Galle Safaris: 6 Worth Flying For

1.Galle/Mirissa/Hiriketiya: Drop to Ella & Udawalawa Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 186 reviews · 7 - 8 hours · from $48Our pick

Travel from Hikkaduwa, Galle, Unawatuna, Mirissa, Weligama, Matara, Hiriketiya, or Tangalle to Ella by air-conditioned vehicle, stopping for a 2.5 to 3-hour Udawalawe safari. Guides such as Pathum, Prasad, Mahesh, and Koshala are praised for spotting elephants and explaining animal behavior. Park admission costs extra.

“We had a great safari tour with our driver Mahesh. He was really friendly and showed us many animals. We saw of course many elephants (also really small ones), crocodiles, monkeys and water buffalo. It was a great trip and we would recommend it to everyone!”

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2.Bentota River Safari By BTM (Mangrove & Wildlife Encounter)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 108 reviews · from $32Best value

Cruise the Bentota River privately with a local guide such as Sumal or Harindra, watching for crocodiles, monkeys, iguanas, eagles, owls, and mangrove birds. The two-hour trip includes hotel pickup, bottled water, taxes, and entrance fees. You can start anytime before 4pm, though early morning usually offers calmer water and less boat traffic.

“Absolutely loved our tour. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and made our tour memorable. We saw a lot of wildlife and thoroughly enjoyed it. Even the heavy rain didn’t take away from the experience”

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3.Galle Private Day Tours with Sea Turtles visit & Boat Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 69 reviews · 6 - 10 hours · from $45

You’ll combine Galle Fort, a turtle conservation project, Turtle Beach, and a Madu River safari in one private day. English-speaking guides such as Hasantha, Sakun, and Nuwan have helped shape flexible days with local food, photos, and extra stops. The $45 price excludes about $22 for the turtle project and boat safari.

“Hasantha was an excellent guide showing us a lot of the area between Mirissa and Galle. Enjoyable day”

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4.Udawalawe Safari – Private & Customize Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 56 reviews · from $110

Travel from Galle, Hikkaduwa, Unawatuna, Mirissa, or nearby southern towns to Udawalawe National Park in a private air-conditioned vehicle. Meet your safari Jeep driver for three hours of elephant and bird watching, then return with lunch and bottled water included. Park entry fees are extra.

“Great trip, guide and driver excellent. Saw a lot of wildlife and would thoroughly recommend. Delicious lunch and a lovely day out.”

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5.Mirissa/Weligama/Galle/Tangalle: Drop to Ella & Yala Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 27 reviews · 10 hours · from $43

Travel door to door from Tangalle, Hiriketiya, Matara, Mirissa, Weligama, Unawatuna, or Galle to Ella, with a Yala National Park safari in the middle. You ride an open jeep with an English-speaking guide such as Sasanka or Naja, looking for elephants, leopards, sloth bears, crocodiles, monkeys, buffalo, and birds.

“It was a great way to maximize time between Weligama and Ella! Naja was great on the safari and Hansa was a great driver”

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6.Galle/Mirissa: Yala & Udawalawe Safari Day Trip with Picnic

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 21 reviews · 16 hours · from $101

Leave your accommodation before sunrise for Yala National Park, then travel to the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home and Udawalawe National Park. A private driver and English-speaking safari guide handle the long day, with air-conditioned transport, two jeep safaris, lunch, drinks, and wildlife spotting. Park entry fees are extra and payable in cash.

“It was a fantastic day from beginning to end. Our transportation was very efficient and on time. Our guide was amazing at spotting the wildlife. We were lucky enough to see a leopard and the elephants came so close to us!! We saw a huge variety of species as we visited both of the parks and I’d highly recommend this day out. Just remember the entrance fee to the parks is not included and they only take cash. It cost us 26,000 RPS in total for entry. The picnic lunch was in a local restaurant which we weren’t expecting but the service was fantastic and owners were very kind. We…”

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