The essentials
| Rooms | 24 |
| Categories | Superior (12) · Deluxe (12) |
| Setting | 1.4 acres · jungle-edge plot · B499 corridor |
| Distance to Yala Main Gate | 12 km · 20 min |
| Restaurant | Open-air · Sri Lankan + Continental |
| Pool | 60 ft chlorinated · infinity edge |
| Year built | 2018 |
| Reopened | 2026 |
| Languages | Sinhala · English |
| Power backup | On-site generator |
| Wi-Fi | Free · all rooms + common areas |
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At the heart of the safari triangle
Arana sits on the B499, twenty minutes from Yala's main gate. The closest meaningful base on the corridor. Bundala and Lunugamvehera are within an hour. Kataragama and Tissamaharama temple culture are at hand.
| Yala Block 1 · Main Gate | 12 km · 20 min |
| Yala Block 5 | 58 km · ~1h 30m |
| Bundala National Park | 18 km · 30 min |
| Lunugamvehera | ~30 km · 45 min |
| Kataragama | 27 km · 30 min |
| Galle | 162 km · 3h |
| Ella | 98 km · 2h 30m |
| Colombo | 263 km · 5h |
| BIA · Bandaranaike Intl | 297 km · 5h 30m |
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infinity pool,
an open kitchen.
Six luxury cabanas, a garden centred on old Neem trees, a sixty foot long infinity pool, and a restaurant that opens to the wild on three sides. Designed simply, run with care.
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Inventory
| Category | Count | Size | Bed configurations | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior | 12 | 38 m² | 6× King · 6× Twin (extra-long singles) | Garden / Pool |
| Deluxe | 12 | 33 m² | 6× Queen · 6× Twin (singles) | Garden / Pool |
All rooms: en-suite walk-in shower, AC, mini-fridge, balcony or terrace, infinity pool access, free Wi-Fi, generator backup. Extra bed available on request, all categories.
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Room for two, with a view of the garden
Twelve spacious Superior rooms, configured as six King and six Twin. Thirty-eight square metres of space, air conditioned, teak furnishings, modern amenities, walk-in shower, a private balcony or terrace in select keys.
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A pared-back room for the safari rhythm
Twelve Deluxe rooms, configured as six Queen and six Twin. Built for the early-morning rise and the dust-and-shower routine of a safari day.
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One restaurant. Open kitchen. Unique creations.
Indoor and al fresco seating. Open-plan kitchen visible to guests. Sri Lankan, Continental, and globally inspired menus, served buffet or à la carte by occupancy.
- À la carte and buffet meal periods
- Garden BBQ with action stations
- Bush dinner (off-site, by arrangement)
- Breakfast in Yala National Park (off-site)
- Cooking lessons (on request)
- Set menus for groups · vegetarian · unique à la carte menu · traditional cuisine
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What guests do here
Safari is the centre. Around it: lake birding, sacred sites, village walks, garden dinners, and (for the certified) Great Basses diving in season.
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Family-run.
Owner-led.
Arana is owned and operated by the Forest Trails family. Direct stewardship. No external management contract. Decisions made on property, not in a head office.
Built in 2018, paused, and reopened in 2026 under direct family management, with even more vigour, sharper standards, and a single goal: a Yala stay that feels personal.
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Why we belong on the itinerary
| Closer to the gate than most | 12 km / 20 min. Fewer pre-dawn miles for the morning safari. |
| Right-sized: 24 rooms | Intimate enough for character. Large enough for FIT volume and small groups. |
| Family-run | Decisions in real time. No franchise script. |
| Mid-market value, boutique experience | Positioned between volume hotels and the ultra-lux camps. Without the ultra-lux rate. |
| Open-kitchen restaurant, made-to-order menus | Buffets when groups need them. À la carte for FIT couples. |
| Recently reopened with full refresh | 2026 reset: sharpened standards, refreshed inventory, family stewardship. |
Comp set context: not competing with Chena Huts, Wild Coast, or Leopard Trails (USD 700–1,000+ tier). Sitting alongside Elephant Reach, Yala Tree Tops, and the better Tissa-Kirinda mid-tier, with stronger location and stronger stewardship.
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Working with Arana
| Contracted rates | Seasonal hard-rate sheet (sent separately) |
| Seasons | Low · Shoulder · High · Peak (per rate sheet) |
| Allocations | Available, terms agreed at contracting |
| Release window | Agreed at contracting |
| FAM trips | Available on request, subject to availability |
| Group-rate structure | Quoted per enquiry · set menus available |
| Payment | Bank transfer (LKR / USD) · VISA · MasterCard · Amex |
| Currencies | LKR · USD |
| Reservations email | reservations@aranayala.com |
| Sales · Anita · TTH agency | tth@aranayala.com |
| WhatsApp Business | +94 70 632 0101 |
| Phone | +94 11 401 0101 / +94 11 432 0101 |
| Booking system | Cloudbeds (extranet access on request) |
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How agents can slot us in
2 nights at Arana, within a 7-night Sri Lanka circuit
| Day 1 | Arrive BIA → drive south. Overnight Galle (3N). |
| Day 4 | Galle → Yala. Arrive Arana late afternoon. Pool, dinner. |
| Day 5 | Pre-dawn safari · Yala Main Gate. Breakfast in park. Afternoon: Tissa Wewa boat ride. |
| Day 6 | Yala → Ella (2N hill country). |
| Day 7 | Ella → Kandy → BIA. |
3 nights at Arana, safari-focused
| Day 1 | Arrive BIA → drive south to Arana (~5h 30). Pool, dinner. |
| Day 2 | Pre-dawn safari · Yala Block 1. Afternoon at leisure. Garden BBQ. |
| Day 3 | Bundala birding morning OR Yala Block 5 second drive. Afternoon: Kataragama / Sithulpawwa. |
| Day 4 | Optional second Yala drive OR depart for Galle / Colombo. |
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For the FIT and luxury desk
Arana is not a five-star envelope. It's a twenty-four-room boutique with the warmth a private guest wants and the responsiveness an upmarket FIT itinerary demands.
- Private terrace breakfast
- Bush dinner under stars
- Pre-dawn safari with hot breakfast in park
- Off-property spa partner (Ayurveda, Balinese)
- Private vehicle (no shared jeeps)
- Repeat-visit park rotation (Block 1, 5, Bundala)
- Half-day Bundala birding add-on
- Sundowners post evening safari
The full property, twenty-four rooms, is available for exclusive-use bookings on request. For family reunions, milestone celebrations, photographic tours, or private retreats.
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| Reservations | reservations@aranayala.com |
| Sales · Anita · TTH agency | tth@aranayala.com |
| +94 70 632 0101 | |
| Phone | +94 11 401 0101 / +94 11 432 0101 |
| Web | aranayala.com |
| Instagram · Facebook | @yala_arana · aranayala |
| Address | No. 01 Diyawara Gammanaya, Yala Junction, Tissa 82600, Sri Lanka |
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