Marco Polo described Sri Lanka as the finest island of its size in the world (and he had done his share of travelling!). From the tropical rainforest in the south, through the tea plantations and gentle rolling slopes of the Hill Country to the wilderness peaks of the Knuckles Range, few areas of this size can match the variety and beauty of Sri Lanka’s scenery.
Lowland Forest. Covering most of the southern and western portion of the island this tropical rainforest gives memorable opportunities for trekking. Highlights include giant Buddhas perched on top of jungle hills, secluded temples overlooking rice paddies, trekking through plantations of cinnamon, rubber, cashew nuts and bananas. This forest is full of wildlife ranging from monkeys and mongooses to monitor lizards, wild elephants and even the occasional leopard.
Hill Country. The Hill Country lives in a cool, perpetual spring, away from the often enervating heat and heavy air of the coastal regions or the hot dry air of the central and northern plains. Everything here is green and lush, and much of the region is carpeted with the glowing green of the tea plantations, with montane forest hugging the higher slopes. A string of towns and villages – Ella, Haputale and Bandarawela – along the southern edge of the hill country offer an appealing mixture of magnificent views, wonderful walks and old-world British colonial charm.
Knuckles Range. The hill country east of Kandy remains largely off the tourist map and far less developed than the area to the west of the city – a refreshingly untamed area of rugged uplands which still preserves much of its forest cover. The Veddhas (meaning “hunter”), were the original inhabitants of Sri Lanka, and are ethnically related to the aborigines of India, Sumatra and Australia. The Veddhas arrived in the island as far back as 16,000 BC and developed a sophisticated matrilineal hunter-gatherer culture based on an intimate knowledge of their forest surroundings. A small number have attempted to continue their traditional way of life and can be visited in their villages deep in the Knuckles.
Get on your bike and explore some of Sri Lanka’s most amazing and unforgettable locations!
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