Is a morning or afternoon safari better in Yala?

Morning safaris starting at 6:00 AM usually bring better lighting for photography, and there is often very active birdlife too. Meanwhile, afternoon drives starting at 3:00 PM often end up with better chances of seeing leopards, since they come out to hunt or drink around dusk.

Between those times, the park turns painfully hot and kind of still; the air feels trapped, and animals slip deeper into the dense shaded underbrush. To get the most complete experience without the complete fatigue from a rough full-day tour, many professional wildlife photographers lean towards the afternoon golden hour.