Best Hiking and Trekking Trails in Sri Lanka
Best Hiking and Trekking Trails in Sri Lanka
Little Adam’s Peak and Ella Rock
Visit the beautiful and laid back town of Ella. Located in the Badulla District of the Uva Province; Ella is a rather quiet place nestled in lush greenery. With plenty of accommodation to offer; boutique villas, resorts and hotels as well as cosy cafes, rest houses and pubs; Ella is an ideal place to unwind during a vacation. Board a train and enjoy the most scenic views from Nuwara Eliya to Ella whilst gradually appreciating the cooling climes of the hill country. Passing picturesque sights, especially the nine-arch Demodara Bridge, one can witness the true beauty of nature. The best two sites for hiking and trekking in Ella is the climb to Little Adams peak’s and the hike up to Ella Rock. Little Adam’s peak is also known as the “little brother” of the sacred mountain, Adam’s Peak (Sri Pada). The hike is not as vigorous as the path is marked with signs boards to ease your navigation around the trail. Begin a 45-minute walk from the Ella town to the foot of the mountain. Along the way, you may explore views of the local village and tea plantations. The path up the mountain may take you approximately 30-45 minutes. When you finally reach the top, you will be mesmerized by the panoramic view of Ella including the sight of Ella Rock. The climb is worth it as it offers breath taking views of the surrounding vistas. If you are ready to embrace a more adventurous hike, trek a journey to the height of Ella rock. From Ella town, trod along the road, up the railway lines and head south. The aim is to walk along the railway lines until you reach the second turn after the Kithaella train station. Be alert at all times when walking on the train lines! Bushy plants meet the beginning of the journey, while the ascent up to Ella Rock is through the neatly arranged rubber tree forest. The total time taken to reach the top of the cliff is roughly a two hour-long trek. The views of the gorgeous scenery however, are worth all your effort.
The Knuckles Mountain Range
This mountainous backdrop is stretched in between the Kandy and Matale districts; the range is spreading through Laggala and Urugala. The Knuckles is well known for its hosting of a wildlife sanctuary and a watershed. The Knuckles range offers many nature trails, however, it is best to get advice from a tour guide or hotel manager as to which trail suits you best. Some of the wonderful trails to experience include: Mini World’s End trail, Pitawala Pathena, Ash Cave trail, Niter Cave and the Knuckles Summit. The highest peak in the range is called Gombaniya. The views at the top are breath taking, although there are days when the view may be blurred by a sheet of mist.
Horton Plain National Park
The nearest towns to the Horton Plains are Ohiya and Nuwaraeliya. Declared as a World Heritage site in 2010, Horton Plains is a nature reserve home to diverse fauna and flora. The main tourist attraction site is ‘World’s End’, which is a steep precipice. A laborious track will lead you to see sights of the tea plantation and the daring drop from the top of it. The circuit to World’s End is an eight kilometer trek. Another trail to endure is the hike to Baker’s fall. This journey will divert you away from the main trail down to a more strenuous downhill descend. The best time to hike is the early morning hours, preferably around 6.00 am – 7.00 am.
Riverstone Sri Lanka
River stone peak is located approximately 30km away from Matale town. The path to River stone is untouched by urban development and therefore, remains unpolluted; surrounded with alluring scenery. The Riverstone trek leads to two picturesque waterfalls – Sera Ella and Bambarakiri Ella. The hike up to Sera Ella offers rock seats, on which one can relax and enjoy the sprays of water after a tiresome walk. The trek, known as Pittawela Paththana which is the lead to Riverstone Peak is about a two and half kilometer journey. The peak is a great place to rejuvenate with beautiful views of the countryside.
Belihuloya
Belihuloya is another destination well known for hiking trips in Sri Lanka. It is a village situated in the Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province. One may participate in abundant adventurous activities, hosted by local hotels, or canoe along the Samanalawava reservoir. The landscape is perfect to experience both, wet and dry zones; the land area covers an approximate of 1500m. Belihuloya is a famous bio-
diversity spot, making it an attractive destination for nature lovers.
So make sure you wear your best trekking shoes, carry plenty of water and visit these mind-blowing destinations; guaranteed to entice the nature lover in you. All of these sites promising stunning scenic views at the end or along the trail.
Sinharaja
Trek through the largest and the best-unspoiled rain forest on the island, which you cannot explore by any other mean but on foot! There’re more than enough reasons why to include Sinharaja rain forest in your list of adventurous things to do in Sri Lanka. Sinharaja is a jaw dropping amusing green beauty that stretches out covering a massive land area of 88.64km in the heart of the hill country – which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
You will be astonished to hear that the borders of the rain forest are marked by two stunningly streaming down rivers. Slippery paths, sudden drizzles, exquisite flora and fauna and rare wild creatures are all a part of your enchanting journey in Sinharaja.
Kirigalpoththa
A trail to the second highest summit on the island located in Nanu-Oya is certainly one of the greatest nature trails you’d ever encounter. It’s a wonderful trail of mere 5.6 kilometers that goes through areas of wet lush lands, cloud forests, dazzling blooms and endemic creatures.
Finally, when you reach the summit, the crisp & clean air piercing through your throat, viewing a sight running for miles and the majestic feeling of conquering are going to kill all your muscle pains!
Pidurangala
The gem destination of Hiking & trekking in Sri Lanka is settled next to the famous Lion Rock Fortress of Sigiriya. Pidurangala is not another mere rock but it is an oasis of both adventure and historic legends as this was a meditative retreat for monks centuries ago built by King Kashyapa. Being the adventurer’s paradise in the cultural triangle the rock is quite a delight to explore with an uphill trek.
Atop lies a hundreds of years old temple with a giant statue of Buddha and a panoramic landscape scenery which make worthwhile you’re every single step through rocky and skidding path to the top. Above them all lies the view of the famous lion rock fortress standing up from the thick jungle setting which complements the value of the journey as many don’t get to see the fortress from this angle.
