Attractions
The amazing Adam’s Peak is one of Sri Lanka’s highest mountains at 2244m and is located 54km from Kitulgala. Adam’s Peak or the ‘Sri Pada’ is an important pilgrim site and it takes around 5 hours to reach the peak by foot. In addition to being a sacred place the other attraction of Adam’s Peak is the early morning sun rise, which is a breathtaking site from top of the peak.
The region of Peak Wilderness Sanctuary that encompasses the Adam’s Peak together with Horton Plains National Park and Knuckles Range, all in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka is recognized as a World Heritage Site. To reach the foot of the peak at Nallathanniya where the climb begins, one has to travel from Kitulgala via Lakshapana and Maskeliya.
Distance from Kitulgala 54km Time – 2 hours
Belilena cave is a very popular tourist site situated in the Makandava Forest Reserve, which is one of Sri Lanka’s richest and unspoiled rain forests. Belilena is a very large cave, in which the 12,000-YEAR-OLD skeletal remains of the prehistoric ‘Balangoda man’ (Homesepiens Balangodensis) have been found. In order to reach the cave one has to walk through the jungle ( the entry point is close to the Inoya estate). Located 2000 feet above sea level, the Belilena Cave lies amidst picturesque environs approximately 7km from Kitulagala.
Time – 10 minutes
Aberdeen is an enchanting waterfall 98 m high on the Kehelgamu Oya near Ginigathena. According folklore the former Scottish planters named this beautiful waterfall Aberdeen after the name of the capital of Aberdeenshire in Scotland. The waterfall is one of the highest in Sri Lanka and 21km from Kitulgala.
Time – 1 hour
Handun Ella is an attractive little waterfall in Kottampitiya 4km from Kithulgala. It’s buried deep within the jungle and is quite difficult to reach. The waterfall gains its name from sandalwood (Handun) trees that were in the region many centuries ago.
Handun Ella is over 30m tall and flows down a sharply sloping rock face. About halfway up the rock face is a ledge in which a large natural plunge pool collects the water from the falls. It’s possible that the pool was formed many centuries ago when the river had more force, and the water crashed harshly on the ledge wearing the bedrock away into a deep hollow. Nowadays, the flow of the water is comparatively mild, and it is the overflow from the plunge pool that cascades down the lower part of the rock face, forming the lower half of the falls.
Distance from Kitulgala – 4km Time – 15 minutes
Olu Ella is situated in Yatiyantota, 35 km from Kitulgala. It stands at a height of 127 meters and is the 6th tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka. Nicknamed as “Sri Lankan Niagara” this waterfall has never run dry even during the worst of droughts.
Olu Ella gets its name due to its resemblance to the white “Olu flower”. The multiple falls of Olu Ella look like the petals of the olu flower.
The source of the Olu Ella waterfall is Wee Oya originating from the Baranawa mountain. There is another attraction near Olu Ella which is an ancient bridge across the Wee Oya, made of wood during the colonial era to transport tea leaves. This bridge is said be the oldest wooden bridge in use in Sri Lanka up to date.
Not to be uploaded on the web until more details about the location and timings are personaly experienced BJ and LE
Distance from Kitulgala– 35km Time – 1 hour 30 minutes
Kandy is the last capital of the ancient kings’ era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills on the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is the home for the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1988.
The Temple of the Tooth Relic, Royal Botanic Garden, Kandy Lake, Udawatte Kele Sanctuary, National Museum, Hanthana Mountain Range and Wales Park are some of the main attractions and places to visit in Kandy. However, the biggest attraction in Kandy is the “Kandy Perahera” in August, an annual ritual of the Tooth Relic which is carried by caparisoned elephants in a pageant comprising of traditional Kandyan drummers, dancers and over 100 elephants. This is a pageant known all over the world and marks the beginning of the tourist season of the country.
Distance from Kitulgala– 61km Time – 1 hour 55 minutes
Nuwaraeliya is 72km from Kitulgala and is a fascinating drive on a winding road through lush green tea estates which is a spectacular site. Its name means “city on the plain (table land)” or “city of light”. The city with its picturesque landscape and cool climes during most times of the year is a very popular holiday destination and is a must visit place for any tourist. It is at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) and is considered to be the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka. Nuwaraeliya’s climate lent itself to becoming the prime sanctuary of the British civil servants and planters in Ceylon in a by gone era. Nuwaraeliya, called ‘Little England’, was a hill country retreat where the British colonialists immersed themselves in their pastimes such as hunting, polo, golf and cricket. Today horse riding, horse racing and golf are the favorite past times of the holiday makers. The Nuwareliya Golf Club, Lake Gregory, Victoria Park, Hakgala Botanical Garden, Horton Plains and Moon Plains are some of the main attractions in Nuwaraeliya.
Time – 1hour 45 minutes
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