Pink = Pilituda ella | Green = Marakepu ella | Orange = Maha & Bala ella | Red= ahasbokku ella (Click Map to Enlarge)

Black = Thambadola ella | Blue = Julee ella (Click Map to Enlarge)

Athwelthota is a well-known place for naturalist simply because many endemic species being found in this immensely bio diverse area. My visit was mainly to hunt few waterfalls which belong to Kaluthara district. I previously visited the same location in January 2012 but the water levels were so low due to the drought at that time. There have been few on and off showers around the island and that was enough to motivate me to re visit the area. I arrived at Mathugama at around 7.30am where I took a Kalawana bus and got down at Morapitiya junction. From there I took the road on the right (after passing the bridge) and travelled about 1.5Km and reached a road that leads to the left (just before the factory). after walking 500 meters i came to a point where I had to take another left turn and continued uphill trough a rubber patch, finally reached the water tank at the end of the road, from here it was a small foot path towards the last house, and from there onwards one needs to follow the water pipe which diverts water from the waterfall towards the water tank to reach the top of the fall. Mara-Kepu ella is a beautiful waterfall and a splendid place to hang around in the wilderness and this time I was pleased with the water level too. After enjoying some snaps I returned back to the road which I took from Morapitiya and traveled 3Km further along the road where I had to cross the river(at the end of the road) and enter the opposite bank. After travelling about 1.5km along the opposite bank one will reach a dead end and from here onwards you need to get down to the river and travel upstream. The journey will be a splendid experience for sure. You will reach Bala Ella after travelling 200meters and travelling further up will take you towards Maha Ella with its deep pool which is another wonderful place to isolate yourself.

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Marakepu ella 15m

Kalutara district Agalawatte in the world heritage Sinharaja Forest Conservation. Passing Matugama Baduraliya come to Athwetota area. Travel in the Morapitiya Mahawatte Kandy Road for about 2km to Mahagoda village the route is difficult being the route via Hettiyawattehena is over a slope and mountainous country. A km from Manaragoda the fall is in the border of Sinharaja.

Cascades arrantly from a huge rock Protuberance. In raining the water spews about 8m from the base and the milieu is shrouded in mist with howling winds. However dry spell see the necklace getting thin. The woodlot is depleted due to denudation and plantations also had coursed environmental depletion. Damn constructed *about 50m above making a rescuing feels about 200 homesteads. About half of its water supply is stored in a tank, with the spill over flowing to a brook. The fall itself is threatened with extinction name of this fall is said to be following the death of a Malay chieftain.

on the way to marakepu ella

met a friend

National flower

more scenery

a couple

almost there

Top of Marakepu ella taken during the dry season

top of the fall

they were every-where

getting down

the plunge

side view

Mara Kepu ella

Forst destruction continues

wow

Starting point

Bala Ella

Bala ella side view

top of the Bala ella

more to go

first glimpse

Maha Ella

experimenting with shutter speed

Emerald dove

Pulli dath ketiya

After enjoying those three waterfalls I returned back to Morapitiya junction and travelled further towards Athwelthota junction, just before you reach the Athwelthota temple you will notice Athwelthota fall/Pilituda fall which is formed by Athwelthota oya. This is a famous bathing place but it also has claimed many lives. After snapping around I continued towards Kalawana and reached Akasa Bokkuwa (4km away from Athwelthota) which is said to be Constructed during the first World War. From here there is a foot path upstream which will take you to the waterfall called Ahasbokku ella. Since I was too tired to do so, I proceeded further towards Kalawana in the trishaw which I hired and took the first road to the left which takes you to the top of the waterfall.

This is my favourite waterfall out of many. It pours like a curtain from the sky. This waterfall is also called Kabaragoi ella for some reason which I’m not aware about.

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Pilituda ella 5m
From Matugama Baduraliya to Ratnapura Kalawana road a peregrination entailing. 10km brings you to the Athweltota morapitiya village is the Meluwakande village is here and the fall is located to the left of the highway
The warrior prince Veediya Bandera had also found refuge in the Millen in its proximity to the highway has in field its popularity. However causing Adverse environmental impact there are sever natural stone wells scattered hand Pineal Ravummala Oruwala Pokinewala and Yakungewala respectively.

Kabaragoi ella / Ahasbokku ella 18m
Location: Kalutara District. Travel in the Road from Matugama – Baduraliya to Kalawana pass Athweltota and go ahead for 5km where Ambatenna Bridge is located. To the left is the Kumburhena Road. Travel for about 1.5 km, the fall could be viewed to its left in a slope of about 200m the area has been denuded by loggers.

calm Athwelthota oya

Pilithuda ella

during the dry period

Below the falls

HDR	and it flows

The picture says it

Akasa Bokkuwa , Sky bridge

Top of Ahasbokku ella

When its not raining for months

after the rain

Kabaragoi Ella or Ahasbokku ella

wanted to have a shower

After Kabaragoi ella my next destination was Polgampola. So I took a bus towards Bellana junction and travelled towards Pollgompola(Pelawaththa bus route) junction from where I traveled 1.5km on Kurupita road to take the first by-road on the right hand side which led me towards Thambadola falls. After traveling about 2km I reached the end of the road where you will find a well maintained foot path towards the Thambadola ella. This place is well known by locals and even foreigners (some were there when I arrived at the waterfall). The surrounding area of the waterfall was polluted probably because it was too famous. I had a wonderful opportunity to photograph two locals who were diving in to the deep pool repeatedly. I kindly advice others (who plan to visit the waterfall) not to do so because it’s a deep pool with many rocks which have claimed few life’s over the years. I proceeded further upstream in search of the last waterfall for the day which was Julee Ella. After having refreshing drip in the water I decided to get back quickly because it was drizzling. At the end of the day I was happy that I explored 7 waterfalls within few hours but unfortunately( fortunately ) there are so many waterfalls to be explored according to my ever long list…..

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Thambadola Ella 3m
Local villagers assert that this 3m-high fall in the Kalutara District is under threat and already its aquifers have been depleted as a direct result of logging. The loggers actually use the water as a means of transportation, floating the tree trunks down the fall. This activity, combined with tea plantations and slash and burn cultivation, is a serious threat to the aquatic ecosystem. A vast array of naturally occurring plants, as well as indigenous fish and birds, live in and around the fall. It is therefore of paramount importance that environmental safeguards are introduced before the damage is irreversible.

Take the road from Matugama to Agalawatte via Kitulgoda. At Polgampala, take the Kurupita road eastwards for 0.5km to find the fall.

Julee ella 3m
This 3m Julee fall is in Agalawatte PS, Kalutara District. Travel in the Matugama-Agalawatte Road via Kitulgoda and come to Pollgampala-Kurupita Town. From here, a further ½ peregrination along the Kurupita Road to the east. From here, go along the right side road for another km to where the Tambadola Falls is situated. About 200m above, is the Julee Water Falls.

Thambadola ella

close up

Locals & foreigners swimming in the base pool

Julee falls lower part

upper part

Julee falls close up

the calm and quite place

the two divers

YouTube Video of the two divers