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| Year and Month | March, 2013 (17th & 18th) |
| Number of Days | Two Day Trip |
| Crew | 4 |
| Accommodation | Rakwana Guest House. T.P. 0452246299 |
| Transport | Bus, Three-wheeler and Walking |
| Activities | Photography, adventure and waterfall seeing and sight seeing |
| Weather | Excellent |
| Route |
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| Tips, Notes and Special remark |
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| Author | Niroshan |
| Comments | Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread |
Handapan Ella (හදපාන් ඇල්ල)
This beautiful waterfall flows as a cascade from Handapanella Thanna (හදපාන් ඇල්ල තැන්න). Although books say it’s height is 23m, it is wrong as it is a collection of few waterfalls. Handapan Ella can be captured in Rakwana-Kalawana road (another route full of scenic views) in between 3rd and 4th mile post.
To reach Handapan Ella is somewhat challenging work. When we reach Rakwana from Colombo in early morning, Ashan has arrived at Rakwana and found how to reach there.
Following our breakfast we called a tuk-tuk to bring us to 4th mile post of Rakwana-Kalawana road. Our three wheel driver has a good idea about the area.
 Rakwana river flows from Handapanella Thanna to create Handapan El |
 Closer view of cascades |
After asking from locals about the route, we entered Deepdon tea estate and walked through tea bushes and came across a forest patch. We walked about 1hour through the forest patch and then came out again to the Deepdon tea estate. May be we missed the correct pathway.
Then we decided to reach the waterfall by walking up in the water stream.
 Handapan Ella and Sooriyakanda mountain range |
 Deepdon tea estate |
 The road we came |
 Upper part of cascades-closer view |
 Getting down in the estate towards the valley |
 We entered the Rakwana River through the tea estate. Mana bushes and forest patch covering the valley |
 Entering to the Rakwana river |
 Walking up in the water stream |
 Rakwana River…Started to ascend |
 Now she started to show her beauty by making small waterfalls |
 Ashan is leading in the valley |
 River started to bend |
 Slow shutter speed |
 Another waterfall.. |
 It was difficult to go through places like this. Needed to enter the forest and find our pathway |
 Now steepness is more…..creating more and more cascades |
 First place where we saw opposite mountain range-Kabaragala pathana(කබරගල පතන) |
 One of a significant cascade…I think this is seen in far |
 Now it became more and more difficult |
 Upper cascades |
 Same picture-wider angle |
 More and more |
 Ashan is not trying to hide. He wants to come through narrow gap |
 Surrounding view. Now we are in from sea level |
 Following this waterfall it was difficult to going up in the river. Then we entered thick forest |
 Full range of upper cascades |
 Upper part of the forest had a lot of trees belonged to palm family with thick undergrowth. Steepness was so high |
 Finally we reached the most upper part of the cascade. This was captured through the forest |
 Good view |
 Most right part of the waterfall is bit difficult to capture as we reached the waterfall in her left side |
|
 Had a day |
 Another night comes to Deepdon estate |
We started to climb about 11.30am and came back to Deepdon estate about 6.00am. If we continued the climbing through the forest following most upper part of the cascade we would be in Handapanella Thanna… A marshy land. Although had numbers of leech attacks and fear of wild elephants it was a memorable journey.
 Arrows indicating the part of Rakwana River we climbed. Small star shows the drop of Handapan Ella. Large star indicating the place of Handapan thenna. Total ascend in our path is about 500m. but within 1.5km – Click Map to Enlarge |
We spend the night at Rakwana guest house and started the next day to visit at three more waterfalls close to Rakwana.
Day 2
This day we have visited at three more waterfalls named as Galdoala fall, Dalwin waterfall/ ? Masimbula Ella and Arambe Ella.
Galdola waterfall (100m) ගල්දොලඇල්ල
This can be viewed from Rakwana town. But to get a closer view, we walked towards the waterfall in Rakwana-Deniyaya road
 Galdola waterfall from Rakwana town |
 Galdola flows from Rakwana mountain |
 Galdola-closer view |
 Scenic Rakwana-Deniyaya road. |
 Searching for a pathway to get closer view of Galdola |
 Lower part of the Galdola waterfall can be captured at Kirimandiya area in Rakwana-Deniyaya road |
 Middle part of Galdoala waterfall. Have to climb up in the tea estate in Kirimandiya area |
 Walking through Mana bushes |
 Middle part of Galdoala cascades. It flows and joins with Rakwana River |
 View of Rakwana town |
On our way back we got down at Alton tea estate and visited at famous bathing place called “Nana mankada”
Then we came back to Rakwana town and went in Rakwana-Godakawela toad to visit two waterfalls made by Rakwana river on her way.
Masimbula Ella/Dalwin Ella මස් ඉඹුල ඇල්ල/ඩැල්වින් ඇල්ල
This can be captured at Dalwin tea estate on your way to Godakawela from Rakwana. Although books mention them as two separate waterfalls, locals use two names for the same waterfall. (May be wrong)
 Beautiful Rakwana-Godakawela road. Initial part of the road (Rakwana side) is still under construction |
 Masimbula/Dalwin waterfall-This is Rakwana River. Height is 30m |
 Above the waterfall there is a dam to divert water for hydropower generation. It makes this small reservoir |
 Waterfall from top |
Another view
Arambe Ella (අරඹේ ඇල්ල)
To reach Arambe Ella, you have to further travel down towards Godakawela. From the main road, have to turn to a by road which is in right hand side in the Lenark estate. (Better clarify the road from locals) This road ends in the Rakwana River and we walked up in the River to view the waterfall.
 Rakwana River..needs to walk up in the River |
 A small waterfall made by Rakwana river |
 Another waterfall made by Rakwana River |
 Arambe Ella. Height is 54 m. Width is 14m. It is also a collection of few waterfalls. The pool at base of the waterfall is somewhat deep |
 The word Arambe means the forest which is full of fruits and herbal plants. There is a forest patch around it |
Following Arambe Ella, we had a bath from Rakwana River somewhat above the Arambe Waterfall. It ended our two day journey with waterfalls.
 Last shot of the day… |
Thanks for reading