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Baker's Falls, Bambarakanda, Bambarakanda Falls, Bambarakanda to Ohiya and Horton Plains, Demodara, Devil's staircase, Nine Arch Bridge, Ohiya, Pattipola, Rail Hike, Thotupola, Udaweriya, World's End, Longer than 3, December, Dry Zone, Mountains, National Park, Hiking, Scenic Drive, 2012, Trekking, Waterfalls

Author: wije (11 Trips)

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Ohiya is a rural village and one of the most scenic and coolest places in Sri Lanka. Normal temperature is less than 12 Celsius. It’s a lonely and sleepy town. The entire town consists of two boutiques and the railway station only. Nearest town by road is Boralanda (10 KM). Nearest Petrol shed is Welimada (22 KM). Police area is Haputhale and the Police station is 24 KM away. Only public transport available is one CTB bus running between Boralanda and Ohiya, 4 – 5 days a week and there are no private buses. Only other option is to hire a vehicle. Gamini, owner of one of these two boutiques has a van and a three wheel.

During last December holidays we planned a family trip to this scenic village. We got into the train from Gampaha at 8.35 pm and reached Ohiya by 5.00 am next day. It was freezing at Ohiya station. Gaminie’s van was ready and we came to Hill Safari Eco Lodge which is 5 KM away from Ohiya station.

Directions at Ohiya station

View from the Lodge towards Deep South

After a snack breakfast we rushed to Horton plains in Gaminie’s van, where our trekker Thushara was waiting for us. By 8.00 am we started walking towards worlds end. We took the right turn at Y – junction and walked towards Baker’s fall. There was a slight drizzle but at chimney pool it started raining. At governor’s pool it was pouring heavily. We came to Baker’s fall with pouring waters from head to toe as we didn’t have any raincoats or umbrellas. It was a marvelous sighting to see Bakers fall in full flow with the heavy rain. I just couldn’t take my camera out due to heavy downpour but my son managed to capture few from his phone camera.

Fully stretched Bakers fall. Never seen her at this strength, before

From Baker’s Fall we walked up to world’s end observation deck and mini world’s end. Both places were fully covered with thick mist and due to heavy downpour, I could not capture anything. Thereafter, we walked towards the trail end. We came to the visitors center and had lunch at Horton Plains canteen. (Rice & curry Rs 220/=) You can contact the canteen on 0575614648

Our next agenda was Thotupola Kanda, but my kids were bit reluctant as we all were heavily soaked. My daughter was shivering. The rain has subsided but it was drizzling and my mind did not allow me to leave Horton planes without climbing Thotupola Kanda. I kept my kids at the visitor’s center and left to Thotupola kanda with Thushara. Trail head is 4 KM away from Horton Plains visitor’s center on Pattipola/Ambewela road.

This is the 3rd Highest Peak in Sri Lanka standing at an altitude of 2359 Meters from the Mean Sea Level.

Thotupola Kanda – Click Image to Enlarge

Trail Head

Thotupola Kanda trail

Obstacles

Belongs to a Leopard (According to Thushara)

Tree canopy

Summit was fully surrounded with mist and couldn’t see anything beyond

Summit of Thotupola Kanda

Thick mist around the summit

After spending sometime at the summit we came down and got back to Horton Plains and returned to Ohiya.

Common sight at Horton plains

Nicely posing, inviting you to get a picture

Day 2

I was anxious the next day morning whether anyone had caught flu after getting soaked for more than four hours the previous day. But fortunately they all were fit and we started our Day 2 Hike, Ohiya to Bambarakanda through Udaweriya. Sky was bright but we took umbrellas as we didn’t want to face the same experience that we had the previous day at Horton Plains.

It’s a 16 KM walk and we reached the main trail through a jungle scrub and it was a neglected tea plantation. After about 30 minutes of walk through the abandon land we came across a complex of line houses of workers and then met the main Bambarakanda trail. Kandasamy and his loving companion Tomy, showed us the road to the main trail.

Jungle scrub

Kandasamy and Tomy

There were many earth slip

Vegetable plantation

Estate workers’ houses and an office complex

The short cut, meeting the main trail

We walked towards Bambarakanda along the main trail. This is one of the most fascinating areas for hiking. Even though the trail is tough, the surroundings are absolutely stunning.

Lush greenery all over

The road was terrible and most of the areas were badly washed away with full of pot holes. Only a four wheel can pass on this road, but even a van with a high ground clearance also could get through.

Road was terrible

Only a four wheel can get through

We came across four mini waterfalls on the way and some of them were seasonal.

A mini water fall

Just by the side of the main trail

A hidden cascade

Far away from the main trail

End of Udaveriya Estate

Wind direction

Weather was changing with no time from bright sun to heavy rain. But we were not troubled as we were well seasoned for these sudden climatic changes from previous day

Had come on a long way, yet another long way to go

Walking another 5 km we came across the famous Devil Staircase, with closely placed four hair pin bends with sharp ascend

First and the second bend

Third and the fourth bend

My daughter was very slow as she is not used to this type of strenuous walks. She wanted frequent stops which annoyed others but I was happy that she walked up to the end, without a fuss. Thanks to Jeewani we walked ahead about another 2 KM to see the waters of Bambarakanda crossing the trail. Then we crossed a footbridge.

This water goes to form Bambarakanda

Crossing the footbridge

Once you pass this footbridge you come across the famous V- cut. After passing the V- cut we glimpsed Bambarakanda fall at a fair distance.

V- cut

First glimpse of Bambarakanda at a distance

There was another 3 KM from this place. After passing tea estates the final path of the trail was a pine plot and the road was in good shape. There was about half KM paved with brick tiles and beyond that was a tarry road.

Paved with brick tiles

Tar road finally

We turned to our right from the main trail into a pine forest and climbed another 500 meters to reach this magnificent water fall. This is the tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka with a height of 263 m (863 ft).

She was in all her glory and the place is windy. The powerful blow causes gushing of waters to sprinkle on us. It really eased all tiredness of a long walk in a second, with its cooling surroundings.

End of a long journey

We were mesmerized by the natural beauty of this giant water fall. When you look at her closely you can observe several rocks jutting out from the cliff and it breaks the main water flow into several streams which enhances her natural beauty.

After enjoying the beauty of this marvel we hurried back as it was late and we were hungry. We came to Bambarakanda Holiday Resort where we were warmly welcomed by the charming lady Mrs. Sera Mayakaduwa, the owner of the resort. She is a true nature lover with lots of knowledge about the Bambarakanda fall. It was 5.00 pm when we had lunch and she was patiently waiting until we came and had lunch with us. After a very friendly and useful chat with her we left the resort and came to Ohiya.

Mrs. Mayakaduwa arranged transport for us and we came to Ohiya via Kalupahana, Beragala, Haputhale and Boralanda.

Wonderfully performing her natural beauty. View from the back yard of the Bambarakanda holiday resort

Day 3

Day 3 was reserved for the railway hike. Kids were all fit after the mother’s treatment on previous night with Siddalepa and pain killing tablets for their aches and pains. Having a quick breakfast we rushed to Ohiya station where Thushara was waiting for us.

I discussed about our route with the Station Master and with his blessings we started walking towards Pattipola along the rail line. Our first mission was to catch the Colombo train on Ohiya Railway Bridge. There are four tunnels in between Ohiya and Pattipola railway stations. Namely tunnel No: 21st, 20th, 19th and 18th.

Walk started from Ohiya railway station

on the way

Entering the 21st tunnel (80 meters long)

Tunnel 20 is smaller (19 meters long)

After going through the tunnel No: 20, we came across the Ohiya railway bridge. We timed it well to catch the Colombo train crossing the bridge

Ohiya railway bridge

Colombo train crossing the bridge

Then we crossed the bridge and walked towards the 19th tunnel

Crossing the bridge

19th tunnel also a smaller one (19 meters)

Then we came towards the 18th tunnel which is a unique one.

 

Quote from Tony

When you are coming from Colombo, after Passing Pattipola Railway Station which is the highest railway station of Sri Lanka, there is a special and important place to visit. 18th Railway tunnel from Colombo and darkest railway tunnel in Sri Lanka. This tunnel is the third longest (321.95m) of Sri Lanka. Temperature difference between both ends are different, Climate of both ends are different, Soil – environment – wind – rain are also different. Main important and specialty of tunnel 18 is both sides are strictly different.

My trio

Entering tunnel 18

My elder son started uttering all devil stories about ‘Mahasona’ and ‘Mohinie’ but two youngers were not shaken.

Its pitch dark towards the core. It is a long way to go

Coming out to a new world

We actually felt the unique difference of both sides of the tunnel. It’s a wonderful experience. One must experience it personally, which cannot describe in words.

There were another 2 KM to Pattipola station and we hurried up to get there as our next plan was to catch the train to Badulla which arrives Pattipola at 10.20 am. About 1 KM before Pattipola we came across the highest point of the Sri Lanka railway line.

Summit level of Railway line

Highest Railway station

We were just in time to catch the Badulla train and bought tickets to Demodara, our next destination. Rs. 50/= each for 3rd class. It’s a ‘goods train’ and probably the slowest train on this earth. I had a good nap and got up at Ella as I had to catch some pictures between Ella and Demodara.

Misty mountains between Ella and Demodara

‘Badu Kochchiya’ Passing Nine arch bridge

We got down at Demodara Station around 2.00 pm. My next plan was to explore “Demodara loop”. Demodara Railway station is located between Ella and Uduwara railway stations and it is a wonderful construction of the Sri Lankan railway network.

Demodara loop shown at the station – Click Image to Enlarge

Up county railway line is one of the greatest achievements of the colonial engineers.

Though the track from Colombo had overcome a more dreadful path through the thick jungles and huge mountains, the engineers were in a misery to proceed beyond Demodara and wanted to end the rail line there. Because there was a 25 meter gap beyond Demodara station and they couldn’t negotiate this gap as the maximum level difference that can be allowed in a railway line is one foot of inclination for 44 feet. “Looping the loop” was the only solution for this. It is said that the idea of this loop was a sudden inspiration that occurred to the engineers who masterminded the railway line, when they observed a cattle keeper undo his ‘thalappa’ (turban) and re-tie it round his head.

Having this idea in their minds they planned the Demodara loop which is called ‘looping the loop’ and after several years of construction, the track was finally commissioned in 1921, when the first train arrived at Demodara.

We got off the train at Demodara station and rushed to the backyard of the station to observe this wonderful loop.

The train which left the station little while ago, going round a mountain in a loop to make 180 degree turn, with a continuous descend, while keeping with the stipulated gradient of 1: 44, and coming back towards the station again, but to end up at a lower elevation. Hence it runs through the tunnel which is just beneath the station and leaving to Badulla.

Coming towards the station again. but at a lower elevation

Running into the tunnel under the railway station

We walked through the loop and came up to the tunnel and experienced the excellence of this locomotive engineering. The entire loop is 900 meters long and the Demodara tunnel is the 42nd tunnel measuring 172 meters long. Railway station is on the roof of this tunnel. This is a well known masterpiece of engineering feat.

After few days of the trip I asked my son to draw the Demodara loop, as he has his personal experience walking through it and this is how he saw it.

After exploring this magnificent loop we started our second rail track hike walking back from Demodara to Ella. There are two tunnels in between, namely tunnel No: 41 and 40. The Demodara loop is not the only railway attraction in this area. The Nine Arch Bridge is another engineering marvel along this rail line. My next aim was to catch the Podi Menike train crossing the Nine Arch Bridge. We had to walk 3 KM to this place. First we passed the 41st tunnel and then came to Nine Arch Bridge just in time to catch the Badulla train.

The unique feature of this 100 foot high bridge is that it was built entirely of solid blocks of rock, bricks and cement without the use of a single length of steel or concrete. The bridge was commissioned in 1921 to bring the first train to Demodara station.

The train which left Ella station at 3.20 pm came in few minutes and crossed the bridge.

Podi Menike train crossing the bridge

Train leaving the bridge

Podimenike crossing the Nine Arch Bridge – Video

How many times have I crossed this marvelous bridge before, while sitting comfortably in a train? But this is the first time I am crossing it with my own foot under an umbrella.

Sleepers were slippery due to the rain and we came across two earth slips. After walking another 3.5 KM we reached Ella railway station to end our rail hike.

Just cleared, previous day

End of a rail hike at Ella station

It was well passed 5 pm and we came to Ella town to have lunch. Ella town is a very busy town contrast to Ohiya. It’s a popular tourist destination and there were hundreds of restaurants decorated with colourful lights. It was just like ‘Vesak’ in Colombo. Under heavy rain we got into a nearby restaurant and had a delicious lunch and came back to Ella station to catch the night mail which arrived at 7.20 pm and reached Ohiya by 9.30pm.

All in all we have done 43 KM by foot during these three days.

My wife, not the ideal one for this type of journeys, did not join in any of these hikes but stayed back at the lodge. It was a good relaxing holiday for her ‘no cooking, no washing’.

Day 4

We packed up everything to get back home. This is also a new experience for kids as we were to travel in ‘Exporail’. This is a luxury compartment owned by a private firm connected to the normal train. You can book your Esporail tickets online.

We came to Ohiya station at 10.30 am as the Podi menike train was scheduled to reach Ohiya at 11.10 am. But when we came to the station we got the shocking news that the train was cancelled due to an earth slip on previous night at Idalgashinna. We were in a mystery but Gaminie promised me he will take us to Gampaha in his van and I agreed as there was no other option. These station masters are very helpful and he was taking calls all over and suddenly came and told me the earth slip was cleared and the Udarata Menike which scheduled to leave Badulla at 11.50 am is running in time. We all were thrilled with the happy news.

We were idling at the station for nearly four hours with gossips and yarns and got into the train which came to Ohiya at 2.15 pm and got off at Gampaha at 11.00 pm, ending a memorable journey.