Luxury bespoke holidays at Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Yala National Park
Facts in brief
Official star rating 4 plus
Location On the edge of Yala Safari Park
Annual opening All year
Closest airport Colombo
Distance from airport About 5 hours by car
Hotel facilities and services
Swimming pool and ponds, library, spa, beach (not for swimming), dining pavilion, bar, cookery class for adults and children, a range of experiences including game drives, a guided nature walk, birding experience at the Bundala National Park, rural bike expedition, exclusive game driver with afternoon tea, sundowners by the beach.
Complimentary
Included in your rate is one game drive per night’s stay. The lodge does not recommend game drives for children under the age of three. Families with children under 12 years of age are advised to take an exclusive jeep for their party.
Out and about nearby
Wild Coast Tented Lodge is on the edge of the Yala National Park. It takes about 15 minutes from the lodge to reach the start of the game drive. The primary focus of a stay here is to appreciate the wildlife in the National Park. Yala is home to leopards, bears and elephants and is not a private game reserve, but a public national park. Your stay here includes one game drive per night’s stay. Another experience is a guided nature walk accompanied by an expert range.
Absolutely loved it. Bespoke sense of the trip is very good. Very pleasant and efficient service.Mrs H, Sep 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Deluxe double room for 4 nights
From about
£2,490
Holiday Code EXH46769
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays at Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Yala National Park
Wild Coast Tented Lodge is a luxury lodge where the jungle meets a natural coastline on the edge of the Yala National Park, renowned for its leopards, bears and elephants. The lodge is a member of Relais & Chateaux and a UNESCO design award winner. The curved, organic structures of the lodge are an architectural triumph and have been fashioned to represent the footprint of a bear. At the centre of the lodge, is the bamboo-clad, open-air restaurant and bar, situated next to a freeform infinity pool, yet amidst the tropical foliage. The beach and rugged shoreline are adjacent. Tucked away amongst the vegetation are the twenty-eight Cocoon tented bedrooms as well as the Sanctuary Spa. Each of the accommodation Cocoons has a wooden patio positioned to soak up views of the closest watering hole. Some cocoons have their own plunge pool and some are linked to urchin pods where two older children or young adults could sleep. Inside the cocoons an air-conditioned mini kingdom awaits you, with vintage-explorer furnishings. Tones are of cream, beige, copper and deep red. The beds are king-size four-posters and sisal and Persian-style rugs add texture and colour. Each Cocoon bathroom has a copper bath with leopard-paw claw feet. Dining at Wild Coast Tented Lodge is a culinary treat and voyage of discovery. Experiencing local cuisine is an integral part of your stay here. The kitchen embraces seasonal produce and works with small local producers and farmers, fishermen and communities. Breakfast features traditional Sri Lankan and international options, lunch is a la carte and dinner features unique creations by the chefs. Enjoy a sundowner in the Ten Tuskers bar or alongside the beach. An integral part of your stay here is the daily game drive that is included.
Room descriptions
Wild Coast Tented Lodge has 28 cocoons with wi-fi, air-conditioning, mini-bar, outdoor deck with table and two camp chairs, Espresso machine and tea selection, safety deposit box, universal electrical sockets, sonos speaker with music library, digital phone, RFID door locks.
Absolutely loved it. Bespoke sense of the trip is very good. Very pleasant and efficient service.Mrs H, Sep 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Deluxe double room for 4 nights
From about
£2,490
Holiday Code EXH46769
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays at Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Yala National Park
The journey and how you get there
Most of the stays at the Wild Coast Tented Camp are part of a longer touring itinerary in Sri-Lanka, accompanied by driver-guide but a stay here could be combined with another hotel in this region or another to make a two-centre holiday.
Special offers
Call to make your booking and save an extra £50 per adult Call us instead of emailing us when you are thinking of booking a holiday and save an extra £50 per adult (in addition to any special offers that might be available). We want to talk to you to discuss your requirements and a phone call is usually the best way for you to define what you want enabling us to respond more accurately. We want to talk to you and you save an extra £50 per adult.
Absolutely loved it. Bespoke sense of the trip is very good. Very pleasant and efficient service.Mrs H, Sep 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Deluxe double room for 4 nights
From about
£2,490
Holiday Code EXH46769
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays at Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Yala National Park
About Galle and south coast
A stay in Galle and southern Sri Lanka uncovers a world of historic Dutch forts, beautiful beaches and fishermen fishing on stilts, where sleepy villages lie hidden in palms behind the wide sandy bays and sheltered coves. The further east you go, the less populated and the more naturally wild and remote the landscapes become. The lush inland forest reserves in the south-west contrast sharply with the arid south-eastern national parks of Yala, Uda Walave and Bundala, where wild elephants and migratory birds flock around the water ‘tanks’ and where leopards and sloth bear have been known to roam. Between December and April, the south coast is popular for whale and dolphin watching, in the waters off Weligama Bay. Galle, on the south-west tip of Sri Lanka, is a reminder of the Dutch presence on the island. The new town may have the usual urban bustle, but the Dutch Fort, built in 1663, retains a timeless air. Constructed by the Dutch East Indian Company as a fortified town, Galle Fort is a UNESCO world heritage site which is still intact with a thriving community living and working within its walls. You can walk along part of the ramparts with views out to sea on one side and the famous Galle cricket ground on the other. The region around Galle is fascinating and incredibly beautiful with its rainforest reserves and indigenous wildlife, as well as fishing villages and palm-fringed, sandy coves. We have selected hotels in Galle and along the South Coast which are ideally located to visit the many places of interest in the area. These hotels include Jetwing Lighthouse, a classy hotel designed by Geoffrey Bawa; The Fortress, an outstanding deluxe resort hotel; Amangalla, a splendid colonial-style hotel; Kahanda Kanda, a small and elegant countryside hotel; and Taprobane Island, a private island retreat.
Highlights of Galle and the south coast
Fascinating Galle has plenty to offer the visitor: Galle Fort – UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the few living fort cities in the world; Walk around the ramparts of Galle at dawn or at sunset; Arts & crafts shopping – jewellery, lace, rush & reed, home décor, furniture, antiques, batik and boutiques; The Dutch Reformed Church; Galle Literary Festival in January; National Museum; Maritime Museum in the Dutch warehouses of Galle Fort, just re-opened; Galle Markets; Galle Cricket Stadium; Hot-air balloon ride (December to April); River boat trip. A little way inland from Galle/Koggala: Hiyare Nature Reserve (volunteering possible); Kottawe Nature Reserve; Kanneliya Forest; Samakanda (organic farm, visit, walks and lunches available upon request); Village life bike rides; Handicrafts in the villages e.g. lace-making, rush & reed, woodcarving; Yatagala Temple. On the way from Galle to Yala you can enjoy: Stilt Fishermen; Cinnamon plantations; Unuwatuna beach; Martin Wickramasinghe’s house – museum (literary and 20th century life); Koggala Lake; Hinduangoda White tea factory and estate; Lace-making – Weligama, Dickwella; Surfing – popular surfing beaches from Unuwatuna to Mirissa; Weligama Bay; Coastal villages and fishing harbours; Whale Watching and Dolphin Watching (from Mirissa); Diving (from Mirissa); Deep-sea fishing trips (from Mirissa); Provincial town of Matara (Dutch heritage – fort and church); Dondra Head and Dondra Lighthouse; Kudawala Blow Hole; Mulkirigala Buddhist temple (inland); Uda Walawe National Park and Elephant Transit Home (inland); Sea Turtles laying their eggs on the beach, usually February to July (Rekawa Turtle Project); Kalametiya bird sanctuary; Bundala Nature Reserve (bird-watching mainly); Yala National Park; Kataragama – centre for Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim pilgrimages; Tissamaharama - ancient ‘tank’ and dagobas.
Cultural highlights of Galle and the south coast
There are many places to visit in Galle and the area along the south coast of Sri Lanka. In Galle itself, Galle Fort is home to a national museum housing Dutch and Singhalese exhibits of historical interest as well as a newly-opened Maritime Museum, a lighthouse and a 17th century Dutch Reform Church. The narrow streets within the Fort are fascinating for their architecture, lined with official buildings, shops and old town houses, some of which have been converted to stylish villas and boutique hotels. Outside the ramparts, Galle functions busily as a provincial town and port - brightly painted fishing boats line the shore and there is a lively market area with a whole pavilion dedicated to fish. Galle and the surrounding villages are full of artisans – lace makers, jewellers, woodcarvers, painters and people making things out of coir, rush and reed. The National Crafts Council has a centre by the old entrance to Galle Fort and there are plenty of small shops selling crafts, jewellery and antiques, as well as a few designer boutiques. Slightly further afield, there are numerous beautiful beaches and fishing villages including Thalpe, Unuwatuna, Matara, Koggala, Weligama Bay and Tangalle, as well as a number of National Parks with plenty of wildlife.
Festivals in Galle and the south coast
January: The Galle Literary Festival - this 4-day festival brings together Sri Lankan and international authors from around the world for writing workshops, talks, exhibitions and more at various locations in Galle. Past guests have included Vickram Seth and Gore Vidal. July: Unuwatuna Perahera - a 7-day festival commencing on full moon day. Matara/Dondra Perahera - with dedications to Lord Vishnu. Kataragama Esala Festival - a 10-day festival when pilgrims give penance to the Hindu war god, Skanda. July to September: Kite flying on the ramparts of Galle
Climate in Galle and the south coast
The average temperature on the South coast is 32° C with 65% humidity, though it is cooler and more humid in the west, getting progressively hotter and less humid the further east you go, especially the east of Tangalle. The evenings are a little cooler and the coasts enjoy sea breezes. Rainfall is experienced mainly during the south-west monsoon from May to August. The ‘calm’ season is December to April, when the seas are general calm and there is little rainfall. Whilst the sea appears calm out of the monsoons, there are still undercurrents and riptides.
