The blocks, plainly
Yala covers about 469 square miles divided into six blocks. Blocks 1, 5 and 6 are open to visitors. Block 2 needs special permission and two 4WD jeeps. Block 3 is closed and Block 4 is a strict reserve.
Almost every safari sold as 'Yala' is Block 1, and for good reason: it holds the highest leopard density on the island.
Block 1 and its two gates
Most jeeps enter Block 1 at the Palatupana gate, which is the closest to Tissamaharama and the busiest. The Katagamuwa gate is quieter but about 45 minutes further on.
If crowding worries you more than leopard odds, ask us about starting from Katagamuwa.
When Block 1 closes
Block 1 usually closes for around six weeks from early September to mid-October for maintenance, with the exact dates set each year by the Department of Wildlife Conservation.
That is when Blocks 5 and 6 earn their keep. Both are entered through the Galge gate near Buttala; Block 6 is Lunugamvehera, whose reservoir alone has recorded more than 184 bird species. Bundala is the other good answer.