Hidden Trails of the Hill Country – 6 Days (Private Tour)

Upon your arrival and Siripgama, you will meet your trekking guides who will take you through the wilderness in the next couple of days. After orientation & briefing to the Programme, you will enjoy a light Sri Lankan dinner and participate in the blessings ceremony in the Temple and start the Climb around 11.00 pm and reach the summit before sunrise.

An earlier start time will be required during the pilgrimage season from December to May, as the climbing duration increases due to the sheer number of pilgrims heading up the mountain. After exploring the temple at the peak, you will have a short wait for sunrise.

(If you travel between the full moon days of May & December, night climbs are not encouraged due to minimal illumination, hence this would be done as a day trek)

TREKKING DISTANCE: 8 km (from Siripagama to the Summit of Adam’s Peak)
DURATION: 6 hours
GRADING: Hard / Moderate

At dawn you can experience a spectacular sunrise and watch the light leap from peak to peak on the mountains around you. You can begin your descent soon after and head back to your hotel to refresh and tuck into a hearty breakfast. After a well deserved rest and a hearty Sri Lankan lunch, you will head out on an easy half-day trek. This trek will take you through some beautiful tea estates in Hatton and at the end of it, you will go on a tour of a tea factory, where you will find out how tea goes from being a leaf on a bush, to a warm cup of golden goodness!

TREKKING DISTANCE: 5 km (from the Summit of Adam’s Peak to Delhousie)
DURATION: 3 hours
GRADING: Moderate

It’s another early morning start for you, and this time you will be heading to Bogawantalawa to begin the hike. The drive will take you to the start of the trail where your hiking guide will conduct a briefing on the trail, what to expect on the hike and the safety arrangements. There will be a few breaks during the 8 to 10 hour trek for you to rest, admire the scenery, capture photos, and of course, enjoy your breakfast and lunch. The descent towards the end is rather steep, but it comes with amazing views of the surrounding areas. The trail ends at Galpothuthenna, where a vehicle will be waiting to take you to your campsite in Belihuloya overlooking the Samanalawewa Reservoir.

TREKKING DITANCE: 18 km (from Bogawantalawa to Galpothuthenna)
DURATION: 8 – 10 hours
GRADING: Hard / 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 agricultural systems 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.

Surrounded by rugged mountain sceneries, the still calm waters of the Samanalawewa 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.

TREKKING DISTANCE: 6 km (from River Garden Resort to Kinchigune)
DURATION:  3 hrs
GRADING: Soft / Moderate

The trail starts from Kinchigune, overlooking the Samanalawewa Reservoir. You will venture through paddy fields and vegetable gardens to a narrow gravel road that takes you to a small village school and local blacksmith’s workshop. From there, you will continue to a tarred road, surrounded by typical shrub vegetations (consisting mainly of ‘Maliththa’ – Woodfordia fruticosa). After a couple of kilometers, you will arrive in a Buddhist Temple. This 350-year-old wooden temple is well worth a visit, and the local monks will happily answer to your questions about it’s history.

The trail will then take you through uninhabited forests to Walawe River and to the rocky lands across it. Apart from some small groups of local gem miners, it is rare to meet any people in this desolate area that is home to many animals and birds – such as sambhur deer, Indian munjak, flying and giant squirrels, changeable hawk eagle, brown fish owl, stork-billed kingfisher, gray hornbill, and various species of lizards and butterflies. Sometimes, even the migratory elephant can be spotted here.

The campsite will be set by the river, where you can have lunch and enjoy a refreshing dip in cool water. The dinner will be cooked by the campfire, in the most beautiful setting under the stars! And your guides, taking care of the lookout duty, will assure you a peaceful sleep throughout the night.

TREKKING DISTANCE: 13 km starting from Kinchigune
DURATION:  7 – 8 hrs
GRADING: Moderate / Hard

After decamping in the morning, the trek will continue in the cool shade of riverine forests to ‘Thunkinda’ where the river divides into three streams that rejoin after about 300 metres. The 100 kms trail will end by the majestic Duwili Ella, also known as the ‘Walawe Ganga Falls’. It plunges a dramatic 25 meters into a large deep pool creating a misty cloud. Hence the name ‘Duwili Ella’ – in Sinhalese ‘Duwili’ means ‘dust’ and ‘Ella’ is ‘waterfall’).

These impressive sceneries offer a perfect setting for a delicious lunch, brought fresh from our River Garden Restaurant in Belihuloya. Before the departure to your next destination, you may enjoy an invigorating river bath too.

TREKKING DISTANCE: 5 km ending by Duwili Ella Waterfall
DURATION:  3 – 4 hrs
GRADING: Moderate / Hard