Join-a-Jeep · Shared seats
Join a shared Wilpattu safari
Seats from
$70
One seat, not the whole jeep
Most Wilpattu safari prices assume you are hiring a whole jeep and splitting it with your own group. Travelling alone or as a pair, that makes you the most expensive kind of guest. A shared seat puts you on the same jeep, with the same driver and the same tracker, at the same rates. The only difference is that you are happy for other travellers to take the empty seats, and every one of them makes your seat cheaper.
One person, full day: $177 to hire the jeep alone, or $80 for a shared seat once it fills. You keep $97.
How Join-a-Jeep works
- 01
Pick a departure
Every day we publish a morning, a full-day and an evening departure. The board below shows how many seats are already taken on each one.
- 02
Tell us on WhatsApp
Send your name, nationality and where you are staying. We hold the seat straight away. There is nothing to pay online.
- 03
We confirm the night before
At 17:00 we confirm the group and send you your pickup time, who else is in the jeep, and your estimated price.
- 04
Pay on the morning
Cash or card when we collect you. Park entry, the jeep, the tracker and your meals are already in the seat price.
What the day actually looks like
One jeep, one run. We collect Anuradhapura first, call at the park-side hotels on the way past, and everyone is through the gate together.
Full-Day Wilpattu Safari (11h)
- 05:00–05:15We collect you from your Anuradhapura hotel.
- 05:45Park-side pickup at Hunuwilagama, on the way to the gate.
- 06:00Through the park gate near Nochchiyagama, as it opens.
- 08:30Breakfast in the park, usually beside one of the villu lakes.
- 12:30Picnic lunch in the shade, then back out for the afternoon.
- 17:00Out through the gate.
- 17:15Back at your park-side hotel.
- 18:00Back at your hotel in Anuradhapura.
Morning Half-Day Wilpattu Safari (6h)
- 05:00–05:15We collect you from your Anuradhapura hotel.
- 05:45Park-side pickup at Hunuwilagama, on the way to the gate.
- 06:00Through the park gate near Nochchiyagama, as it opens.
- 08:30Breakfast in the park, usually beside one of the villu lakes.
- 12:00Out through the gate.
- 12:15Back at your park-side hotel.
- 13:00Back at your hotel in Anuradhapura.
Evening Half-Day Wilpattu Safari (4h)
- 13:00–13:15We collect you from your Anuradhapura hotel.
- 13:45Park-side pickup at Hunuwilagama, on the way to the gate.
- 14:00Through the park gate near Nochchiyagama, as it opens.
- 16:00Refreshments at a villu, in the best light of the day.
- 18:00Out through the gate.
- 18:15Back at your park-side hotel.
- 19:00Back at your hotel in Anuradhapura.
Read the two lines for your own pickup and ignore the other. Everything between the gate and the exit is identical. It is the same jeep, the same driver and the same tracker either way.
The next departures
We publish a morning, a full-day and an evening departure every day. Enable JavaScript to see live seat counts, or message us on WhatsApp for the next confirmed group.
Seat prices
You pay the same per person rate as a private jeep of the same size. The difference is that a shared jeep is still filling up, so the price you see is an estimate for the group so far.
Full-Day Wilpattu Safari (11h)
6:00 AM - 5:00 PM
per person, 2–6 sharing
| On the jeep | Each |
|---|---|
| 2 | $115 |
| 3 | $100 |
| 4 | $88 |
| 5 | $85 |
| 6 | $80 |
Morning Half-Day Wilpattu Safari (6h)
6:00 AM - 12:00 PM
per person, 2–6 sharing
| On the jeep | Each |
|---|---|
| 2 | $95 |
| 3 | $90 |
| 4 | $85 |
| 5 | $79 |
| 6 | $75 |
Evening Half-Day Wilpattu Safari (4h)
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
per person, 2–6 sharing
| On the jeep | Each |
|---|---|
| 2 | $87 |
| 3 | $75 |
| 4 | $70 |
| 5 | $70 |
| 6 | $70 |
Your price depends on how many people are in the jeep. The more people who travel, the less everyone pays. You get an estimate when you book, we send you an updated one at 17:00 the evening before, and the final price is confirmed on the morning once everyone has arrived. You will never pay more than $115 per person.
Staying near the park at Hunuwilagama, or making your own way to the gate? Every rate above drops. Pick the park-side pickup on the board to see your prices.
Children aged 3–12 take a seat at $10 off. Under 3 they travel free on a lap and use no seat.
Included in every seat
- Wilpattu National Park entrance ticket
- Your seat in a 4x4 safari jeep with driver and wildlife tracker
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Anuradhapura
- Breakfast and picnic lunch on full-day departures
- Drinking water throughout the safari
- Binoculars to share
Not included
- Tips for your driver and tracker, welcome but never expected
- Alcoholic drinks
- Personal camera or lens hire
- Travel insurance
What if nobody else books?
A departure runs from 2 guests. We confirm every group at 17:00 the evening before, so you always know the night before and never at the pickup point. If your departure has not reached 2 guests by then, you choose:
- 1Move to the next departure that already has seats sold. We will tell you which one that is.
- 2Take the jeep as a private safari at our standard private rate, with the timing and the route yours to choose.
- 3Cancel completely. You have paid nothing, so there is nothing to refund.
There is no deposit and no online payment. The seat is held in your name and paid for on the morning of the safari.
Changed your plans for any other reason? Cancel or move your seat free up to 24 hours before departure. After that we ask you to tell us anyway, because the group is already confirmed and your driver is on his way.
Shared seat or private jeep?
Both use the same jeeps, the same drivers and the same trackers. The difference is who else is on board and who decides where it stops.
| Shared seat | Private jeep | |
|---|---|---|
| Who travels with you | Up to five other travellers | Only your own group |
| Price | Per person, based on how many travel. Never more than $115. | Whole jeep, split between your group |
| Departure time | Set times, published every day | You choose |
| Route and stops | Decided by the guide for the whole jeep | Yours to change as you go |
| Best for | Solo travellers, couples and anyone watching the budget | Families, photographers and anyone who wants the jeep to themselves |
Questions about shared safaris
How many people share the jeep?
A maximum of six guests. The driver and the wildlife tracker ride in the front cab and do not take a seat, so all six seats in the open rear are for guests.
What happens if nobody else books my date?
A departure runs from two guests. We confirm every group at 17:00 the evening before. If your date has not reached two guests, you can move to another departure, switch to a private jeep at our standard private rate, or cancel at no cost.
Do I have to pay in advance?
No. There is no deposit and no online payment. We hold the seat in your name and you pay in cash or by card on the morning of the safari.
Is a shared safari safe for a woman travelling alone?
Yes. Our departures are run by the same family team every day, the driver and tracker are known to us, and you can tell us where you would prefer to sit. We also tell you who else is in the jeep before you travel.
How is it different from a private safari?
The wildlife, the jeep, the driver and the tracker are the same. On a shared safari you travel with up to five other guests at a set departure time and pay a fixed price per seat. On a private safari you hire the whole jeep, choose your own timing and change the route as you go.
Can I book a shared safari for tomorrow?
Usually yes. Seats stay open until 17:00 the evening before the departure. Message us on WhatsApp with the date and we will tell you immediately how many seats are left.
Do I pay less when more people join?
Yes. You pay the per person rate for the number of people in the jeep, using the same rates a private group of that size would pay. Two people means the two person rate, six people means the six person rate. Everyone on board pays the same, whether they booked first or last. You get an estimate at 17:00 the evening before, and we confirm the final price on the morning once everyone has arrived.
Can children join a shared safari?
Yes. Children aged 3–12 take a seat at US$10 off and under-3s ride free on a lap. Some operators run their shared jeeps adults-only and send families to a private jeep instead; we would rather seat you together and tell the other guests there are children on board. If you would prefer the flexibility of your own jeep for a long day with small children, say so and we will price both.
How do I know what I will pay?
Your price depends on how many people are in the jeep, so it can move a little while the group is still filling up. You get an estimate as soon as you book. At 17:00 the evening before we confirm the group and send you an updated estimate. The final price is confirmed on the morning, once everyone has arrived. You will never pay more than the two person rate, and we show you that number before you book.