WALKING There are leisurely walks all around Sri Lanka , such as walking to a nearby village , waterfall , temple or around beautiful gardens . Some hotels offer in-house guided walks with a resident naturalist ( notably the Jetwing hotels , Heritance hotels , and Ceylon Tea Trails ). For more adventurous walks or treks , see our ideas below .
Walking in the High Tea Country This is the coolest and most popular area in Sri Lanka for walking and trekking amidst stunning mountain scenery . Mile upon mile of tea estates are interspersed with tea factories , hillside villages , market gardens and waterfalls . Stay at Ceylon Tea Trails and follow the trails of the planters of Ceylon in the enchanting Bogawantalawa Valley . Watch tea pluckers and visit a tea factory as you walk your way from one bungalow to another . Selfwalk with the help of maps or take a guide along the marked trails . Mountain bikes are available for hire for those seeking a more challenging adventure ( this is a land of steep hills and bumpy tracks ). The mountains around Nuwara Eliya , Bandarawela , and Ella also provide excellent trekking opportunities .
Walking in Sinharaja Rainforest Sri Lanka ’ s only remaining virgin rainforest is inhabited by around 95 % of Sri Lanka ’ s endemic birds . Naturally , the rainforest is dark and wet with high humidity ( 90 %). Visitors walk along set paths within the reserve and a national park warden will accompany throughout . It is feasible to visit Sinharaja on a day excursion from the hotels along the south-west coast ( allow 3 hours each way ). For something different , stay in a luxury tented camp set up in the rainforest especially for you . Rainforest walks can also be enjoyed in the nature reserves of Hiyare , Kanneliya , and Kottawe in the southwest , inland from Galle .
Walking in the Cultural Triangle The Cultural Triangle is a fascinating area for walking with its natural and rural settings , ancient cities , rock fortress and temples . Due to the hot daytime temperatures , it is advisable to do walking activities in the early mornings and late afternoons . Short nature trails can be enjoyed at all our selected hotels in this area . Heritance Kandalama organises guided walks to Aligala Caves and an ancient village .
Roadside fruit stall
Walking in Horton Plains This windswept plateau , 2,000 metres above sea level , plunges dramatically to the valleys below . A wonderful 9km circular walk affords fine views from World ’ s End , along mostly flat terrain , though there are some rocky paths and a steep diversion can be made to see the picturesque Bakers Falls . Longer walks can also be made . It is likely that you will see sambar deer , monkeys , lizards and endemic birds . Stay at Jetwing Warwick Gardens , Ceylon Tea Trails , Jetwing St Andrew ’ s , or the Hill Club in Nuwara Eliya .
Climbing Adam ’ s Peak ( Sri Pada ) Sri Lanka ’ s fourth highest peak ( 2,340m ) is also its most sacred mountain . It has been a site of pilgrimage for over a thousand years and it is worth the steep climb to the top ( over 4,500 steps ) for the surreal atmosphere and magnificent views on a clear day . The best weather for the ascent is between December and April , when there is less humidity and fewer clouds . We recommend walking up during the night ( about 3 hours ) to watch the sunrise at the summit and to walk down again ( about 2 hours ) before it gets too hot . The time depends on your fitness level and the number of people using the path . This is a demanding climb - you need to be fairly fit and not suffer from vertigo . We recommend Ceylon Tea Trails , which is about one hour ’ s drive to the start point .
Walking in the Kandy Hills and Knuckles Mountains The hills that rise around Kandy provide a verdant green backdrop to the culturally rich city and some interesting walking routes , particularly Hantana mountain with its forest , tea plantations and tea museum . You could stay at any of the hotels in the Kandy area , although Theva is very close by . Hunas Falls is well set up for walking excursions in the surrounding hills and in the neighbouring Knuckles mountain range , a rugged area of wilderness with rare dwarf cloud forest and peaks rising to 4,000ft . Easy to hard treks of 1 hour to 3 days duration can be arranged and there is a resident naturalist at the hotel . Living Heritage and 98 Acres are both so secluded that they make excellent starting points for self-guided walks .
Sri Pada ( Adam ’ s Peak )
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