Kudiramalai Point

Kudiramalai  is a headland cape, point and ancient port town on the west coast of Sri Lanka. It was once a flourishing emporium of international trade and the capital of an ancient Kingdom based in Jaffna peninsula of the Naka, before the capital was moved to Nallur in the medieval period. Situated on the Gulf of Mannar's coast close to Silavaturai, the town has a shared history with the proximally located Karaitivu island, the ancient port town of Mannar and the historic and famous Thiruketheeswaram temple. Kudiramalai is the northernmost point of the Puttalam District, and proved to be a useful subsidiary southern port of Mannar in the classical period, serving the island's northern kingdoms of the Jaffna Peninsula and Vanni country as one of their southernmost border towns. It lies directly west across the Vanni from Trincomalee (Thiru-Konamalai), home of the historic Koneswaram temple. The shores from Kudiramalai point 20 km north up to Vankalai village formed the most famed pearl fishing banks in the classical and medieval eras.
Famous rulers of this land included Queen Alli Arasani, Chief Korran, his father Pittan, and Korran's contemporaries Chief Elini and Athiyamān Nedumān Añci (father/son duo) and Kumanan. Traders brought several horses in watercraft to the island during the Sangam period. The port was known as Hippuros to ancient Greeks (literal translation of Kudiramalai in Greek - Horse Mount/Hill) and finds mention in the Periplus of the Erythrean Sea of Ptolemy. Archaeological excavations have revealed Kudiramalai to have been a site of ancient habitation from the 1st century BCE-to the 7th century CE and later. Kudiramalai's ruins attract visitors from around the world. It is now a barren dry zone landscape, with red earth terrain typically seen in Northern and North Western Sri Lanka, and sand dunes once serving as sites of habitation.

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Gal Oya National Park

After the end of civil war in 2009 Gal Oya National Park has become a major local and foreign tourist destination in Sri Lanka. Gal Oya National Park is situated 314 km from Colombo and it was established on the 12 February, 1954, in order to protect a portion of the 100,000 hectare catchment area of the massive Senanayake Samudra. It was created by the damming of the river called the Gal Oya with the goal of opening up 162,000 hectares of forest land for agricultural development and was handed over to the Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1965.  Nestled quietly off the beaten track in the Moneragala and Ampara districts, it is not somewhere you can easily get to on the way to anywhere else. 

There are no bungalows at Gal Oya, the closest being on the Ekgal Aru tank 23km to the east.  This is a tall, handsome structure with a large, pleasant garden wonderfully situated overlooking the reservoir.  The best way to actually see the Gal Oya National Park and the wildlife contained within is to organize a boat trip around the tank. The best time to visit is from March to July when the area’s elephants (Elephas maximus) congregate in the shallows to feed on aquatic vegetation. It is also a great spot for bird-watching. In addition to the abundant birdlife, the park also shelters the usual Sri Lankan dry zone diversity of mammals and reptiles.

The vegetative structure of the park is a mix of thick, dry zone forest, savanna and grassland with some remnant chena areas in the west. The highest point in the region is Govindahela, a dominating 573m granite outcrop that sits just outside the southwestern corner of the park.

Due perhaps to its slightly awkward location, Gal Oya National Park has often been bypassed by visitors, local and foreign.  It is this untrammeled character coupled with a truly awe-inspiring natural beauty that makes the journey so very worthwhile.  The park is also unique in the country in that the best way to truly appreciate its moods, shades and shadows is from a boat on the tank itself, on the inside looking out.

 

Getting There

Gal Oya National Park can be reached from Colombo via Ratnapura, Pelmadulla, Udawalawe, Thanamalwila, Wellawaya, Moneragala and then north from Siyambalanduwa to Inginiyagala. The park entrance is 20 km west from Ampara at Inginiyagala. Inginiyagala affords the tourists the opportunity of a boat trip around the great Senanayake Samudra reservoir. Ampara can be reached by domestic flight too.

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Kithulgala - Whitewater Rafting

Kitulgala is a small town in the west of Sri Lanka. It is in the wet zone rain forest, which gets two monsoons each year, and is one of the wettest places in the country. Nevertheless, it comes alive in the first three months of the year, especially in February, the driest month. The Academy Award-winning The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed on the Kelani River near Kitulgala,

 although nothing remains now except the concrete foundations for the bridge (and, supposedly, the submerged train cars that plunged into the river in the climactic scene). Kitulgala is also a base for white-water rafting, which starts a few kilometres upstream.

Large numbers of people make the excursion from Colombo at weekends to enjoy the beautiful scenery, play in the river, and have an excellent rice and curry lunch at the local restaurants.The Kelani river is wide at Kitulgala, but it is shallow apart from a deep channel near the opposite bank, so in the drier months it provides a safe and attractive place to swim, wash and play.The river can be crossed by walking out across the shallows and crossing the deep channel in a dugout canoe, which is Establishment with an outrigger.

Source -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitulgala

Whitewater rafting

Whitewater rafting is at once a challenging recreational activity and an exhilarating water sport. Yet contrary to the general public perception, Whitewater rafting is not a sport that demands great physical strength. Dexterity with an ore in the hands, an average level of physical fitness and an unruffled temperament would do. Whitewater Rafting, generally enjoyed in the white-waters as well as in other turbulent waters, brings about enthralling experience to the water sport enthusiasts.

Though ability to swim is a definite advantage, the Personal Flotation Device, the necessary outfit for a whitewater rafting enthusiast is guaranteed to save him from drowning in the rapids should he fell over board.

However those suffering from heart ailments, epilepsy as well as those who are uncomfortable in turbulent water aren’t advised to make a move on whitewater rafting. Some of the river of Sri Lanka affords the opportunity for the recreational activists and water sport enthusiast to enjoy whitewater rafting. The small town of Kitulgala in the hill country is the most famous whitewater rafting location in Sri Lanka.

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Sri Lanka full edit from tom haywood on Vimeo.

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Yala National Park

Yala National Park is the 2nd largest national park in Sri Lanka.It is situated in the southeast region of the island in the dry zone. The park is situated about 300 km from Colombo which is capital city of Sri Lanka. Yala park belongs to two provinces in Sri Lanka namely Uva Province and Southern Province.

The park divided into five blocks and only I and II blocks are opened for the visitors. The reserve covers 979 km², although only the original 141 km² are open to the public. It was established in 1894 as a Game Sanctuary.

Much of the reserve is parkland, but it also contains jungle, beaches, freshwater lakes and rivers and scrubland. The latter zone is punctuated with enormous rocky outcrops. The range of habitats give rise to a good range of wildlife.

Yala has the world's highest concentration of Leopards, although seeing this largely nocturnal carnivore still requires some luck.

of large-scale animal deaths from the tsunami was found indicating that animals may have sensed the wave coming and fled to higher ground.

There is also a substantial elephant population along with Spotted deer, Sambar, Wild buffalo, Sloth bear, Jackal, Mongoose, Pangolins and Crocodiles. The bird life comprises over 120 species, and ranges from Lesser Flamingos to Paradise Flycatchers, Crested Hawk Eagles, and Black Bitterns. Outside of the park are several other fascinating birding locations, including the ancient hermitage of Sithulpahuwa, Debarawewa wetland and Palatupana saltpans. The coastline forms a major nesting ground for marine turtles. The drier season falls between May and August and the park closes for a short time during September and October.

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Source - Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia

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Horton plain Sri Lanka

The Horton Plains are located on Sri Lanka 's highest plateau, between altitudes of 2,000 and 2, 300m. The landscape typically consists of undulating lands covered in a tropical cloud of forests or verdant montane savannah grasslands, locally known as patannahs. Visiting Horton Plains or 'Mahaeliya' as it is traditionally named is quite popular amongst locals, who mostly come to admire the views from the park's thrilling escarpments such as World's End at weekends . For this reason we recommend that you try to organise your visit during a weekday as this ensures that you will experience the Plain's isolated serenity. Visitors to the park can follow a 10km loop that incorporates all of the spectacular features, enabling them to enjoy them while adhering to the strict rules for environment protection and nature conservation. The best time to visit is early in the morning as this is when the air is likely to be clearest so that you can enjoy the best of the views. In the afternoons, clouds tend to descend and the area becomes submerged in mist. This is equally enthralling though and provides evidence for the evolution of this forest type. Allowing a half-day should give you plenty of time to enjoy it all at a leisurely pace.

The Plains are actually named after Sir Robert Wilmot Horton, a rather selfish and bloody-minded Brit (no surprise there then) who was singularly responsible for the slaying of all of the elephants in the area between 1831 to 1837. Although there is little hope of elephants ever returning, you can at least walk around in comparative safety admiring the many other interesting creatures around and about. Of these perhaps the most worthy of a mention are the Samber Deer, a common sight at dusk and in the early hours of the morning.

In order to get the most out of your visit we recommend that an expert naturalist provided by Eco-team take you around. These guides are good company and extremely knowledgeable; having their input can add a lot more interest to the trip.

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Sinharaja (vergin rain forest of Sri Lanka)

Sinharaja forest is one of the least disturbed and biologically unique lowland rain forest in Sri lanka. This covers an extent of about 11187 hectares from east to west. It was declared a Man and Biosphere Reserve (MAB) in 1978,as representative of tropical humid evergreen forest. This is a World Heritage site in Sri Lanka. Sinharaja forest is situated mainly in Rathnapura, Matara and Galle districts. Most of the endemic plants and animals are in Sinharaja forest. So it is considerd that this is the palce witch has the hightest endermism in SriLanka. And this is the most beautiful and the biggest evegreen rainforest in Sri Lanka.

The forest steeped in deep legend and mystery. The word Sinharaja means, lion (sinha) king (raja) and the popular belief is that the legendary origin of the Sinhala people in Sri Lanka is from the descendants of the union the lion king who once lived in the forest and a princess. Sinharaja Forest Reserve is one of the least disturbed and biologically unique lowland rain forests now remaining in Sri Lanka.

This forest covers an extent of approximately 11187 ha. From east to west the length of the forest is about 21 km. And its width from north to south is about 3.7 km. The Sinharaja forest was initially declared a Man and Biosphere Reserve (MAB) in 1978, as representative of Tropical Humid Evergreen Forest ecosystem in Sri Lanka and has been recognized by UNESCO as part of its International Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Subsequently it was declared a National Wilderness Area, under the National Heritage Wilderness Area Act, in 1988 and lately a World Heritage Site in 1989.It is the Sri Lanka 's first natural resource to earn this esteemed distinction. This forest is situated in the southwest lowland Wet Zone of the country at latitudes 6 21- 6 26 and longitudes 80 21- 80-34.It spans over the administrative districts of Ratnapura, Galle and Matara.

Sinharaja forest consists of a series of continuous ridges, aligned approximately in an east-west direction and lies between the tributaries of the Kalu Ganga in the north and the Gin Ganga in thesouth.

There are four main routes of access to Sinharaja. The Kalawana- Weddagala road from the northwest, The Rakwana-Morning side estate road from the northeast, the Hiniduma-Neluwa road from the southwest and Deniyaya-Pallegama road from the southeast. Among these roads the Kalawana-Weddagala road is shorter and more convenient for visitors traveling from Colombo.

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