We had reserved the Bambarakanda rest as our accommodation. After picking everyone, we left Kottawa around 2 in the morning. Stopped by somewhere around Avissawella for a tea and collected some short eat items from there. We were at Bambarakanda rest by 6.30 in the morning. It was nice to see the sun rise and Bambarakanda falls washed by morning sunlight.

Early morning we got up and left to Dothalugala Camp Site. Dothalugala Cabin is 2Km from Deanston. The road is mortable but some parts the condition is not that good. So it is better if you can use a 4WD. Dothalugala camp site is around 750M away from Dothalugala Cabin. Forest Officers provided us a Villager / Guide. Please make sure to carry enough kerosene oil and lanterns, because you are entirely depending on it and there is no electricity available for nearly 2.5KM. When you need to charge you phones and Cameras you can head back to deanston (2.5Km + from campsite) and get it charged.

Great Western at 2212 m altitude is the 6th highest in the country. Situated in the Nuwraeliya district, a rail station as well as a tea plantation near this hill carries the same name. Location: Great western station between Thalawakela and Nanu oya, to be precise it’s between Watagoda & Radella
The mountain spans about 1Km and it can be climbed from both ends. We chose to take the short path so we traveled along the railway towards Radella for about 1Km and then we arrived at a place (The Kovil and the Bridge) where the station master mentioned that there may be a foot path.

We started from Galle at about 6.00 am. We prepared our breakfast and lunch in advance. Drive to Wellawaya was easy because road is very even with the new carpet. Had some snacks just passing Matara and carried along.
Weather was pleasant at that time as you can see hard to find some sun light..
Seems to be the rainy season for Hambantota. Nice green all around. Can’t imagine that is Hambantota. Paddy fields filled with water.

We started the journey in the early morning from Colombo and we reached Kandy within three hours. We bought all the food items / kerosene oil from Kandy. We planned to stay first night in Deanston Conservation Centre and second night in Dothalugala Cabin and we had no idea that Knuckles has a camping site. If you need to book any of these places you need to book it from “Sampathpaya” Forest Department office and for that you will need a recommendation from a Forest Dept Official.

We started the journey from Maha-oya around 2.30 pm in the evening. This is the best time to start from Maha oya because by 4-5 pm we can reach to Maduru oya reservoir to see the beauty of it with setting sun and to see the wild elephant as well. We took the left turn just before the Maha-oya police station at Maha-oya town. It can be easily identified as Aralaganwila road and the name board is also there for Maha-oya hot water springs.

We started our journey form Maharagama at around 6.00am, The Hatton bus from Maharagama. unfortunately there was a flat tyre so we had to go to Awissawella and get a Kitulgala bus (Awissawella-Kitulgala) the crew was three; we arrived at Kitulgala at 9.15 a.m. despite all the obstacles. With the Kitulgala bridge there is a road called Malwatte road, we got in to a three-wheeler from kitulgala and went to Malwatte which is few kilometers away from the town, after we reached Malwatte we continued in the same three-wheeler as close as we can get to the path to Mannaketi falls which is trough a tea estate, the distance to the waterfall is about1.5 km from the tarred road.

We started our journey form Maharagama at around 6.00am, there is a special bus to Hatton from Maharagama. The crew was three; we arrived at Ginigathhena at 9.00 a.m. We got in to the Nallathanni bus and got down at the 4th mile post which is after passing Nortonbridge. From this junction it was a 1.5-2Km walk for us on a good motorable road.

Rajagala Kanda is the home to one of the great Buddhist monasteries of ancient Sri Lanka. No much archeological work has been done here, giving you a truly remarkable feel of nature and history entwined together as tightly as the creepers and trees in this heavily forested Kanda.

Our 2nd day objective was to do the Kirigalpotta Nature Trail and My Engagement on top of Kirigalpotta. But it previous night it rained….. Tent got damaged… didn’t have a good night sleep and crew members wanted to return home so we did Circular Trail. We finished the trail around10AM we had our breakfast on campsite and returned to the Van. But I had hope in getting Engaged on top of Kirigalpotta and I convinced my crew members to agree on doing the “Kirigalpotta Nature Trail” But they didn’t agree with me at first.

We booked the camp site 3 from Wild life department which was the totally isolated from crowd but unfortunately when we reach there, the camp site numbers had been changed by Wildlife Dept. Earlier site number 2 had been changed to 3. We got the camp site in between the two (1&3 earlier)

This was a real disappointment but anyway its bit isolated from the bakers trek. So its better to call and find out before booking.

This is a continuation of a 4 day trip. We camped First Night and before going to sleep our objective was to complete the “Kirigalpotta Trail” on next day. It was a special trail because I was planning to get engaged on top of kirigalpotta.

But unfortunately there were heavy showers at night with extreme wind conditions. Our tent got damaged. Water came in to the tent and we had to take a decision and there were no alternative other than returning back to our Van. It was 11.30PM and we started walking on the rain to the Van. Phew! This was a once in a lifetime experience. I don’t think anybody have ever walked around 12AM inside Horton Plains.