Book Kataragama hotels

What an amazing time we had at yala safari camping! The place is magical - completely immersed in the jungle, with trees as far as the eye can see and the mountains in the distance. Our « tent » (it’s not really a tent, definitely more like a luxury cabin) was in front of a lily pad pond and the sounds of the frogs made it a super relaxing place to sleep. When we arrived we were immediately greeted by the friendly staff and served a Sri Lankan meal with vegetable curries and jumbo prawns which was delicious. We then went on our first safari half day with Achi in block 5 where we spotted elephants, a leopard and plenty of monkeys, deers and various birds. The next day, we went to a full day drive on block 1 with Niro, and we loved how he spent time showing us various birds - from eagles to egret, kingfishers and bee-eaters - he had a keen eye to spot and we were fascinated with all that we discovered in the jungle. We even saw another leopard walking peacefully down the road, a family of elephants bathing, a malabar pied horn bill, painted storks, mongooses, monitor lizards, deer, grey langurs, and even Sri Lankan’s national animal the giant squirrel. On our last day, we went on a bush walk with Chamara, and walked through the forest and climbed a small mountain to get incredible views. Overall Ravi and his team gave us an unforgettable experience and were lovely, attentive and kind with great attention to detail across everthing. Definitely one to remember and return to!

Really nice place surrounded by nature and adjacent to a serene lake. Lots of birds to watch while sipping your tea on your private patio and even the odd visit from neighbhood monkeys. Rooms are clean, with ceiling fan and AC, with very few bugs/mosquitoes inside. The staff are incredibly helpful and kind. They also offer safari from 4 hours to full day at seemingly standard prices. We did a six hour private safari for 31K PP where we saw elephants, mongooses, loads of birds, and even (just about) a leapord. Food is good, simple, traditional vegetarian Sri Lankan cuisine. No fresh coffee and no alcohol served but seemed ok with others bringing their own. The biryani comes with the local buffalo curd which is delicious.

Incredible place to spend a few nights while we enjoyed the peace and serenity as well as two safaris. The food was the best we had during our stay in Sri Lanka and the staff was incredible as well.

Great stay here. Food options are limited, but great for a night or two.

This was one of the worst hotel experiences I’ve ever had. The room itself was dirty—stained bed sheets, no duvet - just a thin sheet, plugs falling off the walls with exposed wiring, clumps of dust and towels that were old and fraying at the edges. There wasn’t even a bottle of water in the room. The worst part? They gave us a room that was already occupied by another guest. Imagine walking into what you think is your room, only to find someone else already there. It was deeply embarrassing and unsettling, and yet there was no apology from the staff. To add to the frustration, when I asked for a spare room key as I was sharing a room with a family member, receptionist told me she’d already given one to the other guest and when I explained that I needed my own as I had a few plans on my own, she rolled her eyes before finally handing over a card—begrudgingly. The corridors were pitch black, with no lighting whatsoever, making it dangerous to walk through. Worse still, the only way to get to the first floor was via an open staircase. When it rained, the floor became slippery, and with no warning signs, it was a complete hazard. The entire experience felt unsafe, unprofessional, and deeply unpleasant. The standards of this hotel had gone downhill significantly.