Explore the Wildlife and Rich Heritage of Sri Lanka with Wild Coast Tented Lodge

wildlife spotting

wildlife safari

Curated & Hosted By

Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Location

Yala

Sri Lanka

Duration

5 Days/4 Nights

Price Starts At

TBA

About The Journey

Right where Yala National Park meets the Indian Ocean, Wild Coast Tented Lodge offers a rare opportunity to experience two of Sri Lanka's most remarkable landscapes in one extraordinary destination. Surrounded by unmatched wilderness, secluded beaches and abundant wildlife, every moment here is shaped by the beauty of nature. From elusive leopards and migratory birds to ancient monasteries hidden within the forest, this is a place where the island's rich biodiversity, history and culture come together in unforgettable ways.

The following experiences take you beyond the traditional safari. Venture into Yala with expert naturalists, visit the centuries-old Sithulpawwa Cave Monastery, and learn the art of Sri Lankan cooking in the heart of the bush. In addition to this, explore Bundala National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and internationally recognised Ramsar wetland renowned for its spectacular migratory birdlife. Each experience offers you a richer understanding of the wildlife and traditions that make Sri Lanka's wild south truly exceptional.

We invite you to experience the wild coast with us, discovering its extraordinary wildlife, rich heritage and unforgettable landscapes along the way.

CURATED & HOSTED BY

Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Yala, Sri Lanka

Where the jungle meets the Indian Ocean, Wild Coast Tented Lodge brings a sense of adventure to luxury in the wilderness of Yala. Its distinctive cocoon-shaped tents are scattered among the coastal landscape, blending expedition-inspired design with contemporary comfort and panoramic views of the surrounding jungle. Just steps from a secluded golden beach and beside Yala National Park, the lodge offers an immersive base for discovering Sri Lanka’s wildlife through guided safaris and nature experiences. Sustainability is central to its design, with renewable energy and low-impact initiatives integrated into the property. The result is a remarkable balance of wild landscapes, thoughtful design and refined hospitality.

View All

STANDARD PRICE

TBA

4 Nights / 5 Days, Double occupancy

6 EXPERIENCES | ALL INCLUSIVE

The moments that make

this journey

STAR PARTNER

Yala, Sri Lanka

Walk the Yala Buffer with a Ranger

Wildlife Spotting

Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Wild Coast Tented Lodge sits inside the buffer zone of Yala National Park — the unfenced protected area around the park itself, where elephants, leopards and sloth bears move through as a matter of routine. The guided walk goes out from the lodge with a ranger reading the ground: tracks, scat, scrape marks, fresh droppings. The list of species likely on a single walk is long — wild boar, peacock, monitor lizards, langurs, dozens of birds — and the chance of larger animals is real, which is why you follow ranger instructions, walk quietly, and don’t try to close distance with anything.

STAR PARTNER

Yala, Sri Lanka

Take the Dawn Drive Through Yala

Wildlife Safari

Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Yala National Park covers about 980 square kilometres on Sri Lanka’s south-eastern coast, with Block 1 — the most-driven area — holding one of the highest known densities of leopards anywhere in the world. The Sri Lankan leopard is an endemic subspecies; Yala is also home to elephant, sloth bear, buffalo, crocodile and a dense resident and migratory bird population. The morning drive leaves Wild Coast just before dawn. Sightings are not promised. Block 1 is busy with vehicles around big-cat encounters, which the rangers handle by reading the radio and moving to quieter circuits when crowds form. The leopard is the headline; the biodiversity is the actual experience.

STAR PARTNER

Yala, Sri Lanka

Visit the Sithulpawwa Cave Monastery in Yala

Monastery Visit

Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Sithulpawwa — the Hill of the Quiet Mind in old Pali — is a Buddhist monastery dating to the 2nd century BC, set among rocky outcrops and natural caves deep within what is now Yala National Park. The site is said to have once housed up to twelve thousand monks at its medieval peak, when it functioned as a major centre of Theravada learning. A small monastic community still lives there. Late afternoon is the time to visit, when the light slants across the forest below and birds settle in the trees. The drive into the site cuts through the park; elephants are routine, leopards possible.

STAR PARTNER

Yala, Sri Lanka

Mix Spices and Cook Lunch in the Bush

Cooking Class

Wild Coast Tented Lodge

The cooking class at Wild Coast is held outdoors in the Bush Dining Area, a clearing in the property’s jungle, and runs more hands-on than the demonstration format common at boutique hotels. You sit down at a long wooden table with mortars, the day’s market produce, and a tray of spices; the chef walks through the logic of a Sri Lankan curry — the tempering of mustard seed and curry leaf, the layering of coriander, fenugreek, fennel, the late addition of coconut milk — and you build your own. Lunch is what you made, which is to say a full Sri Lankan rice and curry spread.

STAR PARTNER

Yala, Sri Lanka

Watch Migrant Birds at Bundala

Birding Wildlife Spotting

Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Bundala National Park is the smaller, quieter wildlife park just inland from Wild Coast — a 6,000-hectare wetland and saltern complex designated a Ramsar Site in 1990 and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2005. The mix of lagoons, scrub jungle and tidal flats holds about 200 bird species, half of them resident, the other half migrants arriving from the Russian steppes and central Asia between November and April. The morning safari moves more slowly than a Yala drive — more time at waterholes, the ranger working through the species methodically. Crocodiles, elephants and buffalo are common alongside the birds. Picnic breakfast in the park.

STAR PARTNER

Yala, Sri Lanka

Take Dinner in the Wild at Wild Coast

Al Fresco Dining

Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Wild Coast offers three locations for an al fresco dinner outside the lodge dining room: in the bush itself (a clearing under tall trees, with lanterns and fire), on the dunes above the beach (the Indian Ocean audible below, no other building in sight), or on the beach with the surf almost within reach. Each is set up after dark and packed away by morning. The menu is a curated dinner by the executive chef. Lanterns are real lanterns. The dune setting is the most exposed to the elements, the bush the most enclosed, the beach the closest to the surf.

DAY-BY-DAY

Your

Itinerary

DAY

WHERE YOU WILL BE

Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Morning

‣

Arrive at Wild Coast Tented Lodge and settle into your cocoon-style tent nestled between the jungle and the Indian Ocean.

‣

Take time to acclimatise to the lodge's unique wilderness setting.

Afternoon

‣

Join a guided nature walk with one of the lodge's Rangers through the jungle surrounding the property.

‣

Discover the wildlife and biodiversity of the area, from visible birds, wild boar, amphibians and reptiles to the tracks and signs left behind by larger animals.

‣

Learn about the protected forest buffer surrounding the lodge and the wildlife that regularly moves through it.

Evening

‣

Return to the lodge and enjoy the peaceful transition from jungle to coast.

‣

End the evening with dinner beneath the stars, surrounded by the sounds of the wilderness.

DON'T MISS

Walk through the wilderness surrounding Wild Coast with a knowledgeable Ranger, learning to read the tracks and signs of the animals that share this remarkable landscape.

DAY

WHERE YOU WILL BE

Yala National Park

Morning

‣

Set out before sunrise for a guided game drive through Yala National Park.

‣

Explore the park in the company of an experienced Wild Coast Ranger who brings the landscape and its wildlife to life.

‣

Search for leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles and an incredible variety of birdlife.

‣

Learn to read the signs of the wild and discover the broader biodiversity of Yala beyond its iconic animals.

‣

Enjoy light refreshments during the safari.

Afternoon

‣

Return to Wild Coast Tented Lodge and spend a relaxed afternoon at leisure.

‣

Unwind by the pool or in the privacy of your tent after your early morning safari.

Evening

‣

Enjoy the changing atmosphere of the wilderness as the jungle meets the Indian Ocean.

‣

Spend the evening at leisure surrounded by the sounds of the wild.

DON'T MISS

Track Yala's elusive leopard with an experienced Ranger, whose knowledge brings every wildlife sighting and sign of the wild into context.

DAY

WHERE YOU WILL BE

Sithulpawwa Monastery & Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Morning

‣

Set out through Yala National Park towards the ancient Sithulpawwa Monastery.

‣

Explore this sacred Buddhist site, believed to date back to the 2nd century BC, set among rocky outcrops and caves deep within the wilderness.

‣

Discover the caves and shelters that have provided a home for monks for centuries and experience the monastery's remarkable sense of solitude and serenity.

‣

Travel through the national park with your Ranger and keep an eye out for wildlife along the way.

Afternoon

‣

Return to Wild Coast Tented Lodge and take part in an interactive Sri Lankan cooking experience.

‣

Learn how to prepare traditional Sri Lankan dishes by mixing spices, seasoning ingredients and cooking alongside one of the lodge's chefs.

‣

Enjoy the rice and curry lunch you have helped prepare.

‣

Take home printed recipes to recreate some of the flavours of Sri Lanka.

Evening

‣

Spend the evening relaxing at the lodge after a day combining Sri Lankan spirituality, wilderness and cuisine.

‣

Enjoy dinner and the peaceful surroundings of Wild Coast.

DON'T MISS

Embrace the peaceful surroundings of Sithulpawwa, where ancient rock temples and caves sit deep within the wilderness of Yala.

DAY

WHERE YOU WILL BE

Bundala National Park & Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Morning

‣

Set out early for a specialist birding experience in Bundala National Park, Sri Lanka's renowned wetland habitat.

‣

Explore the park's wetlands and salterns with a Wild Coast Ranger and birding specialist.

‣

Look out for resident species and migratory birds, particularly during the winter migration season.

‣

Learn how to identify different species and understand their behaviour, migratory patterns and relationship with the wetland ecosystem.

‣

Keep an eye out for other wildlife including elephants, crocodiles, wild boar, buffalo and spotted deer.

‣

Enjoy a picnic breakfast in a scenic location within the park.

Afternoon

‣

Return to Wild Coast Tented Lodge and spend a peaceful afternoon at leisure.

‣

Relax in your tent or enjoy the lodge's wilderness setting before your final evening.

Evening

‣

End your stay with a private wilderness dining experience.

‣

Choose from an intimate bush setting, dinner among the dunes with the Indian Ocean nearby, or an al fresco beach setting.

‣

Enjoy a curated dinner prepared by the Executive Chef, accompanied by beverages, wines and spirits.

DON'T MISS

End your journey with dinner in the wild, where the sounds of the Indian Ocean or the surrounding bush provide a memorable final backdrop to your stay.

DAY

WHERE YOU WILL BE

Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Morning

‣

Prepare for your departure as you say your final goodbyes with a leisurely breakfast at the Wild Coast Tented Lodge

Afternoon

Evening

Starting Package Price

STANDARD PRICE

TBA

4 Nights / 5 Days, Double occupancy

Inclusions

✓

Accommodation at Wild Coast Tented Lodge

✓

Daily breakfast, lunch, dinner, and refreshments

✓

Shared game drive in Yala National Park

✓

Guided nature walk with a Wild Coast ranger

✓

Visit to Sithulpawwa Ancient Monastery

✓

Discover Sri Lankan Cuisine cooking experience

✓

Birding excursion to Bundala National Park

✓

Wilderness dining experience

✓

Park entry fees for included excursions

✓

Services of Wild Coast rangers and guides

✓

Shared binoculars during safari experiences

✓

Transfers required for included activities

Exclusions

International and domestic flights

Airport transfers

Travel insurance

Spa treatments and wellness services

Premium alcoholic beverages outside included experiences

Additional game drives or private safari vehicles

Optional excursions not listed in the itinerary

Personal expenses and gratuities

Government taxes and fees not included in package pricing

Ready to experience

Wild Coast Tented Lodge?

QUESTIONS

Frequently

asked

What is a Postcard Journey?

How is a Postcard Journey different from booking a hotel?

Can I customise my journey?

How do I book a Postcard Journey?

Do StarLife members receive exclusive benefits?

TBA