The rugged, mountainous interior of Sri Lanka is perfect for hikers, despite the fact that the country is all about blissful, blonde beaches.
When railways were built through the highlands, they replaced hiking as the main mode of transportation. Within easy striking distance of the coast, modern-day trekkers can find a cornucopia of rugged ruins, sacred sites, epic viewpoints and tumbling tea estates.
There are few complicated logistical issues for hikers to worry about, because the island is just 431 km long by 224 km wide. You'll need a guide for walks in national parks, but most trips are easy day hikes, so you can turn up and start walking, safe in the knowledge that there's a filling plate of rice and curry waiting at your.
Here are our picks of the best hikes.
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Adam's Peak, Sri Pada, and Samanalakande are known as Adam's Peak, Sri Pada, andSamanalakande, respectively. The dawn hike up the 5200 steps leading from the village of Dalhousie to the mountaintop is as much a spiritual journey as a physical one.
The pilgrimage season starts in December and lasts until the Vesak festival in May. Pilgrims start walking at 2am to reach the summit before the sun rises, but you can begin the climb after the sun goes down to beat the crowds. You can pay your respects at the rock footprint left by the Buddha, Shiva or Adam if you subscribe to one of the many legends.
Half-day is easy with 4.5 km to 10 km.
Every guest house in town has a map of the hiking trails that go between the ridges to tea estates and viewpoints. It is easy to fill several days wandering to lookouts and posing for pictures next to the Nine Arches Bridge. A delicious home-cooked meal at the end of a day of walking can be found in guesthouses.
You can start your explorations at Little Adam's Peak, a green knoll with great views of waterfalls and tea factories. The 10 km walk toElla Rock is more demanding, but also more rewarding, starting on the railway tracks atElla Station. There are mobs of resident monkeys waiting to relieve you of any snacks you brought along for the journey, on top of a rocky outcrop that drops you on top of a steep hill country vista.
The distances are easy.
The largest lowland rainforest in the country is called the Sinharaja Forest Reserve and is home to rare mammals and birds. There is a compulsory guide to keep you safe in the dense and damp undergrowth.
Most hikers base themselves in the villages of Deniyaya or Kudawa, where you can purchase entry tickets and arrange a trek. You can get to the park early in the morning when the trails are quiet and the wildlife is active. If you're looking for a jungle escape that won't burn a hole in your holiday budget, the Sinharaja Rain Forest View Villas at Deniyaya is a good choice.
Half-day to one day Moderate.
It is not a trek in the traditional sense, but there is a lot of work to be done to get to the summit. You will need to climb over 1200 steps to reach the ruins. There is a view over an endless sweep of Sri Lankan countryside extending to the horizon in all directions, which is the reward for all this work.
You can reach the 5th century monastic complex at Pidurangula by walking for about a kilometer. The summit looks out over a carpet of forest with the mighty mass of Sigiriya rising like a stone exclamation mark in the middle of the vista. You can add on a night walk with the resident naturalist at the Jetwing Vil Uyana hotel if you come with your own transportation.
Three hours is easy with a six mile walk.
The nickname for the sheer drop-off at the edge of the Horton Plains is "World's End". The plains are covered by wild grassland, rocky outcrops, filigree waterfalls, misty lakes, and patches of thick forest.
You will need to arrange a drop off and pick up in Nuwara Eliya or Ohiya if you want to walk alone in Horton Plains National Park. The terrain at World's End drops away without warning after a 4 km hike. When the weather is clear, the views of the lowlands are great, but come early in the morning to beat the crowds. The trail loops back to Baker's Falls before returning to the national park entrance at Far Inn, which will take about three hours.
Easy 8 km (5 miles).
The town of Haputale floating in a sea of tea gardens in the middle of the island is a great place to sample tea. The tea estate was founded in 1890 by Thomas Lipton, whose name still appears on teabags served at breakfast all over the world. You can combine the viewpoint with a tour of the Dambatenne Tea Factory to see the tea-making process.
The lookout can be reached from the factory, which takes about 5 miles to reach. Most visitors do the trip in reverse, taking a bus or tuk-tuk to Lipton's Seat and then walking downhill through the tea gardens to reach the factory.
The distances are hard.
The Knuckles Range northeast of Kandy is a great place to go off the tourist map. The Peak Wilderness protected area was founded to protect the island's montane and cloud forests. There are more locals in the Knuckles Range than there are tourists. A leopard or wild elephant can be seen amidst the misty greenery. You have to make arrangements with an agency in Kandy if you want to be a guide.
The name "Knuckles" comes from the profile of the peaks, which look like a closed fist. Most people go on camping treks from Kandy to explore the small villages and terraced paddy fields in the foothills before climbing onto the high massif. Agencies usually travel from the east to the west and stay overnight in tents at the waterfalls and caves. Close encounters with many of the 128 bird species found in the park are guaranteed if you bring a bird book.
The article was published in June 2021.
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