Enchanting Mountain trails
Enchanting Mountain trails
- Sigiriya | Gammaduwa | Riverston | Manigala Rock | Kabaragala | Knuckles Peak Hike | Meemure | Kandy | Kegalla
KNUCKLES mountain range, consistently tops the list of most tracking listed in the Island of Sri Lanka. There are several great day hikes to escape the crowds, but there is nothing quite like backpacking to fully immerse yourself in the park’s wilderness . There are lots of awesome backpacking routes in the park that tour waterfall, mountain summits , virgin forest , caves, Isolated village, paddy fields, flora, fauna and old growth forests. We’ve picked a few of our favorite backpacking loops for 10 days in the Knuckles for everyone from beginners to seasoned backpackers.
DAY 01 – Airport – Sigiriya
Overnight stay at Nagala Bungalow Campsite
the cultural heart of Sri Lanka. Guest who arrive in the morning will have the opportunity to choose to either climb the Sigiriya Rock Fortress OR go for an evening Safari at Minneriya National Park. Before dinner we will brief the entire group about the next few challenging days.
DAY 02 – Hike To Gammaduwa
Overnight stay at Nagala Bungalow Campsite
After an early breakfast we transfer (1.5hrs) to the small village of Andawala which is the trail head. Before setting of we will say a prayer and receive the blessing of the monks at the Andawala Buddhist Temple. Our hike starts of through tiny village paths and then leading across small paddy farms. We will walk along tiny irrigation streams for the first 2kms before turning off into the forest. We continue our journey through patches of forest interspaced with pepper farms till we reach the village of Hinguranketa. Here we take a short break and refill our bottles before the next stretch. The remaining hike is on tiny jeep paths till we reach the forest bungalow whose surrounding lawns will be our campsite for the night. Around the campfire we can listen to local folk songs with a hot cup of tea in our hands.
Camp
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinne
DAY 03 – Hike To Riverston
Overnight stay at Riverstone Campsite
Today we head to Riverston, known for its beautiful vistas of Sri Lankan Hill Country. Our hike starts from the remote Gammaduwa village. We start climbing uphill through pine forests and get onto the only trail to the extremely remote Kargastene village. This remote village is completely isolated and supports only a small farming family. From here the scenery completely changes and we hike across a large grass land for a few kilometres before heading back into the jungle. Our route crosses small reservoirs and streams before we reach the village of Puwakpitiya where we stop for lunch. A lunch that you will need to help cook! A nearby waterfall is a great place to go for a small swim before the next stretch of our arduous journey. From the village we need to climb through the forests to reach Riverston. Our path takes us through dense jungles that sometimes host elephants. We come out of the jungle in front of the famous Mini World’s End. The last stretch is on jeep trails up until the main road.
Camp
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 04 – Riverstone – Manigala Rock
Overnight stay at Riverstone Campsite
After a scrumptious breakfast we take on our 3rd hiking day. Today from our base at Riverstone we head to famed Manigala Rock. We start of on the village bus road before turning of onto smaller village back roads. We pass through bright green paddy fields. It is interesting to see paddy grown using the step farming or “Helmalu” method necessary in hilly areas. Our climb then takes us through the forests with a lot of small streams to cross. We then begin our climb to the top of Manigala Rock. From the top we can see the mighty Knuckles range which we will tackle the next day. After spending some time on the peak we begin our hike down back to our campsite.
Camp
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 05 – Riverston – Kabaragala
Overnight stay at Sandalu Bungalow Campsite
Today is a long winding day that showcases the vegetation in the area. We start in pine forests along jeep trails for the first half of the hike. There are beautiful views of the valleys around us the entire way. We then cross some thick forest brush and enter into cardamom plantations. We pass a small superstitious forest temple where people from all over Sri Lanka come to perform animal sacrifices. Our path then continues along the Thelganu Oya river till we finally come out into Tea Country! We walk the last few kilometers through a tea estate before getting into the busses and heading to our campsite for the nigh.
Camp
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 06 – Knuckles Peak Hike
Overnight stay at Sandalu Bungalow Campsite
Today we summit the famed Knuckles. Our hike begins on a jeep trail that soon gives way to Tea estates. We shall visit a tea factory and get a tour on the process. We then head into the jungle to begin the difficult climb up to the summit. At 1900m asl it is one of the higher peaks in Sri Lanka. Our path snakes through tea estates and jungles. We also pass many small waterfalls on the way up. Hopefully it is a clear day because the view from the top is breath-taking. After eating our packed lunch on the top we begin our descent back down. We then get back to our camp site again. Knuckles Range: – The Knuckles Mountain Range lies in central Sri Lanka, in the Districts of Matale and Kandy. The range takes its name from a series of recumbent folds and peaks in the west of the massif which resemble the knuckles of clenched fist when viewed from certain locations in the Kandy District. Whilst this name was assigned by early British surveyors, the Sinhalese residents have traditionally referred to the area as Dumbara Kanduvetiya meaning Mist-laden Mountain Range (Cooray, 1984).
Camp
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 07 – Knuckles – Meemure – Kandy
Overnight stay at Hotel Suisse
We’ve saved the best for our last day. Today we cross the Knuckles range through the scenic Corbett’s Gap. Our hike begins through crossing small streams. We could also spend some time swimming in a waterfall pool. We pass rice paddies and coconut groves and enter a heavily forested area. The trail climbs gently for an hour and then levels out and undulates though this wonderful forest. The only sounds we can hear is the birdsong all around us. We emerge from the forest at Meemure village and looking back we get great views of the pointed peak of Lakegala. After a refreshing swim in a waterfall we transfer to Kandy. Celebratory dinner at hotel Suisse.
Standard Room
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 08 – Kandy Exploration – Kandy
Overnight stay at Elephant Bay Hotel
Today is our well earned day of rest after the challenging past few days. We spend the day at leisure. Go for a massage in the hotel spa. Or if requested we can organise special day tours of Kandy City. In the evening we can visit the Temple of the Tooth, a sacred Buddhist temple. Kandy: the hill capital is another “UNESCO World Heritage Sites”. It was the last stronghold of the Sinhalese Kings during the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule and was finally ceded to the British in 1815. To the Buddhist of Sri Lanka and the World, Kandy is one of the most sacred sites as it is the home of the “Dalada Maligawa” – Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. Today it is the center of Buddhism, Arts, Crafts, Dancing, Music and Culture. Visitors can see these Dance & Music at the daily Cultural Performances held at several places in the city.
Standard Room
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 09 – Project Day
Overnight stay at Elephant Bay Hotel
Full project day at Kegalle Site.
Standard Room
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 10 – Departure
Safe trip home
We will transfer (3hrs) you from Kegalle to the airport in time.
Sigiriya
Sigiriya, also known as the Lion Rock, is an ancient rock fortress located in the central Matale District of Sri Lanka. Rising nearly 200 meters, the massive rock formation was once the site of King Kashyapa’s royal palace in the 5th century. The fortress is renowned for its stunning frescoes, beautiful gardens, and the Mirror Wall, which still bears ancient inscriptions.
Sigiriya is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its advanced architectural and engineering feats. Visitors can climb the rock via a series of stairways to reach the summit, which offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. It is one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic historical and cultural landmarks.
Kandy
Kandy is a picturesque city in central Sri Lanka, known for its rich cultural heritage and lush landscapes. It was the last capital of the ancient Sinhalese kingdom before British colonization and is home to one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in the world, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), which houses a tooth of the Buddha.
Kandy is also famous for the annual Esala Perahera, a grand procession featuring elephants, dancers, and drummers in honor of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Surrounded by scenic hills and tea plantations, Kandy is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a cultural heart of Sri Lanka.
- Inclusions & Exclusions :
The above cost does not include:
- Early check-incharges.
- Optional entrance tickets.
- Private safari jeep charges for Wilpattu National Park.
- Insurance.
- Camera and Video Permits.
- Entrance fees & tickets not mentioned in the program.
- Flights.
- Airport taxes.
- All expenses of a personal nature.
- Tips and Porterage.
- All entrance fees to tourist and other attractions not specified above.
The above cost does not include:
- Accommodation as mentioned(Subject to availability upon confirmation).
- Transportation with A/C Van and English-speakingchauffeur guide.
- Local government taxes & service charges.
- Basis – as mentioned above.
- Entrance site tickets mentioned in the program.
- Oil and Fuel charge.
- 1 airport transfer each way.
- A Dedicated tour consultant to attend to all your requirements/needs from the time you land in Sri Lanka till Departure 24 hours 7 days a week.
- Lanka till Departure 24 hours 7 days a week.
- Parking charges.
- Late checkout charges.
- Notes :
- Quote is subject to availability and price fluctuations prior to booking.
- All drive times are approximate and are subject to change.
- All reservations subject to availability at time of booking.
- The standard check in time in Sri Lanka is 1400 hours and the Check out time is 12 noon.
- Tipping can be US$ 15.00 per person per day, but depending on your level of satisfaction with our services.
- At local restaurants tipping can be about LKR 300.00 per meal.
- Lunch and Dinner and be from outside restaurants which will be about US$ 15.00 per meal maximum based on the dishes which you order.
- Cancellation policy :
For cancellations informed 45 days prior to the tour, we will refund the full amounts received less the bank charges. For cancellations informed in less than 45 days of the tour, our refund to you will depend on those individual hotels’ cancellation policies.
Payment conditions:
- 25% advance payment to book the arrangements.
- 75% balance payment 30 days prior to the starting date.
Other Conditions:
- Optional excursions and additional services could be provided for which we will charge additionally.
- Visits to wild life parks will be at client's own risk.
- Safari vehicles (non air-conditioned) available are very basic with basic insurance cover (not comprehensive as in the case of vehicles used for tours).
