With the reopening of the Kumana national park early this year it had been on our priority list for quite some time and finally we managed to make that dream come true. The camp sites were booked more than three months in advance as there is no other accommodation south of Arugam Bay. Wildlife department is trying to rebuild the destroyed circuit bungalows and hopefully we will get to use them before long.

We entered the road which goes to the tea estate. And the sun was directly over our heads, spreading its burning rays all over the area. It was really hard to find a shelter to have a rest in the beginning of the hike. We had a little problem to chose which way to go after coming to a junction. So we used our map to find the way. Of course Ashan’s Wangedigala trip report helped us as well. So we turned to the gravel road and start walking again. It was even hard to imaging how difficult it was to go up a hill with a heavy weight.

On our way we stopped at several places, first stop was near the Victoria power house office where the dam is visible. It was very difficult to capture a photo with the drizzle but managed to take one picture. Then again we stopped at “Hilpankandura”, there was a small boutique and we were in need of refreshment specially a plain tea. And there was a mini water fall adjoining the road it took some time to take the kids out of that place as they started playing in it.

We started from Colombo around 9PM on Thursday. We bought all the provisions needed from Cargills, Maharagama. We didn’t have a gas cooker or a cylinder as my friend who own those had given them to one of his friends. We tried to buy one for our selves but that too did not work out as all the 2.5Kg tanks were sold out at Laughs. So we decide to cook using firewood. After collecting everyone, it was around 12 PM when we left Colombo, and we managed to pass Lahugala by around 5.30 AM. Rising sun had made some wonderful scenery.

Started from Rathnapura (My Home) around 5.45 am , took 15 minutes to reach Rathnapura town . From there, straight to Balangoda (46km), early in the morning no traffic at all, Reached Balangoda By 6.50 am . Pumped Fuel and had a cup of coffee from a small “appa kade” It’s too early for me to have breakfast .Next stop will be at “ SUN HILL – HOLIDAY RESORT” owned by Udaya Abeysekara a friend of mine for breakfast .By 7.30 I was there “Sudu Bath and Pol Sambola” for my Breakfast. Spend about 45 minutes at Sun Hill.

We were beaten by sun rays showed no mercy. But in the next moment we were covered & protected by an umbrella woven with crowns of trees. Rubber was introduced to Sri Lanka by English in 1876. From the day it introduced as a crop, Rubber plant has been served the country for not only earning of coins, generating a culture of cultivation. Meanwhile rubber is known as the only crop which served the environment much the same like a forest. As like providing evidence for the same, the atmosphere of our surrounding became more & more fresh & comfortable in each kilometer.

We started our journey from Katubedda at about 11.00pm in the night. The crew was seven. We reached Colombo Fort at 12.00 am by bus. Then we took the Kandy bus and reached Kandy by 4.40am. By 7.30am we were at Bambarella village. On the way we passed a lot of beautiful waterfalls and nice sceneries. Rahas ella, Hulu ganga falls, A fall near Hathale tea estate and Two falls near Hagalla estate are some of them. Unfortunately bus was moving fast and I couldn’t able get least one clear photograph of them. I think Hulu ganga create more than hundred waterfalls in Bambarella, Panwila, Wattegama area.

The very idea of being able to visit Delft was so exiting since it has been relatively inaccessible for a long time. We were all excited in spite of being forewarned about having to forego the usual creature comforts that we were all accustmed to when on holiday. The varied sites all within this island also stirred our curiosity.
Eight of us, together with our van driver and a guide from Jaffna, visited Delft Island in September 2010.

Kotmale valley has been one of the places that I have always wanted to visit due to its hidden nature, natural beauty and the history it contained. This was sort of a quick trip which was planned about 10 days prior to the execution but even with such short time lines we were able to get together a good plan thanks largely due to the help from Lakdasun members. It has been raining quite heavily along the South – Wetsern areas of the country but we were determined to make the trip as it would give life to many beautiful cascades that would otherwise be non existent during the dry months.

Originally inhabited by the aboriginals commonly known as Yukkas. A monastery is believed have been built here first but subsequently known to have been used by a order of recluse monks who practiced a austere life style. No mention of this order of monks has been found since 12th century at Ritigala or else where and probably the monastery also has been abandoned since then. Ritigala was rediscovered by the then government surveyor James Mantell in 1872. Ritigala had been used as a base for battle by Pandukabhaya the founder of Anuradhapura city.

The source of this breath-taking, 116m-high fall is the Kirindi Ella (stream), which flows from its starting point 940m up the Kuttapitiya Mountain. The stream travels 13km before the cascading point in the Kaluwaramukalana Jungle. It then flows via the Denawaka River to the Kaluganga River, located in the Bambarakotuwa Jungle. Local villagers say that there is a picture of a tortoise etched into stone here.

We started our journey from Colombo Fort at 5 am and took the Podi Menike train to Pattipola. We reached Pattipola around 2 pm. After having our lunch and finding accommodation, we started hiking towards Thotupola kanda. But the bad weather and lack of time forces us to abandon it and we returned to Pattipola around 7 pm.