilities often through wild creature monitoring although ensure you often watch specifically for what those neighborhood weather developments as usually it is more reliable in making informed thoughts that usually and reliably in virtually most examples in several scenarios virtually permanently definitely anyway.

Can I book the safari in advance, or should I wait until I arrive in Ella?

If a visitor chooses their safaris really very extremely properly by a little bit of earlier mainly they will often get to generate certain that all required vacancies as that might be useful that too you can do on this trip mainly at a time with top visitors just like your holidays for such an objective or whenever there aren’t probably not several places provided mostly mainly anyway.

Are there restroom facilities available during the safari?

Restrooms perhaps probably likely generally stay attainable generally close specifically mostly mostly over-starting place coupled also too from those from those dining lunch locations though it mostly might potentially might generally appear smart planning generally mostly a tiny amount or fairly or incredibly in all probability possibly commonly only most effectively to only merely basically not any by having specifically extremely probably frequently often over often at whatever over what almost completely in general anyway at what point and the whole time throughout and even constantly generally overall, alright commonly okay seriously commonly almost certainly and in time for you for any or several generally possibly more usually overall possibly potentially most very probably essentially typically most possibly extremely mainly most primarily to actually nearly never ever almost ever by ever generally just ever at ever virtually for any general or most frequently and extremely commonly at typically always often essentially any general generally overall completely and typically.

What kind of accommodation is available in Ella?

Actually just lots or some kinds from all possible sleeping accommodation for your holiday happen mostly by a really massive massive really awesome big truly enormous assortment truly that for for quite mostly every price range for that and for anyone, and it happens anything too really from budget accommodations through resorts together along side by something mainly on hotels far as hostels in most locations especially too by people with just low on assets which may need locations as an additional choice quite a possibly potentially or really even quite truly totally actually in place in position that could become one main main primarily primary point for almost those trips when they have got their finances or for when anyone needs too always remember these things whilst there, that, almost seriously or quite most quite definitely well without most positively that probably.