Alajode features carefully selected affiliate links from trusted partners. Your clicks help to support the site at no extra cost to you.
If you’ve ever been on an African safari, Wild Trails Yala might be exactly the kind of accommodation you expect to find on the edge of a National Park.
As soon as I stepped onto the property grounds, I was immediately reminded of my first ever safari experience in Swaziland.
I’m sure that, in some way, the owner’s time spent working in Zimbabwe and Botswana had a role to play in creating this immersive safari experience.
But, even though the layout and vibe of Wild Trails could have been taken straight out of South Africa or Namibia, the tented camp format isn’t so typical of Sri Lanka.
Most of the visitors who flock to Yala National Park choose to stay 15km from the park entrance in Tissamaharama, in one of the many hotels that almost exclusively serve safari-goers.
Yet, for me, no safari experience is complete without at least one night in the wilderness. And, set just 3km from the park boundary, that’s exactly what Wild Trails Yala by Suri provides.
Not only that, but it does so at a much more affordable price than other Yala glamping sites.
Wild Trails Yala by Suri: At a glance
In a hurry? Here are the most important things to know about this unique tented safari camp on the edge of Yala National Park.
🛌 Stay for 2-3 nights.
🚿 Each of the tents has complete privacy, with walk-in rain showers, comfy beds and air conditioning.
🍽️ It’s possible to book on a bed & breakfast basis, but full board is most common (and something I highly recommend!).
🐆 Yala Block 1 is just 3km from the camp. Bundala National Park and Blocks 3, 4 & 5 of Yala are also within easy reach.
Checking in to Wild Trails Yala by Suri
I’ve spent a lot of time on safari and, as a result, stayed in a lot of safari lodges and camps, each with its own charms and quirks.
At Wild Trails, the charms and quirks are pretty much one and the same.
The adventure starts before you even arrive: to get to camp, you’ll need to drive approximately 4km down a sandy dirty road.
It is a road that gets increasingly bumpy – or fun, depending on how you look at it – and is only accessible by 4-wheel drive.
It’s easy enough to get to if you’re using Google Maps, even if you’re driving your own tuktuk around Sri Lanka as we did. If not, the camp will send a vehicle to meet you for the final bumpy stretch.
Once you arrive, you’ll be greeted by the juxtaposition of a couple of ornamental skulls in trees and the friendly smiles of the guys who run this place.
Two open-air tents make up the reception and dining area, while the guest accommodation is hidden among the bushes, completely out of sight.
That’s because each of the 5 spacious tents is tucked away in its own private section of camp, connected by a single dirt trail,
Although this trail feels like it leads to nowhere, signposts along will reassure you that you’re not alone in wilderness.
A thoughtful touch is that the names of the tents pay to places in Sri Lanka such as Ella, Kirinda (the tent we stayed in) and more.
When you settle into your home for the night, there will be no mistaking that you’re in the heart of the jungle now.
In my opinion, this is exactly how a safari should begin.
And, as we learned from the team at Wild Trails, your safari experience may begin sooner than you expect.
Since the camp is set within the buffer zone of Yala National Park, just 3km from the official park boundary, it’s not uncommon to encounter the occasional faunal friend around the site.
Throughout our stay, we peaked numerous birds and land monitors, but unfortunately weren’t lucky enough to see the mother and cub sloth bears that like to eat the palu fruit that grows here.
And, just two days before we arrived, elephants were spotted near the camp’s entrance.
Free Sri Lanka travel guide
Rooms
Wild Trails consists of 10 tents in total, with the newer half belonging to Wild Trails Yala by Suri.
Quick note: We stayed on the side of camp owned and run by Suri – otherwise known as Wild Trails Yala by Suri – and therefore anything mentioned here applies specifically to that side of the property.
The reception area, dining tent and communal areas are all shared, as are the kitchen, meals and staff lodgings.
The guest rooms at Wild Trails Yala are exactly what you might expect from a safari camp: rustic yet comfortable.
They keep you close to nature while offering the extra little luxuries you might want, including:
- hairdryer
- shampoo and shower gel
- a torch
- blankets
- tea and coffee making facilities
- books and brochures about Yala National Park and its biodiversity
Each room is a large, standalone luxury tent – although it hardly feels like a tent! – and is fully sealed to keep bugs out.
The first thing you’ll notice is the large wooden deck, complete with two sets of tables of chairs – perfect for sitting to enjoy the nature all around.
It’s also incredibly private, with no sight or sound of other tents or guests. You truly have your own little jungle retreat.
And, while the tents may seem basic compared to a hotel room with an equivalent nightly rate, staying here offers a very unique and very immersive kind of experience that you simply can’t get elsewhere.
Make no mistake, Wild Trails leans more toward the glamping side of the camping spectrum for its little comforts and luxuries.
Firstly, you might not even realise you’re inside a tent at first. I certainly had to keep reminding myself because it hardly looks or feels like one.
Then there’s the spacious walk-through private bathroom situated at the back of each tent.
With a toilet on one side, a walk-in shower on the other and a sink area in the middle, the bathroom extends the entire width of the tent and is connected to the main room by a door on either side of the bed.
In the main bedroom, a large, cosy bed can sleep two adults, while extra beds and cots can be added to accommodate families.
Each room has a desk, bedside tables, luggage racks, a hairdryer, tea and coffee making facilities and a large deck where you can relax with a beverage or read one of the books about Yala that you’ll find inside your room.
There is also air conditioning during the night – which was definitely needed when we were there in early May – as well as a fan that can be used any time of day.
During the day, the air conditioning is switched off in order to save electricity, but you’ll most likely be out exploring and won’t notice.
All in all, Wild Trails Yala by Suri offers a very comfortable way to immerse yourself in the Sri Lankan wilderness, all while prioritising sustainability.
Food & dining
It’s technically possible to book Wild Trails Yala by Suri on a bed and breakfast basis, but full board is really the way to go here.
Meal times are set by the guests, and food is served on a help-yourself basis where each group’s table is filled with its own mini buffet.
If you’re going on a full day safari drive, the camp will provide a takeaway breakfast and a picnic lunch to enjoy on a break.
If you’re doing two half day safaris (or just one), like we did, you’ll be back at the camp in time to eat lunch in the on-site dining area.
Like every meal we had in Sri Lanka, the portion sizes at Wild Trails are extremely generous.
We struggled to finish even half of the food offered to us at every meal, so you’ll never need to worry about being hungry!
One of my personal highlights of staying at Wild Trails was dinner under the stars on our first night.
As we walked past the usual dining spot and ventured into the darkness, the large bonfire came into view.
With nothing but the burning flame, the stars and a few candles to light up our dining spot, it was a truly magical way to enjoy the jungle surroundings. And there was no doubting that we were in the middle of the jungle!
If you get the chance, don’t miss out on this unique experience.
Planning your trip
One of the things I quickly noticed about travelling in Sri Lanka is that it takes a certain amount of planning. Even then, things won’t always go as expected.
Since Wild Trails Yala by Suri is in the heart of Sri Lanka’s wilderness, you’ll want to be prepared.
While the camp can take care of any essential needs such as basic toiletries, electricity and drinks including soda and beer, you’ll need to bring any other necessities.
A few things I recommend packing are insect repellent, sunscreen, and enough clean clothes for your stay.
The one thing you should never travel without
Even though you hope you’ll never need to use it, travelling with insurance will make sure you’re covered if anything goes wrong.
I use Heymondo because it’s the most comprehensive cover I’ve found – they even cover the more adventurous activities that other insurers won’t.
As a partner of Alajode, they’re offering an exclusive 5% discount for my readers. Click here to find out more, get an instant quote and save even more!
Getting to Wild Trails Yala
The best way to get to Wild Trails is by car or tuktuk, depending on where you’re coming from.
Both can be booked on-demand using local taxi app PickMe, or you can book in advance via a GetYourGuide or Viator.
If you’re arriving directly from the airport or somewhere quite far away, booking a private car is by far the best and fastest option (albeit not the cheapest).
If you’re feeling adventurous, a tuktuk will be able to take you all the way there. I know this because we decided to rent a tuktuk and drove it there ourselves.
If you do have your own transport, Wild Trails offers free parking – and they’ll park it out the way of where the elephants sometimes walk, too.
➡️ Thinking of exploring Sri Lanka by tuktuk? Use my exclusive reader code “alajode” for a special discount on tuktukrental.com
How long to stay
Speaking to the owner, Suri, he told me that most guests stay at Wild Trails Yala for two to three days.
Given that going on safari in Yala National Park is the main activity here, two nights is probably the right amount of time to book.
However, if you do want to stay and enjoy the jungle glamping experience longer, there are other places you can explore from here (see below).
Just be prepared for a toasty time if you choose to stay at the camp in the middle of the day since the AC is only switched on at night.
There’s not a whole lot to do here, especially without a swimming pool, and it’ll be hard to get out and explore without an arranged tour or your own vehicle.
Yala National Park Safari
It would be unusual to stay at Wild Trails Yala without engaging in the area’s main attraction.
Therefore, no review of Wild Trails Yala would be complete without mentioning the safari itself.
For most visitors, this means a half- or full-day safari to Yala National Park Block 1.
Wild Trails Yala by Suri is perfectly situated for exploring Block 1 because it’s located much closer to the entrance than most other Yala accommodation.
From my experience in talking to other travellers, most visitors to Sri Lanka aren’t aware that there are different blocks in Yala – but that’s a discussion for an entirely different blog post.
📲 TRAVEL TIP: There’s no WiFi in Yala National Park (and it’s not always easy to find across Sri Lanka). Stay connected with an eSim like HolaFly. Use code ALAJODE to save 10%.
Safari options
So, if you’re booking a safari package along with your accommodation at Wild Trails, it’s almost definitely going to be a Yala Block 1 safari.
Safaris in Sri Lanka are either half day (5-7 hours total) or full day (sunrise to sunset) endeavours.
In Block 1, a full day safari includes a 2-hour break between 12-2pm, during which time jeeps aren’t allowed to operate.
But Block 1 – and even Yala – isn’t your only option. In addition to Yala Block 1, safari options include:
- Bundala National Park: often considered to be reserved for bird enthusiasts, but we loved our safari here.
- Yala Block 5: If you want a less commercialised safari experience in Yala, this is the part of Yala to visit.
- Yala Block 6: If seeing wild elephants is your goal and you want to visit somewhere less commercialised than Udawalawe National Park, Yala Block 6 (Lunugamvehera National Park) is a great option.
- Cultural site package: For any interested in cultural sites also, there are plenty in the near vicinity, including some inside Yala National Park. Wild Trails can organise tours to Sithulpawwa Ancient Temple, Kiriwehera Temple in Kataragama and the ancient sites in Tissamaharama.
We decided to combine a half day in Bundala with a half day in Yala Block 1 (with a couple of hours for lunch and a rest in-between!) and the former was the highlight of our time at Wild Trails.
Even though many people will tell you Bundala is “only for bird watching”, we saw countless crocodiles, a less habituated bull elephant and a beautiful sunrise over the park’s coastal red sands.
If there’s one thing I learned quickly in Sri Lanka, it’s that the less visited places were the highlights of the trip, especially when it came to safari.
The safari experience
One of the best things about staying at Wild Trails Yala by Suri is that the safari experience starts from the moment you arrive – not after boarding a jeep for a 45-minute drive through town.
If you’re doing a morning or full day safari, expect an early wake up call at around 4h45.
That’s the bad news… the good news is that the jeep will pick you up from the doorstep.
While we waited for our jeep and a couple of other guests, Uditha, the campsite manager, offered tea and coffee for us to enjoy (and help us wake up!).
When we arrived back, all dusty and sweaty from the adventure, we were greeted with a refreshing cold juice and more smiles from the friendly team.
It’s an unnecessary but very nice touch, and a great example of the little extras you can expect when you stay here. Nothing is too much trouble, it seems.
The camp, given its small size, doesn’t have any safari jeeps of its own. However, they’ll be happy to a jeep and experienced naturalist for you.
Sustainability at Wild Trails Yala by Suri
Perhaps my favourite thing about Wild Trails Yala is that it’s completely at one with the wilderness, both in its location and in its ethos.
Sustainability is always front of mind here, with the camp generating much of its electricity via solar energy.
Even though there is a generator for backup, everybody on-site works hard to ensure that nothing is wasted or taken for granted.
The free toiletries are supplied in refillable bottles, so you can still enjoy all the modern comforts you might crave without unnecessary waste.
Behind the scenes, meals are created using vegetables grown locally on the lands that surround the camp, keeping carbon footprints down and supporting local communities in the process.
The lack of daytime AC and the kind requests to consume mindfully might be a little frustrating for anyone who’s accustomed to modern day conveniences, but hopefully it helps you appreciate the nature you came to admire – something that should be at the centre of all ecotourism in Sri Lanka and beyond .
One thing I can say with certainty is that Wild Trails Yala is an accommodation that doesn’t just immerse you in nature, but makes every effort to leave only a positive impact too.