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5.0
#1 of 1 hostel in Kataragama
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Welcome to our tastefully decorated 4-room Safari Lodge, set in a beautiful wilderness area bordering Yala National Park. This is the perfect getaway to explore Yala, with the less crowded park entrance just 15 minutes away. Full-day and half-day safaris led by our professional staff* An affordable menu with delicious options* Dining under the stars around a campfire, surrounded by fairy lights* *Charges Apply This enjoyable, yet affordable Yala accommodation option offers you a great deal on a Yala Safari. Experience the magic of Yala with us! We offer unlimited free WiFi in the common areas. The spacious outdoor area of the lodge features numerous hangout and relaxing spots with hammocks and more.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
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We stayed two at the lodge for two nights. The experience surpassed what I imagined, it is in a quiet location surrounded by nature. The staff, Aruna and Joseph are superb friendly and knowledgeable, making you feel welcome. Aruna was always available and told us about local customs and wildlife. Dinner was served under the stars, it was plentiful and tasty, as was breakfast and lunch. We went on the morning safari, it was excellent our tour guide naturarist Vishwa was very informative and made sure we were comfortable whilst seeing the animals. Would highly recommend the experience.
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Date of stay: September 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Don't miss this experience.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Channa Perera, Owner at Funky Leopard Safari Lodge
Responded 30 Sept 2024
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful feedback! We’re very happy to hear that your stay with us surpassed your expectations and that the tranquil surroundings and immersive nature experience left a lasting impression. It’s fantastic to know that Aruna and Joseph made you feel so welcome and shared their knowledge of local customs and wildlife with you. We’re proud to have them on our team! We’ll also be sure to pass on your kind words to Vishwa! it’s great to hear that he ensured your comfort while providing an informative and memorable safari experience. Dining under the stars is something we love offering, and we’re glad you enjoyed the meals and the overall ambience. Thank you for recommending us, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon! Warm regards,
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Stayed at the Funky Leopard Safari Hostel for 3 nights from 6th - 9th March 2020 and we loved it. The accommodation was clean, comfortable and convenient. Food was yummy and the portions were more than enough to make us leave the dinning table with a super stuffed tummy. Everything from a soup/fresh juice to dessert was included. The service was above anything we could've expected in a hostel. We experienced star class hospitality from the humble staff stationed in the premises. They were neat, caring and always available regardless of the time. Mr. Saman Kumara, the hostel caretaker, was a star. He gave us the best service and stayed with us till 2am-3am everyday to ensure that we are attended to. Extremely flexible, humble and friendly. We're so thankful to him. We made a friend. Mr. Saman Abeysinghe, the Camp Manager, is another reason for us to never hesitate coming back. Very professional, friendly and always went out of his way to make sure that we make the best memories in Yala. Chef Maduranga, another fantastic asset in the property. He did the best BBQ for us. Food was super delicious. He made us eat twice as much as we'd usually eat. The food was awesome! Nadun, Prasadi and Manjula handled our reservation, effortlessly allowed us to extend it by one more night and made the whole experience hassle-free. All of us are thankful to you and sending you love! We will definitely be back. It was one of a kind of a place and we loved it. Thank you.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Anuruddha Bandara, Owner at Funky Leopard Safari Lodge
Responded 31 Mar 2020
Dear umandad, Thank you very much for taking the time to share those fantastic comments on us. Its always thrilling to see a satisfied guest at the end of the day, which means that the efforts we take to make your stay comfortable is being paid off well. Certainly, the quality of the food and the cleanliness of the accommodation is actually something that we consider as one of our strong suits here. Again, really appreciate your fabulous words about our staff. From reservations to the hostel operations, they are the once who make the real difference. Thank you again, we would love to have you staying with us again.
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We visited this place so that we would be close to Yala National Park, and it was indeed a really good location with monkeys all around us. The staff was amazing and always went out of their way to provide the best service. They woke up early to provide a delicious breakfast for us before our safari (5 am). And when our safari driver (from an outside company) did not show up, the staff arranged another driver within 30 minutes. We only stayed for two nights, but we felt right at home. The staff even brought us to a sacred festival in town where we had a great time.
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Date of stay: July 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Anuruddha Bandara, Owner at Funky Leopard Safari Lodge
Responded 19 July 2024
Dear Guest, Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay and appreciated our convenient location near Yala National Park. It’s great to know that you had the chance to experience the local wildlife and felt well taken care of by our team. We’re thrilled that our staff could go above and beyond to ensure your comfort, from the early breakfast before your safari to quickly arranging a new driver when needed. It’s also wonderful to hear that you enjoyed the sacred festival in town! Thank you for choosing to stay with us. We hope to welcome you back for another memorable stay in the future! Warm regards,
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The Lodge was perfectly placed close to Yala Nature Reserve, the staff were friendly and helpful. Meals were good and we ate under the stars by a roaring campfire at night. We stay on the 1st floor with 2 rooms side by side - perfect for families with kids - and had the whole balcony to ourselves which was perfect for lounging and games with the kids. I would recommend the lodge look at the water pressure of the shower. It was very low. And I suspect the travellers under us on the ground floor heard our kids running around at the top. Would recommend if Yala is on your list!
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Anuruddha Bandara, Owner at Funky Leopard Safari Lodge
Responded 29 Aug 2024
Hi Faye, Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the lodge's prime location near Yala, the friendly staff, and the starry campfire dinners. It’s great to hear that the family-friendly setup with the balcony worked so well for you. We appreciate your feedback on the shower pressure and will look into it to ensure future stays are even better. We’re excited to have you recommend us and hope to welcome you back for another memorable adventure! With kind regards,
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The funky leopard is the place to stay for your Yala safari. Avinka looked after me so much. He went above and beyond for everything. During the safari he was the best tracker of all the safaris and he made sure I saw every bit of wildlife Yala had to offer. The leopards are hard to find but he found one!
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Anuruddha Bandara, Owner at Funky Leopard Safari Lodge
Responded 10 Dec 2022
Dear Jerry M, We are grateful you took the time to leave us a 5-bubble review! We take pride in knowing our customers are happy with their experience. Our team including Avinka was delighted to read your feedback. Thanks for your support, we really appreciate it! Looking forward to seeing you again soon for yet another unforgettable experience. Regards,
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Staff in friendly, helpful, easy to approach. The rooms is nice with ac, nice bathroom and can chill with other travellers in large balcony. They give a warm welcome at the gate with a nice coconut drink. The location in the middle of the jungle with is near to Yala national park. I book a safari with them, with includes a tour guide, nice breakfast and ticket for myself and it worth it.
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Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Anuruddha Bandara, Owner at Funky Leopard Safari Lodge
Responded 10 Dec 2022
Hello Muhammadariffb2022, Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your stay! We are glad that we were able to accommodate you. Also, thank you for the kind words regarding the staff & their services, accommodation, meals & the safari. We are continually trying to improve what we offer and your review uplifted us. Thank you for staying with us and we hope that you will consider us for your next trip! With regards,
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Sagara & Daramasiri was excellent on their service. Sagara took extra care to deliver hot food as dinner as I was late to return.
Helped us with all the needs and answered all the questions we had !
Room was very clean !
Would definitely recommend this place !
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Anuruddha Bandara, Owner at Funky Leopard Safari Lodge
Responded 29 Aug 2024
Hi Shanikal, Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted you found the camp to be a peaceful escape and that nature's beauty added to your experience. It’s great to hear that Sagara and Daramasiri went above and beyond to ensure your comfort, especially with the hot dinner. We’re also thrilled you found the room to be clean and enjoyed the attentive service. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we hope to welcome you back for another serene retreat! Thank you and regards,
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Really enjoyed my stay, aruna was very attentive and helpful.
Location is only 5 kilometres of the local town and easy to get to, dinner was nicely done BBQ chicken very yummy.
Rooms are very good size and excellent working aircon. Lots of open space to relax if that’s what you want l.
Only a few minutes away from the Yala Park, Aruna organised a morning safari and it was very good.
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I highly recommend Eco Team. I have Stayed in Funky Leopard Hostel in Kataragama Sri Lanka, and I was Astonished by the Whole place.... the Location, nature, the facilities in the hostel, the cleanness of the place, the most friendly staff you would ever meet. We have Done Safari at Yala National Park, Gone for a Walk, Watch the Sunset at the Lake, Seen An ancient Temple and Talked a lot.
They even Offered Us famous Sri Lanka's Tea.
If You want to Relax... Visit Funky leopard if you want to have a Wilderness Safari adventure... visit Funky Leopard If You want to be amazed at all that beauty of animals and Forest Visit Funky Leopard and Spend days Literally, Inside the Forest being Part of the Wildlife.
Many Thanks To The Staff, especially that amazing Manager Osha, the sweetest and most helpful Girl I have ever meet in Sri Lanka.
I promise to come back again..... Don't hesitate to Visit Sri Lanka and Surely don't miss that Experience in Kataragama Funky Leopard Hostels and Eco Team Camps.
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Date of stay: May 2019Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Anuruddha B, Owner at Funky Leopard Safari Lodge
Responded 16 May 2019
It is our pleasure to know that you were satisfied with your stay with us at Funky Leopard Hostel. Thank you very much for sharing your detailed experience with the viewers. We are glad that you enjoyed our location, facilities, hygiene and the services of our staff. It makes all our efforts worthwhile. Osha and the team were glad to see your positive comments. Thank you for taking the time to write such a wonderful review. We look forward to servicing you in the future!
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Excellent staff going the extra mile to help! Had car issues and they where happy to help with that. Great free sunset walk with Manjula in the afternooon. Food and accommodations perfect. Safari in Yala easy to get to from here they pick you up from hostel.
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Date of stay: May 2019Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Anuruddha B, Owner at Funky Leopard Safari Lodge
Responded 5 May 2019
We are truly grateful to you for sharing your experience with us. We are overwhelmed to have been able to make your stay even more perfect. We always strive to provide the very best of our service for our guests and we are extremely glad you loved it. We hope you visit us again!
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Hi there,
The Funky Leopard Hostel provides basic accommodation facilities, ideally for groups. You will be sharing the room with an outside party, based on availability. We do have toilets which are situated separately.
There are more places to choose from in the Kataragama area.
PRICE RANGE
AU$36 - AU$132 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
Sri LankaUva ProvinceKataragama
NUMBER OF ROOMS
6
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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