Lakdasun Trip Reports Archive » Exploring Ilumbekanda Duwili Falls (ඉලුඹුකන්ද දුවිලි ඇල්ල)

Year and Month	July, 2014 (25th)
Number of Days	Part of three days trip
Crew	Amila and My self
Accommodation	N/A
Transport	Bus, Three-wheeler and Walking
Activities	Photography, adventure and waterfall seeing
Weather	Excellent
Route	Colombo -> Kalawana -> Pothuptiya(පොතුපිටිය) -> Denawak kanda –> (දෙනවක් කන්ද) -> Ilumbekanda (ඉලුඹුකන්ද) waterfall -> Returned in same route -> Pothupitiya
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Although it is situated within Sinharaja premises no need of permission. Don’t pollute the environment by putting plastic and polythene items. Foot pathway is highly infested with leeches. Therefore need some protective method for leeches. Better have a known person from Denawak kanda village. We clarified our way from a villager and went alone. In that case ask someone to show the beginning of the foot pathway from tea patch. Foot pathway is there till the waterfall. But it may be less clear in some places. Always stick into the foot pathway. Sometimes it may be branched to Dola, but never get into river and attempt to reach the waterfall along the river. Because it is very difficult to walk along the river. But foot pathway most of the time lies on the bank of the river. Isolated single elephant may roam the area. Be careful it. Climbing to middle part of the waterfall is easy in dry season. But don’t attempt when waterfall is full of water. We didn’t go to top of the waterfall. A villager said it can be climbed on the side of the waterfall. It takes 2hours to reach the waterfall. Better have something to eat on your way. Having a Manna knife is compulsory to clear the foot pathway. You can visit at Mihinduthala Buddhist Hermitage on your way to Denawak Kanda. Kira Wewa is on your way to Pothupitiya from Kalawana. Road condition is good up to Pothupitiya. From Pothupitiya to Denawak kanda it is not good. But Denawak Kanda people said it would be repaired in next two months. First bus from Rathnapura to Kalawana starts at 5.00am. When it reaches Kalawana, a bus from there to Pothupitiya starts. (Better get this one without spending time at Kalawana as there are fewer buses). There are no buses from Pothupitiya to Denawak kanda. You have to heir a three-wheeler. It may costs Rs1000-1500. We went to Rakwana from Pothupitiya in our return journey. Last bus from Pothupitiya to Rakwana at 4.30pm. You can get food stuff from Pothupitiya. It is a fairly big junction now.
Author	Niroshan
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Exploring Ilumbekanda Duwili Falls (ඉලුඹුකන්ද දුවිලි ඇල්ල)

This beautiful waterfall is situated within the Sinharaja rain forest. It got my attention in my visit to Sinharaja in Kudawa side. But this was attempted by waterfall lovers from Morning side at Sinharaja. Mr. Thilakasiri (Caretaker of Morning side forest bungalow for a long time) confirmed the foot pathway to waterfall has been forested now. Then I was heard it can be attempted from Ilumbekanda side. From our inquiries at Pothupitiya town, we got to know it can be reached by Denawak Kanda.

After a strenuous three wheel journey (due to bad road condition), we came to Denawak Kanda. Our three wheel driver also agreed to join with us as he has not visited there before. His uncle was kind enough to show us the beginning of the foot pathway from the tea patch, but refused to come with us as he was busy with tea plucking. But he assured foot pathway is clear till the waterfall. Therefore this journey was an expedition for us.

Duwili Falls is indicated by black circle. Black star shows Denawak Kanda

Terrible road condition

Misty forest

Beragala (බෙරගල) Mountain

Scarlet Minivet (Orange Minivet)

Ranwala Waterfall (රoවල ඇල්ල). Situated at Denawak Kanda village. I couldn’t go there

Foot pathway begins. Crossing the tiny dam

Foot pathway to the forest starts here. Note this small house at tea patch

Clear area of the foot pathway

Following rituals

Heen dola (හීන් දොල)

Walking along the river is difficult as it is full of stones

Unclear foot pathway

Ilumbekanda Duwili Falls is 40m in height and it has three parts. We climbed up to top of the third part. Second part flows in two sides. It is difficult to reach lower part of third part. Earlier it was named as “Du Bili Wu Ella” (දූ බිලිවූ ඇල්ල) and later it became Duwili Falls. This is made by Heen Dola and later it joins with Kalu Ganga.

First sight of the waterfall

Note it can be climbed till 2nd part

First step and second step has two parts

Closer view of first part and right branch of second part

Right branch of second part

Fast and furious left branch of second pa

Most beautiful left branch of second part

On top of third part

Surrounding view

After a successful journey

At the end of the day. Captured by Amila

Mihinduthala Buddhist Hermitage (මිහිදුතලා ආරාණ‍ය සේනාසනය)

Mihinduthala Buddhist hermitage is situated 6km from Pothupitiya closer to the great rain forest of Sri Lanka-Sinharaja. It is surrounded by Beragala Mountain, Denawak Kanda and Sooriyakanda (සූරිය කන්ද) mountain range and a natural water stream flows into the hermitage.

This hermitage was started by Rev. Wiharahene Dammasiddhi Thero at 1978. You have to take right turn from the road towards to reach Mihinduthala Buddhist Hermitage.

Mihinduthala Buddhist Hermitage

Natural water stream flows to the hermitage

New constructions

“Dathu Mandiraya” ධාතු මන්දිරය

Surrounding mountain range

Misty forest

Kira Wawa (කිරා වැව)
This small lake is situated closer to the road from Kalawana to Rakwana in between 8-9km posts in right hand side. This was constructed by a person called Kira (1820-1865) without a help from others. He has spent about 25years to build this lake (1840-1864) and used only “Kithul Hula” (කිතුල් හුල) and “Kolapatha” (කොලපත) as equipments.
Later he was given a wheel barrow and a hoe by British government. He was considered as a hero due to this activity.

Kira Wewa is situated on the side of Kalawana-Pothupitiya/Rakwana road

Kira Wewa

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