We had started our journey around 7.30AM from Peradeniya and we had planned to reach Nuwara Eliya without the normal route (through Gampola and Ramboda). Actually Padiyapelella Ragala route is one of most beautiful route to reach Nuwara Eliya.

All this year I have been following streams and hunting cascades and there was one major pending to do adventure! As always I needed a motivation and Nalinda and the gang provided me with it. They did this trail 3 weeks back so I was tempted to follow their footsteps. For years I have noted many cascades above Bomburu falls and wondered how was I going to plan this trip but after getting few tips from my friends I decided to go ahead.

We started our journey to Bomburu Ella from Nuwaraeliya to Hakgala and turn left to Perawela village. Bomburu fall is the widest fall in sri lanka. There is about 2/3 km hike through the forest. There are plenty of leeches. Do not go on a rainy day. Do not bath at every massive pool; there will be a good place near the main fall.

Now that I’ve taken it off my chest, let’s see what was in store for me upon arriving in Kumbalwela where the Ella-Wellawaya Road begins. It had gone 8am, much later than I’d planned but there was hardly anything I could do about the crawling bus, when we reached Kumbalwela and waited for a bus to get us to Ella. The under construction road was full of dust and waiting proved to be a huge challenge but after it felt like an eternity, there was a bus and we got in quickly.

My efforts to catch up on sleep became futile so had a tough time waiting till we reached Belihul Oya for breakfast. Pan Cake just out of the oven washed down with ginger-flavored plain tea brought the active adventurer in me. From there the journey became more pleasant. The Walawe Valley stretched into miles with vivid colors. Finally around 8.30am, we reached Kumbalwela and got off the bus. Then it was another sometime before a bus arrived for us to get to Ella.

I was able to visit at following places at Welimada in two days. Bomburu Ella and climbing to top of Bomburu Falls, Ravan Falls, Sthreepura cave expedition, Mana Falls, Ganethanna RMV, Ulugala RMV, Keppetipola fort, Diwrumpola Temple. Famous Bogoda wooden Bridge (බෝගොඩ ලී පාලම) and Boralanda government farm (බොරලන්ද ගොවිපල) are also closer to Welimada. I couldn’t go there.

So finally I decided to tackle the rains, it was not a pleasant experience but my desire and the outcome made it pleasant at the end. On day one when I arrived at Welimada it was around 1pm and it was drizzling at that moment and I had to face a major obstacle which was a bus strike at that moment, somehow got in to a CTB and went towards lunuwatta.

This was a very well planned trip as our friend Lasantha’s home town is Welimada. We decided to pay a visit to his place and visit many other places. This came as a blessing having toiled night and day at office for nearly 2 months. So Roshan, Buddhi and I got into “Podimenike” leaving for Badulla at 5.55 am from Fort on 07 July. Lasantha was to meet us at Welimada.