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Cinnamon Wild Yala is a safari lodge of 67 chalets set in coastal scrub jungle on the border of Yala National Park, about 3 kilometres from the Palatupana entrance. Its 11 acres (4.5 hectares) of grounds run down to the Indian Ocean, and wild elephants, water monitors and a long list of birds wander through them: a 2023 survey counted 165 bird and 31 mammal species within the resort itself. Six resident naturalists are on hand to guide guests.
Every chalet is air-conditioned, with Wi-Fi, a flat-screen television, a minibar, a safe, an iron and tea and coffee making facilities. There are two kinds, and the names below are the ones you will see when you choose a room.
Up to two children can share their parents' chalet; guests aged 12 and over count as adults.
Tuskers, the main restaurant, serves buffets of Sri Lankan and international food, with spicy curries and fresh seafood made from local ingredients, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pugmarks is a lively semi-open-air bar for the hours after a game drive, open from mid-morning until midnight, and the Peacock Bar is a rooftop bar that opens at 6pm, with views over the jungle. For something different, the hotel sets up early dinners out in the wild, timed so that you have eaten before the animals come looking.
The hotel runs its own drives into Yala National Park through the Palatupana entrance to Block 1, about ten minutes away by jeep. The dawn drive leaves at around 5am and the afternoon drive at around 2.30pm, each spending at least three hours in the park, and full-day safaris with a packed lunch are also possible; jeeps take a maximum of six guests, keeping a seat free for a naturalist. Book a naturalist when you reserve your stay, as there are six and they are allocated first come, first served. Block 1 usually closes for part of September and October, depending on the drought, and the hotel then takes guests to Yala Block 5, Udawalawe or Bundala National Park, a wetland known for its migrant birds.
Between drives there is the swimming pool, where elephants are sometimes seen from the water's edge. The hotel also offers a champagne breakfast on the beach, a morning with a local dairy farmer that ends with milking the buffalo, and stargazing on clear nights. Nearby are the fishing village of Kirinda, about 7 kilometres away in a straight line, with its temple on the rocks above the sea, the ancient rock monastery of Sithulpawwa inside the park, and Tissamaharama, about 12 kilometres away. The pilgrim town of Kataragama is about 19 kilometres to the north.
The hotel is about 300 kilometres by road from Bandaranaike International Airport, around four and a half hours' drive. Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport is much closer, about 50 kilometres away, or an hour and a quarter by road. The simplest way to arrive from Colombo is a private transfer from Colombo airport to Cinnamon Wild Yala, which takes you all the way to the door.
It suits wildlife lovers, photographers and families who want to be as close to Yala as possible, with naturalists on hand and animals in the grounds, while still having a pool, bars and air-conditioned rooms to come back to. Two nights allows a dawn and an afternoon drive; three gives you time for Bundala or a slow day at the lodge. For more choice in the area see our places to stay near Palatupana, or the other Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts around the island.
Superb accommodation adjacent to Yala National Park. Abundant bird & animal life on the doorstep, beautiful pool in natural surrounds; villas with a touch of luxury, warm friendly service across the board. Highly recommended!
One of the best lifetime experience, even if it's the off season in yala National park was partially closed, well maintained atmosphere and rooms, worth for the value, environmental friendly, Also very friendly staff, very helpfu…
We had an amazing stay at Cinnamon Wild Yala. It was a luxurious experience in one of the most beautiful settings I’ve ever been in. A special thank you to Sathisha, Lalith, Ishan, Dulanjana, Dhananjaya, Dewmith and Prabath for th…
Ratings and reviews provided by TripAdvisor for Cinnamon Wild Yala.
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