Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest National Park in Sri Lanka bordering the Indian Ocean. The park covers 979SQKm and is located about 300km from Colombo. Yala was
designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900. The park is best known for its variety of wild animals. Also, it is important for the conservation of Sri Lankan elephants, Sri Lankan Leopards and aquatic Birds. The area around Yala has hosted several ancient civilizations.