Detailed Trekking Itinerary
Day 1
Day 01 - Belihuloya
SCHEDULE
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Arrival to Belihuloya.
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Check in to the hotel / campsite.
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Leisure time in the afternoon.
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Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel / campsite (HB).
Surrounded by rugged mountain sceneries, the still calm waters of the Samanalawewa reservoir offer an idyllic location for canoëing. Whether you want to go for a relaxed little paddle for a couple of hours, venture out to the mouth of the Belihuloya River or spend an entire day exploring the perimeter of the reservoir, you are sure to have an unforgettable experience. A well-experienced guide will provide you with the right technics, safety instructions and modern life jacket.
Belihuloya:
Nestled amidst the beautiful hill country, Belihuloya is a picturesque little town located in Sabaragamuwa province, 616 metres above sea level. The beautiful hillside location is a climatically transitional area, linking both the dry and wet zones and the hill and low country and making it one of the richest bio-diversity spots in Sri Lanka - and an ideal location for nature lovers! Belihuloya is perfectly in tune with nature and provides a gorgeous setting for all sorts of adventures from climbing to canoëing and trekking. Here, you can enjoy the scenic waterfalls, historic sites, and nature trails.
Day 2
Day 02 - Belihuloya – Horton Plains – Bambarakanda - Belihuloya
SCHEDULE
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Transfer to Horton Plains with packed breakfast and lunch.
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6 km trail to Baker’s Falls and World’s End in Horton Plains National Park.
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15/21 km trek, or vehicle transfer to Bambarakanda.
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Refreshing bath at the waterfall.
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6 km trek / vehicle transfer to Kalupahana and return to Belihuloya.
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Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel / campsite (HB).
TREKKING DETAILS
Horton Plains National Park: 6 km, grading soft
Bambarakanda Waterfall: 15/21 km, grading moderate / hard
The famous Horton Plains is a nature reserve characterized by a beautiful landscape of rolling hills, forests, and grassland. The highest plateau in the island, spanning approximately 10,000 hectares, is home to 24 species of mammal - such as elk, deer, giant squirrel, wild boar, wild hare, porcupine, and leopard.
In Horton Plains, you will first visit the Baker’s Falls. To reach them, you will deviate from the main trail and go approximately 500m on a steep downward path. From the waterfall, you will continue to the World’s End - the famous escarpment that falls 880 meters to the lowlands of the southern region of the island. When the clouds clear up, the misty cliffs boast a fabulous view of the tea estates below and all the way out to the distant southern coastline.
After the trail in the national park, you will head on to Bambarakanda Waterfalls, 21 kms from the park’s entrance. You may go all the way by car or on foot, or take the vehicle for the first 6 kms to Udaweriya Estate Junction and start the trek from there.
The 15-km descent from Udaweriya to Bambarakanda, know as ‘Satan’s Steps’, goes on a washed-off jeep track through Kingslyn and West Haputale Estates. It for the hairpin bends of this steep and narrow path that, that the trail got its name during the colonial days. The walk has spectacular sceneries over the rolling plains, tea plantations, vegetable patches, tiny remote villages - and the majestic waterfall! Bordered by steep rocks and dark green forests, the 240-meter-high Bambarakanda is Sri Lanka’s highest waterfall, and you may have a refreshing bath in the deep pool underneath it.
Day 3
Day 03 - Belihuloya – Kinchigune - Belihuloya
SCHEDULE
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Breakfast at the hotel / campsite.
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6 km nature trail to Kinchigune.
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Village lunch with the locals.
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Return to Belihuloya.
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Departure.
TREKKING DISTANCE: 6 km (from River Garden Resort to Kinchigune)
DURATION: 3 hrs
GRADING: Soft / Moderate
Kinchigune is an ancient village which is almost totally submerged in the waters of the Samanalawewa Reservoir which came to being in 1980s. The people of this village have been engaged in the steel industry in addition to agriculture since the early days. The 6 km nature trail begins at the River Garden Resort, and runs alongside the riverine forest of Belihuloya through paddy fields, across rivers and past local village houses with their extensive vegetable plots. It is an ideal opportunity to learn a bit about the local agriculture and simple way of life in the countryside. Along the way, you will witness several types of beautiful birds and butterflies and some charming little waterfalls. The trail ends where the Belihuloya river meets the Samanalawewa reservoir.
