Trail Head: NorthCove division, Lionair Estate (Close to NorthCove Cabanas)

Nearest Town: Bogawantalawa                        Nearest City: Hatton

Access to Trail head: Horton Plains Trail Map | More about Horton Plains National Park

Colombo -> Awissawella [58km on A4] -> Hatton [66km on A7] -> Dickoya [4km on B149] -> Maskeliya [5km on B149] -> Bogawantalawa [22km on B329] -> Trail Head Close to Northcove Cabanas, Loinorn Estate [10km]

Roads are paved all the way up to the Bogawantalawa. From Bogawantalawa the road condition varies from poorly maintained paved to unpaved estate roads. A vehicle with high ground clearance will be better to tackle the section from Bogawantalawa to NorthCove Cabanas

Public transport is available only up to Bogawantalawa.

Trail End: Horton Plains Visitor Centre                Total Length: 11.5km

Elevation Gain: 350m (Elevation at Trail Head: 1800m | Elevation at Trail End: 2150m)

Approximate time: 12-18 hours

Hiking Season: Best months are February to April. July to September is also fairly dry. Avoid monsoon months.

Permit Required: Technically “yes”. But there is no ticket office at the trail head. Therefore permit should be obtained from Horton Plains visitor Centre at the trail end. Therefore special permission from the department of wildlife is required for you to start this trail from Bogawantalawa. Alternatively you can start from the Horton Plains side and end at Bogawantalawa to work around the permit issue.

From the colonial era, there had been several trails from Bogawantalawa to Horton plains. Two of those trails are marked in inch and meter maps. They are (1) The bridle trail from NorthCove to FarrInn (2) Trail from NorthCove to world’s end via Nagrak Division of Non Pareil estate.

This trail guide describes the first track, which is extremely rarely used today (we felt that some sections of the trails haven’t been used for decades)

0 to 3km: As you enter the forest from the NorthCove division (Waypoint: BG01) you will walk along a narrow foot path. This section of the trail is by far the steepest section. The intensity of the ascend may vary but overall it remains steep. Brief flat sections are encountered but will not last for long. Vegetation is thick around the trail but is not too thick to be a disturbance for walking. There are occasional openings which allow you to look around.

At round 1km from the trail head (Waypoint: BG02), intensity of ascend becomes very low. You will encounter longer flat sections. At the same time, the vegetation gradually becomes thicker. From BG02 the trail is completely covered with “Nelu” bushes of human height which makes is quite a challenge to walk this section. These conditions last from about 600m from BG02.

1.6km from the trail head, the trail suddenly reaches an opening (Waypoint: BG03). The trail ahead resembles a broad jeep track. This broad trail goes along a mountain slope. On the right hand side a valley can be seen. About 100m from BG03 the broad jeep track like trail will reduce to a broad foot path, which is couple of feet wide.

Around 1.9km from the trail head, you will encounter a gradual descend from the first time (Waypoint: BG04). As you tackle the mild descend for about 150m, the trail moves gradually in to dense forest (Waypoint: BG05).

The trail will continue to descend through the forest with varying steepness for the next  850m. Around 3km from the trail head you will come out of the natural forest and after passing a brief plot of Turpentine, you will reach a valley where multiple streams meet (Waypoint: BG06).

Immediately surrounding the valley on your right hand side is a Turpentine forest. On your left hand side you can see two mountain peaks in the distance. Right ahead of you is a narrow, somewhat open grass land sandwiched between the forest covered mountain slopes.

3km to 7km: From BG06, continue to walk along the narrow grass patch between the mountain sides. The trail is clear through the savanna with a lot of “Maha Rathmal” plants scattered on both sides. From BG06, the trail will ascend from about 500m and will then descend for the next 500m in to a wider open area called “Mahadeniya” (Waypoint: BG07). Mahadeniya is also a place where couple of streams meets. There is a lot of illegal gemming happening at this place as well.  You will also see a number of springs as well as gem pits filled with water.

Once you are at Mahadeniya continue to walk upstream long the left bank of the main stream (cross the stream if you are on the wrong side) until you reach the base of a small hill on your left hand side covered with grass and with a large boulder at the top.  Turn left at this point (Waypoint: BG08) and climb up to the boulder (Waypoint: BG09) through savanna (just about 100m). You will be able to see signs of the old bridle trail on the hill side which you can follow up to the boulder.

(if you continue along the stream without turning left and climbing up to the boulder, you can reach the Nagrak division of Non Pareil estate and reach world’s end from that point)

From BG09, continue to climb down about 50m to reach the narrow grassy valley sandwiched between thick forests (Waypoint: BG10). You can see evidence of Gem mining in this narrow valley as well. The disturbed valley is muddy and wet with a number of streams and Gem pits scattered. Once you climb down, continue to walk along the valley.

For the next 400m you will walk along this narrow valley, crossing a number of small streams flowing in to a larger one on your right hand side. You will be walking along the left bank of the main stream of the valley (stream on the right hand side). Trail is mostly flat with occasional brief mild ascends. 4.5km from the trail head, you will reach the end of the narrow valley and the trail will climb up from the valley to move in to the thick forest in front (Waypoint: BG11)

Once inside the thick forest, the trail will be somewhat visible for the next 400m or so until you reach a stream crossing (Waypoint: BG12). This section of the trail has an underline ascend which is very mild. You will feel as walking on a more or less flat trail with occasional brief ascends and descends.

After the stream crossing at BG12 the trail became more irregular but flat. After a brief walk along the edge of a mountain slope through a grassy patch turn in to the forest on the right hand side. From this point onwards the trail is virtually non-existing. You have to carefully navigate through the dense undergrowth of Nelu and bamboo for the next 400m until you reach another stream crossing (Waypoint: BG13)

After crossing the stream at BG13, the trail becomes clearer for the next 400m. Still it will be a walk through dense undergrowth until you again reach an opening with lots of Gem pits (Waypoint: BG14)

From BG14 the trail continues along the valley covered with dense forest. The trail is not at all clear in this section and therefore the easiest would be to walk upstream along the stream or to walk on the bank of the stream. Please note that the flow of water in these streams can be seasonal and therefore you may not be able to follow the stream always. The next land mark to reach is another patch of Savanna about 1.2km from BG14. Make sure that you walk close to the valley on the right hand side slope of the valley. You may have to cross a varying number of small streams depending on the season and water level.

At 7km from the trail head reach a sizable Savanna patch (more like a Savanna island) (Waypoint: BG15)

7km to 9.6 km: Once you hit the Savanna patch, cross it and enter the forest in front of it. Then you have to walk about 500m through the tick undergrowth until you reach a patch of dwarf bamboo (Waypoint: BG16). From BG15 to BG16, the trail is not clear at all. Make sure that you walk along the forest covered valley, around the mountain on your right hand side.

Once you reach the BG16, you have to climb up about 20m along the mountain slope which you circled from BG 15 and locate the trail that continue to circle the mountain side.

The trail along the mountain side is clearly visible for the next 500m. Since the trail is clear you can maintain a good walking speed. At around 500m from the Bamboo patch (BG16) the trail splits in to two (Waypoint: BG17). One branch continues along the mountain side while the other goes in to the forest. Take the branch towards right which goes in to the forest. Next 100m you will climb down through the forest to an open Savanna patch (Waypoint: BG18).

Once you are on the grass patch you will see signs of a broad track (very much like a jeep track). After you walk along the clear broad track through the grass patch for about 100m you will reach the border between a forest patch and the grass land (Waypoint: BG19). Continue to walk along this border between the forest and grass land for about 75m and then cut across the grass patch to enter a thick forest patch in front. About 100m walk through the forest will take you again in to a grass patch with a broad clear trail (Waypoint: BG20).

From BG20, continue to walk along the clear broad track. You will notice a stream flowing on your left hand side. About 100m from BG20, you will reach a concrete slab laid over the stream as a bridge (Waypoint: BG21). Cross over to the other side of the stream and continue on the broad jeep track going uphill along a mountain slope.

After crossing the stream, the jeep track will climb up for about 50m and will take a right turn to move parallel along the mountain slope through the dense forest.  For the next 1km you will have to walk along this mountain slope until you come out of the forest in to a grassy patch where you merge with the Kirigalpoththa trail at the crossing of a sizable stream flowing over a slab rock (Waypoint: BG22).

The walk along the mountain side is not easy as the trail is barely visible and covered in thick undergrowth. In last 100m or so the trail becomes clearer and the undergrowth becomes thin.

9.6km to 11.5 km: After crossing the stream and merging with the Kirigalpoththa trail, the trail will be broad and clear. It first goes through a thick forest patch for about 300m (Waypoint: BG23), then another 250m through a thin forest/scrub patch (Waypoint: BG24) and then you will have to walk about 1.5km through the vast plain to reach the Horton Plains visitor center (Waypoint: BG25). This part of the trail is easy to walk as it is frequently used by the hiker to the Kirigalpoththa summit.

Tips, Notes & special remarks:

• We followed the trail marked in the survey department inch map with the help of a hand held GPS. Check this KML file to see the comparison between the standard trail traced from the map and the actual GPS plot of the trail we walked.
• This is not an easy track to walk mainly because of the thick, thorny undergrowth that covers some sections of the trail.
• Spanning the walk over two days with overnight camping will be a better idea (we did not plan an overnight stay but were forced to do so)
• The trail is non-existing in certain sections. Therefore it is important to have satellite navigation aid unless you are very strong in navigating with maps and compass.
• Carry extra rations and a fire starter kit for emergency use

Way Points

Trail Difficulty: Easy | Moderate | Strenuous | Tough

Trail Head: Horton Plains National Park boarder, 6^th division, Dayagama Estate

Nearest Town: Dayagama                             Nearest City: Talawakele

Access to Trail head: Horton Plains Trail Map | More about Horton Plains National Park

Route to HortonPlainsNational Parkboarder, 6^th division, Dayagama Estate

Route1: Colombo -> Awissawella [58km on A4] -> Hatton [65km on A7] -> Talawakele [16km on A7] -> Lindula [4km on A7] -> Agarapathana [16km on B252] -> Dayagama [5km] -> Estate road to the boarder of 6^th Division, Dayagama Estate [10km on Estate road via division 4 and 3]. Total Distance fromColombo174km

Route 2: Colombo -> Awissawella [58km on A4] -> Hatton [65km on A7] -> Glenyon Bazzar [19km] -> Agarapathana [2.5km on B252] -> Dayagama [5km] -> Estate road to the boarder of 6^th Division, Dayagama Estate  [10km on Estate road via division 4 and 3]. Total Distance fromColombo160km

Roads are paved all the way up to the boarder of Horton Plains. Expect narrow mountainous stretches from Hatton to Glenyon Bazzar (only route 2) and beyond Dayagama (on both routes)

Trail End: Horton Plains Visitor Centre

Total Length: 5.6 km

Elevation Gain: 200m (Elevation at Trail Head: 1926m | Elevation at Trail End: 2126m).

Approximate time: 2-3 hours

Hiking Season: Best months are February to April. July to September is also fairly dry. Avoid monsoon months.

Permit Required: Technically “yes”. But there is no ticket office at the trail head. Therefore permit should be obtained from Horton Plains visitor Centre at the trail end.

Agarapatha, Dayagama road to Horton Plains was a motorable access road. Several years back, the stretch of this road which goes through the protected area of Horton Plains was closed for motor traffic. Therefore at present you can only drive up to the HP boarder of the Dayagama Estate and walk 5.6km from this point to reach the visitor center of Horton Plains.

Most of the road still remains paved but is no longer motorable as there are several sections that have been badly deteriorated.Forestis slowly invading the road where ever the pavement is damaged. Because of the obvious reasons the trail is quite broad and very clearly visible throughout. There is zero possibility of getting lost on this trail and it one of the trails where you can leisurely walk to enjoy the breath-taking beauty of the high altitude forest of Horton Plains.

0 to 800m: The trail head (waypoint: HD01) is located at the HP boarder of the 6^th Division of the Dayagama estate. You can clearly see the tea plantations coming to an abrupt end and the road moving in to the thick forest of Horton Plains at this place.

Before you venture in to Horton Plains and start your hike, walk about 100m on to your left hand side through tea bushes to take a glimpse of one of the hidden water falls of Agra Oya, a tributary of Mahaweli river, from the distance.

As you walk in to Horton Plains, you will start a mild climb. Thick montane forest can be seen on either side of the road. As you walk about 300m along the road, intensity of ascend will increase significantly (waypoint: HD02). After you tackle the intense ascend for 400m you will reach a set of hair-pin bends (waypoint: HD03). After passing the bends the road will continue to climb up but with just a moderate ascend until you reach a distinctive “U” turn after which point the road become almost flat with very mild ascend(waypoint: HD04).

At HD04 you will hear a stream from the distance and on to your left hand there is a scenic outlook towards the distant tea estates and hills of dayagama.

800m to 2.6km: After you pass HD04, the road becomes more or less flat. Overall elevation gain in this stretch is almost zero, but intermediate short climb ups and downs maintain the sense of walking in the mountains. Still there is hardly any serious ascend or descend.

Throughout this stretch, the road goes through thick forest with immense diversity. On the both sides of the road there are many flowering plants, sometimes creating colorful patches in the forest.

As you walk about 800m from HD04, you will again reach a scenic outlook (waypoint: HD07).

About 1.2km from HD04, the road gets quite close to the stream (waypoint: HD09). The forest it self changes its form all the time with the streams adding life to it.

2.6km from the trail head, at the end of this stretch of the road, there is a concrete bridge over a stream (waypoint: HD12). This is an ideal place to take some rest and enjoy the surrounding. From this point onwards, until you reach the Ohiya-Pattipola road, you will have to tackle a section of road with moderate ascends.

2.6km to 5.6km: After crossing the bridge, you will have to tackle four hair-pin bends with some what steep climb for the next 400m. After the bends, ascend again becomes moderate (waypoint: HD13).

Except for a brief descend at about 3.6km from the trail head (waypoint: HD16), rest of this stretch is a continuous moderate to mild climb. Most intense is the first 400m.

4km form the trail head; you will start to see small patches of savanna on the mountain slopes on either sides of the road (waypoint: HD18). As you walk about 400m more, you will enter a thick forest canopy (waypoint: HD19). Walking 200m inside the forest, the trail comes out to an area where you can see more plains as opposed to the forest (waypoint: HD20). The next 500m is a moderate ascend until you will reach the Ohiya-Pattipola main road (waypoint: HD21).

Take the right turn on to the paved road at HD21 and continue 500m along the road through the grass covered plains to reach the visitor center (waypoint: HD22).

Tips, Notes & special remarks:

•  You don’t have to carry a lot of water, Take a small bottle with you and keep it filled from the streams that you cross during the hike.
• Drinking water from streams is safe.
• You can also do this trail from tail to head, which will make it even easier as you will be climbing down as opposed to climbing up. If you plan to do so, it will be a good idea to arrange a pickup from the boarder at Dayagama estate 6^th division as public transport is only available from Dayagama town which is 10km from the boarder at 6^th division.
• Be prepared for cold and windy climate.

Way Points

Trail Difficulty: Easy | Moderate | Strenuous | Tough

Trail Head: Horton Plains Visitor Centre

Nearest Town: Pattipola                        Nearest City: Nanu-Oya

Access to Trail head: Horton Plains Trail Map | More about Horton Plains National Park

Route to Horton Plains Visitor Center

Route1: Colombo-> Awissawella -> Dehiowita -> Karawanella -> Kitulgala -> Ginigathhena -> Hatton -> Thalawakele -> Nanu-Oya -> Ambewela -> Pattipola -> Pattipola Entrance -> Visitor centre (approximately 210KM)

Horton Plains visitor centre is accessible by any kind of a vehicle which is not very long

Trail End: Circular Trail, ends at the trail head               Total Length: 8.0km

Elevation Gain: Negligible (Elevation at lowest point: 2058m | Elevation at highest point: 2149m)

Approximate time: 4 – 5 hours

Hiking Season: Best months are February to April. July to September is also fairly dry. Avoid monsoon months.

Permit Required: YES. Permit can be obtained from either Pattipola Entrance or Ohiya Entrance ofHortonPlainsNational Park

Baker’s fall, World’s End & Mini-world’s End circular trail is the most traveled trail in the Horton Plains National Park as it covers the three most popular attractions of this National park namely, the Baker’s fall – A beautiful Cascade of water, the world’s end – a 2000 meters deep escarpment and the mini-world’s end which is a smaller drop compared to the main escarpment.

0 to 2.6km:  The trail starts off from the visitor centre (waypoint: BW01). AS you set off, you will have to climb down few steps and get on to the wide dirt track winding through the plains (waypoint: BW02). Start walking along this track through the vast plain. For the next 500m you will be slowly climbing up to the junction where the circular portion of the trail begins (waypoint: BW03).

From this junction you can take either of the branches and return on the other. This trail guide takes you through the right hand branch first.

From the junction, as you walk along the right hand side branch, you will start climbing down through the plain towards a stream. This stream is one of the main tributaries of Belohul-Oya which in turn feeds the WalaweRiver. As you walk about 500m from the junction, you can see a narrower trail towards your right hand side (waypoint: BW04). This is the trail to the camp sites. Continue along the main trail to your left.

As you walk about 100m more, you will see a beautiful pond/pool with a small man-made bunt (waypoint: BW05). This is called “The Chimny Pool”. Passing the Chimny pool, continue to walk along the trail through the plain. This section of the trail goes along the stream. Some times it gets quite close to the stream and then starts to move away from it. About 2km from the trail head, you will see an “L” shape pool in the stream (waypoint: BW06). This is called “The Leg of the Mutton” pool.

Passing BW06 continue to walk along the plain. You will notice that the trail slowly move away from the stream and approach the forest. At about 600m from the Leg of the Mutton pool, the trail enters the forest patch (waypoint: BW08).

2.6 to 5.7 km:  Up to the point of entering the forest patch, the trail is almost flat and smooth. As you enter the forest path a some what rough section of the trail starts.

As you descend about 100m through the forest from the point you entered the forest, you will see a trail with a steep climb down towards your right (waypoint: BW09). This is the trail to Baker’s falls. Walk down this foot path to first reach the baker’s falls observation deck (waypoint: BW10) and then you can climb further down to the base of the water fall (waypoint: BW11). You have to then walk back up to BW09 to continue to the world’s end. As you walk about another 100m from BW09 the trail will come out of the forest patch and again enters the plain (waypoint: BW12).

As you come out of the forest patch you have to walk about 1.7 km along the plain to reach the World’s End observation deck (waypoint: BW13) at the edge of the highest plateau of Sri Lanka.

Leaving the World’s End observation deck, the trail then becomes a narrow foot path through the forest for the next 1km. At the end of this 1km walk through the forest, along the narrow trail, you again reach the edge of the plateau at a point known as the Mini World’s End (waypoint: BW14)

5.7 to 8.0 km:  From the Mini World’s End, your return journey starts again through the forest. From Mini World’s End, the return trail is a broad dirt track. In the first 1km from the Mini World’s end, there are several sections where the trail have been quite badly washed away making it some what difficult to walk. After this initial rough section of the trail, the conditions under foot will improve. In another 500m, the trail comes out from the forest and reaches the plain again (waypoint: BW16). Another 300m walk through the plain will take you back to the junction where the trail split in to the two branches (waypoint: BW17/BW03). After a walk down along the broad trail for another 500m, you will be back at the visitor centre (waypoint: BW18/BW01).

Tips, Notes & special remarks:

• The weather can change quite fast, especially in the after noon. It can get pretty cold and windy in the plains. Make sure that you are prepared with warm cloths.
• Even though you pass several water sources up to the Baker’s falls, there are no water sources for about 5km from there. There fore carry a small water bottle.
• Don’t start walking this trail after 2 p.m., especially if you are accompanied by children/elderly persons. As sun goes down thick mist and darkness can make this trail quite hazardous.

Way Points

Trail Difficulty: Easy | Moderate | Strenuous | Tough

Trail Head: Horton Plains Visitor Centre

Nearest Town: Pattipola                        Nearest City: Nanu-Oya

Access to Trail head: Horton Plains Trail Map | More about Horton Plains National Park

Route to Horton Plains Visitor Center

Route1: Colombo-> Awissawella -> Dehiowita -> Karawanella -> Kitulgala -> Ginigathhena -> Hatton -> Thalawakele -> Nanu-Oya -> Ambewela -> Pattipola -> Pattipola Entrance -> Visitor centre (approximately 210KM)

Horton Plains visitor center is accessible by any kind of a vehicle which is not very long

Trail End: Kirigalpoththa Peak                 Total Length: 5.6 km

Elevation Gain: 250m (Elevation at Trail Head: 2139m | Elevation at Trail End: 2392m)

Approximate time: 3 – 4 hours

Hiking Season: Best months are February to April. July to September is also fairly dry. Avoid monsoon months.

Permit Required: YES. Permit can be obtained from either Pattipola Entrance or Ohiya Entrance ofHortonPlainsNational Park

Kirigalpothatha is the second highest peak inSri Lankaafter Piduruthalagala. Trail to summit of Kirigalpoththa is arguably the best nature trail in Horton Plains. It is not too though (but not easy either) and will let you experience all aspects of the unique and fragile eco-system of Horton plains. The trail goes through areas of wet grass land, cloud forests and scrubs at the summit. A wide variety of beautiful wild flowers can also be seen during the hike.

0 to 1.63km:  The trail starts off from behind the visitor centre (waypoint: K01). AS you set off, the trail moves in to the vast valley behind the visitor centre. As you walk about 500m, descend to the valley will be complete (waypoint: K02).

The trail then moves along the valley for another 500m and start a mild climb (waypoint: K03) towards a scrub covered hill top with few dead trees. As you reach this small mountain top with dead trees (waypoint: K04) you will notice the trail moving towards the small forest patch in front of you at this point. The trail then moves in to this thin forest patch (waypoint: K05). After a brief walk of about 150m though the trees the trail will again hit the open plain/scrub area and start to climb down (waypoint: 06) towards a small stream.

As you cross the stream (waypoint: K07) the trail moves in to a thick, dense forest patch.

1.63km to 3.58km: Continue to walk through the forest for 300m. As you walk out from the forest patch you will reach a larger stream flowing on a rock bed (waypoint: K08). This is part of the first segment of Belihul-Oya which feeds one of the four main rivers of Sri Lanaka, the Walawe.

As you cross the stream you will find a trail towards your left moving uphill and another moving towards your right.  Walk the trail towards your right which goes along the edge of the forest. As you enter this section of the trail, you will notice a dense forest on your left hand side and the grass land on the right side. You will also notice that most of the grass land is covered by patches of dwarf bamboo trees. The trail moves between the forest and the patches of dwarf bamboo.

As you walk about 300m more, the trail gets sandwiched between the forest and the bamboo patch. It is very hard to walk through bamboo and therefore you will have to get more and closer to the forest. About 1km walk from the stream, you will reach a point where the trail moves in to a tunnel created by dwarf bamboo (waypoint: k10). After a somewhat difficult still very brief walk through the bamboo tunnel, trail will again follow a path between the forest and bamboo patches.

One of the specialties you would notice in this part of the plain is the presence of number of natural springs which feed Belihul-Oya. Literally what you witness is the birth ofWalaweRiver. The grass land will also be full of all sorts of little wild flowers. Large, blue “Binara” flowers stand out from the rest.

Around 3km from the trail head, you will notice a fairly large spring on your right side (waypoint: K11) and you would also notice that the trail moves more towards the plain leaving the forest edge. You will also notice that grass land intrudes in to the forest on your left. The trail goes straight, crossing this intrusion (waypoint: K12) and again reaching the forest edge on the other side. Around 600m from the natural spring (K11) the trail will make an almost 90 degree left turn in to the forest (waypoint: K13).

Note that on a clear day you can see Kirigalpoththa in distance, emerging behind the forest at certain point while you walk on the plain and may get tempted to cut-across the forest. Do not move in to the forest until you reach K13.

3.58km to 4.36km: As the trail makes the sharp left turn in to the forest at K13, a new experience awaits you. This section of the trail is a walk through dense undergrowth of “Nelu”, a seasonal flower bearing plant. During flowering season around April the entire area will be covered with a veil of pink/purple “Nelu” flowers. Even though it’s a pretty sight from distance, walking through “Nelu” is not easy at all.

From the point of making the left turn in to the forest the trail follows pretty much a straight line heading roughly south-west. Initially it will be fairly flat and after about 200m, a mild ascend will be experienced. As you walk further ascend intensifies (waypoint: K14). By this point you have completed 4km in total.

After a somewhat steep climb you will reach a hill top (waypoint: K15) and then in less than 100m from there a somewhat open area (less dense forest canopy/undergrowth) will be reached (waypoint: K16). The trail may become less apparent at this point and the continuation in to the forest from the open area can be found towards your left side. Once you move in to the forest the trail will again be visible through the dense undergrowth. After a brief walk of about 150m you will reach another open area where you will find a large pool/spring and a slab-rock (waypoint: K17).

4.36km to 5.6km: From K17 you have to tackle a quite steep decent to the base of the Kirigalpoththa and then climb all the way to the summit. From K17 the continuation of the trail may be hazy. Kirigalpoththa will be visible biased to your right side but the continuation of the trail is biased to your left. Walk towards the forest from the edge of the pool and look for the trail between South and West direction. As you enter the forest you will again be walking through thick undergrowth (waypoint: K18) and will soon experience a steep descent around 400m from the pool (waypoint: K19). After about 100m of steep climb down you will reach a narrow valley with a small stream and a fair size rock surface to climb in front of you (waypoint: K20). Its time to fill up your water bottles as this is the last water source.

The last 800m of the trail starts here and it will entirely be the climb to the summit. Climb the rock surface and look for the continuation of the trail on the left side and start walking though the undergrowth (waypoint: K21). As you climb, you will notice that the vegetation slowly transforms in to a less dense more scrub like pattern compared to the think forest canopy and undergrowth experienced before.

After a hard climb, you will reach a fairly flat section around 5km point from the trail head (waypoint: K22).  As you climb further you will pass open areas at 150m (waypoint: K23), 250m (waypoint: K24) and 350m (waypoint: K25) form K22.

Climb further along the trail until you reach the bottom of the large slab-rock which makes up to summit of kirigalpoththa (“kirigalpoththa” in Sinhalese means “Salb-Rock”) (waypoint: K28). This point will provide you a nice outlook in to the surrounding area.

To reach the summit point, you have to climb along the edge of the wet, moss covered slab-rock which lay at a 30-degree angle dropping into a bottomless chasm. During the September to November strong winds will also be experienced which adds to the risk of this final climb. This bit you will be reduced to crawling on all fours. To reach the summit point (waypoint: K29) you will have to cross a small forest patch at the very top. The summit point is covered with scrub so the best views would be the views from K28.

Tips, Notes & special remarks:

• Make sure that you carry small water bottle with you and keep it filled.
• Fairly strong winds may be experienced at the summit.
• Temperatures may get somewhat cold there fore make sure that you carry a light sweater and a rain coat.
• Some sections of the trail go through thick undergrowth/bamboo which may scratch your skin. It is recommended to ware something which covers most of your body.
• Take special care to protect your eyes when walking through thick undergrowth as most of the undergrowth will very well be taller than you.
• During rainy season the plain will turn in to a giant sponge and suddenly a foot may plunge into an unseen deep hole. Shoes and jeans may become heavy with mud. Make sure that you do not stray in to the plain. Always try to follow an established trail.
• Update (29/12/2008): from K08 to K20 now there is a new trail cleared by the wildlife officials which is about 750m shorter than the section of the trail descried above and much easier to walk as it avoid going through some of the difficult sections to pass in the marshy plain on the traditional trail described above.

Way Points

Trail Difficulty: Easy | Moderate | Strenuous | Tough

Trail Head: 400m from Pattipola Entrance ofHortonPlainsNational Park on Pattipola – Ohiya road.

Nearest Town: Pattipola                        Nearest City: Nanu-Oya

Access to Trail head: Horton Plains Trail Map | More about Horton Plains National Park

Route to Pattipola Entrance ofHortonPlainsNational Park

Route 1 – From Colombo

Colombo -> Awissawella [58km on A4] -> Ginigathhena [53km on A7] -> Hatton [13km on A7] -> Thalawakele [17km on A7] -> Nanu-Oya [17km on A7] -> Black Pool [4km on A7] -> Ambewela [10km] -> Pattipola [6km] -> Pattipola Entrance [5km]

Total Distance fromColombois 185km

Route 2 – From Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya -> Black Pool [6km on A5 & A7] -> Ambewela [10km] -> Pattipola [6km] -> Pattipola Entrance [5km]

Total Distance from Nuwara Eliya is 27km

Route 3 – From Bandarawela

Bandarawela -> Boralanda (Via Hputale or Diyathalawa) -> Ohiya [13km] -> Ohiya Entrance [5km] -> Horton Plains National Park Visitor Center [5km] -> Pattipola Entrance [5km]

Total Distance from Bandarawela is approximately 40 – 45km depending on the route taken to Boralanda

Pattipola Entrance of HortonPlains National Park is accessible by any kind of a vehicle which is not very long (because of hairpin bends).

Trail End: Thotupola Kanda Peak             Total Length: 1.3 km

Elevation Gain: 200m (Elevation at Trail Head: 2170m | Elevation at Trail End: 2361m)

Approximate time: 1 hour

Hiking Season: Best months are February to April. July to September is also fairly dry. Avoid monsoon months.

Permit Required: YES. Permit can be obtained from the Pattipola Entrance –HortonPlainsNational Park

Trail to Thotupola kanda will let you experience the unique montane forest ecosystem of Horton plains with minimum difficulty. On a clear day, you will be able to enjoy the breath-taking view of the surrounding savanna and forest patches of Horton Plains from the summit.

Even though Thotupola kanda is the third highest peak inSri Lanka, this trail is easy to tackle since the elevation gain from trail head to the peak is quite small.

The trail head is located on Pattipola – Ohiya road. Walk 400m from the Pattipola entrance of Horton plain National park towards Ohiya. Then turn left on to the trail from the waypoint TP01.

0 to 400m: Enter the trail from the main road climbing few cement steps. As you proceed, the first 150m of the trail will be fairly flat. The trail goes through a fairly dense forest with thick under growth. At around 180m from the trail head a less prominent trail can be seen merging from your right (waypoint: TP02). Do not turn; continue along the left branch which is the more prominent trail.

At around 200m from the trail head, you will experience a slight ascend. After the climb the trail will again become flat. The trails then goes through a slight descend, and at around 400m from the trail head, you will reach an important point where the trail makes a 90 degree right turn (way point: TP03).

400m to 1.3km: As you walk along the trail after making the sharp right turn, you will experience a section with moderate ascend at around 600m from the trail head (waypoint: TP04). You will experience a change in the vegetation pattern as well. The larger trees will disappear and you will be surrounded by smaller bushes and scrubs. This change may be due to very strong winds present in the area.

At around 800m from the trail head, you will reach a point which is somewhat like a small peak (waypoint: TP05). The surrounding will be clear with no trees or large bushes present.

From the small peak mentioned above, the trail climbs down a bit and enters a forest patch. There after the trail become pretty much flat.

At around 1km from the trail head, you will again hit an open area (waypoint: TP06). From this point onwards the climb will be somewhat steep for about 250m. After the climb again an open area will be reached (waypoint: TP07). After this point the trail will be flat until you reach the peak (waypoint: TP08). There is a small radio transmission antenna erected at the summit point.

Tips, Notes & special remarks:

• No water sources are available once you are on the trail. Make sure that you carry enough water with you.
• Fairly strong winds may be experienced at the summit as well as in the sections of the trail which is open without forest cover.
• Some sections of the trail go through thick undergrowth and therefore wearing shorts may not be a very good idea.

Way Points

Difficulty: Tough mountainous jeep track with hair-pin bends

You need: A serious four-wheel drive and an experienced driver behind the wheel

We drove: AToyotaLand cruiser BJ 43 & aToyota Hilux LN106

Trail Head: Kalupahana onColombo – Badulla highway

Nearest Town: Kalupahana                                       Nearest City: Balangoda

Access to Trail head: Horton Plains Trail Map | More about Horton Plains National Park

from A4 highway (Colombo – Badulla)

Trail End: Horton Plains National Park visitor centre                 Total Length: 23.5 km

Elevation Gain: 1291m (Elevation at Trail Head: 846m | Elevation at Trail End: 2137m)

Approximate time: 3 – 5 hours

Driving Season: Best: January to March (Possible: July to August | Avoid: Monsoon Months)

Permit Required: YES (Only if you plan to enter theHortonPlainsNational Park). Alternatively you can choose to go to Ohiya and back to civilization from there without entering the park.

This unique track will give you an opportunity to enjoy some of the best hill country landscapes ofSri Lankaand push you and your vehicle to the limits as you pass hair pin bends exceeding 15 degrees gradient. One section of the trail is so difficult to pass, so that it is popularly knows as the “Devils staircase”. You will also be able to see the highest waterfall inSri Lanka, the “Bambarakanda falls”.

0 to 5km: To enter the trail take left turn from Colombo – Badulla highway at Kalupahana, between 173^rd and 174^th  km post (waypoint KH01). As you drive about 200m along the narrow but paved track, you will hit a “Y” junction (waypoint KH02). Take the left turn from there. As you drive about 3.5 more kilometers you will reach the first attraction of the journey, Bambarakanda falls, tallest in Sri Lanka. The best observation point is at about 4.2 km from the Colombo – Badulla highway (waypoint KH03). Passing Banbarakanda falls, drive 800m to reach Bambarakanda rest (waypoint KH04).

Bambarakanda Rest is a small guest house managed by Mrs Sera Mayakaduwa. It is an ideal place for you to take a break and see around. There are many exciting nature trail in the area including the trail to the top of Bambarakanda falls and the trail to “Lanka Ella” falls, another beautiful waterfall.

5km to 13.5 km: This section of the trail is of medium difficulty. Occasionally you may have to engage 4WD especially if the trail is not completely dry. Make sure that you front wheel hubs are in “lock” position if they are manually operated.

Leaving Banbarakanda rest, continue uphill along the trail. Soon the trail will become an unpaved dirt road. About 1km from Bamabarakanda rest, there is a scenic outlook where you can see bambarakanda falls surrounded by the mountain range and Pines plots (waypoint KH05).

As you climb uphill you will be able to enjoy the breathtaking view of the vast Kalthota plains and Samanalawewa reservoir

Around 7.3km from trail head, the trail enters “Udaweriya Estate” through a narrow passage cut through the hill slope which is popularly known as “the V-cut” (waypoint KH06).  As you drive along the track, you will cross the stream which feed Bambarakanda falls.

Around 10km from the trail head, the first set of hair pin bends should be tackled (waypoint KH07).

Around 11.5km from trail head, there is a “Y” junction (way point KH08). The sharp left, uphill track goes to an estate bungalow. Continue on the right, slightly down-hill track towards Ohiya Estate.

Around 12km from trail head you have to pass the second set of more difficult hair-pin bends known as the Devils Staircase (waypoint KH09). Use the lowest possible gear and drive down-hill as slow as possible.

After the devils staircase continue to climb down. At waypoint KH 10 a smaller track merges from the right side. Continue along the main track (do not turn)

At waypoint KH 11, 13.5 km from the trail head, you reach an important junction where the trail divides in to two, giving you two options.

The first option is to take the left branch up-hill. This track will take you to the 26^th km post of Ohiya – Pattipola road. There is approximately 3km to Ohiya-Pattipola road and the trail is extremely challenging. This is the track we chose to take and therefore the remainder of this guide will describe this trail. Unless you are driving a serious 4WD you should NOT attempt this.

The other option, the right branch down-hill, will take you to Ohiya. Distance to Ohiya is   9km from this point. From KH11, you will climb down for the next 1.8 km and then will climb up for another 5.2km to reach Ohiya-Pattipola road. Out of this 5.2km, the last 2.6km is a well paved section. Up to the point of the well paved track the trail condition is similar to that from Bambarakanda fall. On Ohiya-Pattipola road you have to drive another 2km to reach the Ohiya railway station. Overall, the conditions of this trail are much better and less challenging compared to the left branch.

13.5km to 16.5km: As you take the left turn up-hill, you enter the most difficult part of the trail. This part of the trail will continuously challenge you with hair-pin bends with close to 20 degrees of gradient, fair size rocks, boulders and thick mist, especially in the afternoon, which sometimes restricts visibility to merely few meters ahead.

Length of this section is approximately 3km and the condition of the trail is pretty much consistent from start to end.

The only decision point you encounter in this section is the waypoint KH12 around 15.2km from the trail head. At this point there is a “T” junction and you should take the left turn.

This is the last section of the jeep track. At the end of the trail, you will have to take a sharp left bend and enter Ohiya-Horton Plains-Pattipola paved road at the 26^th km post (waypoint KH13)

16.5 km to 23.5 km: If you plan to end your journey at the Horton plains wildlife department’s visitor centre turn left as you get on to the paved road. Enjoy the breath-taking views of Horton plains for the next seven kilometers to the visitor centre (waypoint KH14). You will have to obtain a permit on your way there at the entrance of the protected area which is located 1.5km from the point at which you reached the Ohiya-Pattipola road (waypoint KH13)

Alternatively you can take the right turn and reach Ohiya town.

Tips, Notes & special remarks:

•  Try to start early and complete the unpaved portion of the trail before early afternoon (at least by 2.00 p.m.)
• Make sure that your vehicle is in good mechanical condition (tires/breaks/suspension). Use low gears (and 4WD where trail is wet) and be gentle on gas pedal to avoid engine over-heating and wheel spin. Drive as slow as possible, as fast as necessary.
• If you plan to enter the national park, make sure that you are prepared to follow the rules and regulations applicable in a protected area. For an example you cannot use musical instruments or alcohol in a protected area.
• Be careful when using water from streams. Water from streams running through tea estates is NOT suitable for drinking. It will be a good idea to carry at least 1ltr of water per person.

Way points

Trail Head: Ihala-Galagama, Belihuloya

Nearest Town: Galagama                      Nearest City: Balangoda

Access to Trail head: Paved road. Public Transport is available fromColombo – Badulla highway (A4) to Ihala-Galagama trail head. Account 0.5 hours from A4 highway if driving and 1 hour if public transport is used.

Colombo -> Belihuloya [158km on A4] -> Ihala-Galagama [2.5km]

Trail End: World’s End, Horton Plains                 Total Length: 9 km

Elevation Gain: 1350m (Elevation at Trail Head: 800m | Elevation at Trail End: 2150m)

Approximate time: 6 – 8 hours

Hiking Season: Best: January to March (Possible: July to August | Avoid: Monsoon Months)

Permit Required: NO

This is a trail with remarkable diversity of terrain, weather and vegitation. It starts off with a stretch across beautiful paddy fields. You will then be walking (and of course climbing) through pines plots, grass lands, montane forest patches, tea estates and finally through a cloud forest to reach world’s end.

Weather can change dramatically through out the day. The breath-taking views of plains and mountains get covered with thick mist in a matter of minutes. Sometimes you will be struggling to see few meters ahead of you due to thick mist and moments later every thing will clear up to the horizon.

Journey to world’s end is a single climb with occasional relatively flat sections. Trail does not go over smaller peak as in the cases some other trails such as the Palabathgala – sripada trail. Its one continuous climb from trail head to world’s end over 9Km tracks. There is a section of approximately 2km from 2.7km to 3.7km which is by far the steepest and the most difficult section to pass.

0 to 800m: Trail starts off at 3.5 km from Belihuloya. From Ihala – Galagama road, take the right turn on to the jeep track (way point: BH01).  Walk 200m across paddy fields and take a left turn (way point: BH02) from the “T” junction on to a narrower jeep track. There is narrow irrigation canal carrying water to the fields below. As you walk about 200m you have to make slight right on to a foot path.

Walking about 100m along the foot path observe the pines plantation on to your right. As you walk about 400m from the start of the foot path you will reach a point where you can climb in to the pines plot (way point BH05). You have two options at this point, either continue on the foot path or climb across the pines plot. We decided to climb through pines trees since it is shorter than going around the plot (a steeper climb though) and it’s always fun to climb though pines.

800m to 2.2 km: The first 400m through pines is a steep climb. At the end of this section you will merge on to the foot path and the track continues through pines trees on a relatively flat terrain for another 500m (way point BH08). While on this section you will most probably experience the climate change. Atmosphere can be cool and may even be foggy.

You will now observe some undergrowth and few native plat species competing with pines. In next 400m, pines will completely become absent and the track will enter a grass covered hill (way point BH 09). Climb the hill (about 100m) and enter a dense submontane forest ahead (way point BH 10).

2.2km to 2.7km: This section of the trail is a walk through submontane forest.  As you come out from the forest patch (way point BH 11) a mountain range can be seen in front. On top of those mountains lies the plateau which is known as Horton plains.

2.7 km to 4.5 km: As you come out from the forest patch you will immediately start a hard climb. For nearly a kilometer it will be a real stress test for the body. After the first 1000m (way point BH12) the climb eases off. Next 800m will be an easy climb with occasional flat sections at the end of which you enter the upper division of the non perial estate way point BH14).

4.5 km to 5.8 km : Once you enter the tea estate, you will have to climb some stone steps and get on to the estate jeep track. As you continue your climb along the jeep track, approximately 300m from the point you entered the estate, you should merge on to the main estate road (still a jeep track) going towards the managers’ bungalow at way point BH 15. Continue to walk uphill along the road until you reach the managers’ bungalow (way point BH 17, approximately 1 km from the junction where you merge on to the main road. Enter the Horton plains nature reserve from behind the managers’ bungalow.

5.8 km to 9 km:  From the manager’s bungalow the trail becomes a foot path through the dense cloud forest of the Horton plains nature reserve. You will have to walk through the dense undergrowth of “Nelu & dwarf bamboo. Even though the inclination is negligibly small in this section, walking through the dense undergrowth is an extremely challenging exercise. One thing you will most regret will be a big back pack. Quite frequently you will have to crawl on all four legs to go underneath “nelu”. This is where a back pack or (any bag for that matter) becomes a big burden.  Continue until you hit the edge of the plateau. You are now at the edge of the Horton plains. Enjoy the exciting drop of nearly 800m to the balangoda. You can walk further along the edge until you reach the world’s end observation point (Way point BH 19).

Tips, Notes & special remarks:

• There is an alternative road right up to the managers’ bungalow from belihuloya via non perial estate.  It will be a good idea to get a vehicle arranged to pick you up from the managers’ bungalow on your way down. (You need a serious truck with an experienced driver to reach there)
• You can also plan to stay over night at Horton plains (department of wild life conservation has camp sites and bungalows).
• Leaches may occasionally bother you, especially in the lower sections of the trail.
• Carry all your food requirements (snacks, lunch etc) with you.
• Be careful when using water from streams. Water from streams running through the tea estate is NOT suitable for drinking. It will be a good idea to carry at least 1ltr of water per person.

Way Points