VISIT SRI LANKA
(Sathyage Travels)
Best Hiking Spots of Sri Lanka
Journey through the highlands
Ella Rock
The Ella Rock is situated about 1000 m above sea level and is a half day trip or a day-long tops. It provides a beautiful and jaw-dropping view from the very top. It is an ideal location to explore the hills that surround the rock and gives a breath-taking view of the green valleys of Badulla. The weather at Ella, which is a small and beautiful town situated at the South of the country, has a weather that is humid, sunny surrounding and often sees rain showers in the afternoon or evening.
When hiking to Ella it is better to start early in the morning when the sun is merciful, use lots of sunlock cream and use insect repellent to ward off the mosquitos and DEET-based repellent to keep the leeches away. It is also advisable to use trekking shoes as opposed to flipflops or sandals due to mud after rains which causes all the leeches to rise! It is advisable to use water-proof pants and jackets as well due to the rain.
Horton Plains and the World’s End
The Horton Plains National Park is situated about 2000 meters above sea level in the Sri Lankan Highlands and comprises of dense forests, scenic waterfalls, misty lakes and grassy plains. Trekkers can choose from a short trail that lasts an hour or longer ones that will cover the whole highland. On one side of the Horton Plains is the infamous World’s End, which is an abrupt and steep fall of about 800 meters overlooking the beautiful countryside. In the absence of clouds, even the sea can be seen at a distance. From the months of January to March, there is lesser rain and therefore is the most ideal time to hike here. Weekends are the busiest due to locals gathering in crowds to hike as well.
During the hike, one can witness the beautiful wildlife in Sri Lanka ranging from the black-lipped lizard to endemic species of birds and even the samba deer. All instructions and important information on boards and sign posts can be found in English therefore, foreigners can easily get around the location without the need of a tour guide. One Adult ticket to the National Park is about 2,800.00 LKR or $US 15; which is subject to change.
KNUCKLE'S RANGE
The infamous Knuckles Range is situated in the Central Highlands of the island between Matale and Kandy. It gets its name from its shape that looks like a clenched fist and is also called Dumbara mountain range. The Knuckles peak is the sixth highest in Sri Lanka with a height of 1863m. Hikers can enjoy various different trails that range from an hour long to even three days long of a 40 plus km trek with a tour guide. Weather is pretty unpredictable at this location with rain that could be seen at any given time of the day, however March to May is the best period to go trekking here due to the possibility of rain being pretty low.
Trekkers can witness a range of wildlife from giant squirrels, spotted deer, Kangaroo Lizard, mongoose, barking deer, Pigmy lizard and porcupines. Indigenous birds such as the White-faced starling, Black headed bulbul, Sri Lankan blue magpie Jungle fowl and Spot Wing thrush can also be seen during the trek. The most special aspect of hiking in the Knuckles Range is that hikers can witness and experience a variety of ecosystems which includes rapid changes in temperature and weather.