Another off season Sri pada hike along the easiest route but through the mist.

Ballabandigala (බල්ලාබැඳිගල ) / Bellanbandigala (බෙල්ලන්බැඳිගල) is a 1935m height beautiful destination in peak wilderness and it belongs to the Nallathanniya route as it’s neighbor is Yaka Andu Gala (යකා ඇඩූ ගල ) and the waterfall. I have planned this hike since March 2018 but was not able to make it realize due to some issues. Even though we planned this hike in January 2019 but due to a very urgent matter we had to postpone this hike at the last moment. Finally, I had to make this hike realize with Sajith and Migara on a weekend in October.

Sripada (Adam’s Peak) is currently my favorite destination in Sri Lanka. I still remember that I had 2-3 opportunities to go to Sripada in 2003 and 2006, but I was afraid to go there as I asked that there are about 10-15km to be walked. At that time as I am a school student I don’t have any interest to go there. But soon after my adventure life began in 2010, I was planning to go there with my parents and sisters as they also need to have that experience.

Year and Month 2019 April 12th Number of Days One Crew 3-Chamara, Wikum and Myself Accommodation N/A Transport By bus, Hiking and Three wheeler Activities Hiking, Trekking and Photography Weather Morning sunny-afternoon misty-Evening rainy Route Colombo->Hatton->Nallathanniya->Sri Pada->Seetha Gangula at Rathnapura route->Darmarajagala->Back to Rathnapura route->Palabaddala->Kuruwita->Colombo Tips, Notes and Special remark Start the journey early. Follow rituals […]

Sri Pada Battulu Oya waterfall trail is a different experience to worship sacred peak. We have come across 12+ waterfalls in this route.

Bana Samanala Gala (2010m) is a fascinating rock situated at Peak wilderness. This is our successful one day journey to Bana Samanala Gala.

After a snail-like journey, we reached Maskeliya and bought a couple of essential things like instant noodles. We were planning to take a tuk-tuk from here but our luck held coz there was a Nallathanniya bus leaving at 10am. So having breathed a sigh of relief we got into the bus and settled. The sun was back and my hopes soared like an eagle. However as we got closer to Nallathanniya aka Dalhousie (remember it’s Dalhousie not Delhouse or Delhousie), those hopes came down and down like a deflated balloon.

It was very gloomy and there were a couple of passing showers as well. “This is going to be one heck of a hike” I told Atha and we both regretted not having brought the umbrellas. Well we shouldn’t have worried coz the usage of umbrella becomes next to zero after Geththampana due to the open area and strong winds. We had our long overdue coffee from the shop just before the bridge. Already there was a group of people getting ready to climb for a Pooja and we started our hike around 11am, after 8.5hr journey, well literally.

It is November the month before the official Sri pada season and I just couldn’t resist not visiting Adams peak before the crowds took over. I and Thinu were wondering whether to go to Sinharaja or Adams peak and suddenly the weather seem to be settling off so we decided to do an off season hike. Early morning we arrived at Kuruwita where we had breakfast and took the first bus (6.10am) to Erathna and from there took a trishaw to Adawi kanda (there is a bus to Adavi kanda at 7.45am). Sharp at 7 we started the hike and off we went through the overgrown mana section. The humid environment started to cause few problems within no time but we proceeded continuously.

We all met at Avissawella at sharp 11.00 as discussed earlier. We took a bus to Deraniyagala and got in to the Uda Maliboda bus which left Deraniyagala at 12.30 p.m. After reaching the Udamaliboda tea factory we hired two Tri wheelers to the base of First fall. After spending some time there we visited the second fall after a tiring walk through a footpath. But the journey was rewarding. We had a safe bath in the base pool and had our lunch there.

My kids school vacation is almost end and I was busy with my new job unable to take them for this holiday but luckily I was able to get some off days on the long weekend of Binara poya. After reading so many beautiful trip reports from Lakdasun I was forced by myself to take my kids out of our routine destinations (Nuwara Eliya or a Down south hotel) to show them the beauty of mother Lanka and to make them love with the nature.

As usual, this was another all-of-a-sudden-I-wanted-to-go trip. For some reason or the other, beginning of March, out of nowhere, I felt that I must go to Adam’s peak as soon as possible. I still have no idea how that notion came upon me but I was pretty much obsessed with it.

A set of monks at Mahamewnawa monastery (Welimada & Buttala) had decided to visit Sripada peak in off-season so as to get worshiped the noble left foot print of Lord Buddha freely, because during the functional season this noble place is busy with thousands of pilgrims from all over the world.
This idea was spread over 16 of us with in one day.