The Horton Plateau is part of a nature reserve located two kilometers above sea level. The most famous attraction of the park is the “End of the World” cliff, more than a kilometer high.
1. On the road to the plateau (note Adam’s Peak, to the left of the roof of the house):
2. Train station:
3. Entering the territory of the national park, we drove our car straight to the beginning of the hiking trail.
4. The trail leading to the cliffs and waterfall is a loop route, approximately 7 kilometers. The elevation difference is not very large and, in general, the road is not at all tiring. The cliffs "Small End of the World" (328 meters) and "End of the World" (1312 meters) are located approximately in the middle of the route.
The road follows the river bed, which should be quite deep during the rainy season:
5. Cliff "Small End of the World":
8. The "End of the World" cliff was covered in clouds, unfortunately. According to our guide, this happens here all the time, so you need to be prepared for the fact that visibility will be very limited. However, the clouds were constantly moving, periodically revealing views of the neighboring mountains:
11. We are sitting on the edge of a cliff. I thought that perhaps the place was called the End of the World not because the earth goes down like a sheer cliff, but because of the fog, which represents a kind of “nothing,” the border where the world ends and beyond which there is nothing.
12. And finally, the ocean appeared through the curtain:
14. Very picturesque road back.
16. We didn’t meet any special animals in the park; we need to go to other places for them, for example, to Yallu or to the rain forest. A small snake lying peacefully on the road. What if it's poisonous?
17. Baker's Falls waterfall is more than 20 meters high. It is also located on the circular route, but you need to go down a steep path to get to it:
19. After leaving the park, we stood for a while at the railway crossing, letting the train pass. The Vancouver diesel locomotive was transferred by Canada to Sri Lanka under the Colombo Plan Aid in 1961:
20. Not India, of course, but the people just as conscientiously hang out of a moving train:
To be continued...
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The Horton Plains are located 32 km south of, covering an area of 3,160 hectares and extending for many kilometers, and is part of a national park located at an altitude of 2,134 m above sea level. (cm. ). Previously, elephants lived here, now deer, roe deer, jackals and leopards lived here. The lower part of the plateau, swampy in places and cut by streams, gradually turns into areas overgrown with trees and then into a gorge, blown by the winds. Here you can see rare species of plants, butterflies, birds, and monkeys. But the main attraction of the Horton plateau is rightfully considered the “End of the World” - a slope that abruptly ends vertically, first at 328 m, and then at another 1312 m. The view from here is one of the most wonderful in Sri Lanka. On a clear early morning, the expanses of the Indian Ocean stretching beyond the horizon open to your eyes. The Horton Plateau is probably one of the most environmentally friendly places in the world. It should be noted that smoking is strictly prohibited on the Horton Plateau...! By visiting this amazing corner of Sri Lanka, you will have the opportunity to expand your understanding of the natural diversity of the island.
The best time to visit Horton Plateau is early morning. It is believed that the weather is usually clear in the morning. But there is no guarantee that in a couple of hours, clouds will appear directly overhead and there will be a light drizzle from time to time. We recommend taking a windbreaker, a small backpack, and a thermos with hot tea or coffee. Don't forget about your camera. You should wear shoes with protectors on your feet. The air temperature will change from morning to noon, from approximately +12 to +23C. The length of the route to the "End of the World" cliff is about 5.5 km. About the same distance back, but along a different route. The entire walk takes from 3 to 4 hours.
The route follows a hard path of yellowish and red soils, bordered first by grass and shrubs, and then by primeval forest with intricately twisting tree roots among tree ferns. In the most interesting places the trail is equipped with observation platforms. Along the way you will see grassy wastelands called pathans, streams and small clear lakes, a prehistoric forest with lichens, mosses, ferns and mosses covering the trunks, branches and roots of trees, as well as the amazingly beautiful Baker Falls. From the animal world you will probably come across forest deer, possibly roe deer, monkeys, giant squirrels, as well as many species of birds.
The last point of the route will be the “End of the World” rock cliff, equipped with two observation platforms at different heights. Your gaze will reveal majestic mountain peaks, lost in a light haze or buried in caps of clouds. If the weather is excellent and the air is completely transparent, you will see a stunningly beautiful mountain gorge with a barely noticeable river flowing through it. You don’t want to leave at all, and only after admiring the surrounding beauty to your heart’s content can you set off on the no less interesting return journey. For foreign tourists, the entrance ticket to visit the plateau costs $25 per adult and $15 per child. For organized tourists, entrance tickets are already included in the price of the excursion.
As you all have known for a long time, lately I have been drawn to the wilderness - away from big cities and closer to nature. Therefore, when planning my travels, I increasingly give preference to places that are as far away from the bustle of the city as possible. - was no exception: while traveling around the island, I visited two national parks - Horton Plains and Yala. Today I will tell you about the first of them.
Horton Plains National Park is located on a rocky plateau at an altitude of just over two kilometers in the southern highlands of Sri Lanka. Usually its description in guidebooks comes down to a set of standard templates: clean air, endemic flora and fauna, breathtaking views - in short, an ideal place for wildlife lovers.
The main feature of the national park is that usually by noon the plateau on which it is located is covered with thick clouds. Therefore, in order to see at least something other than the white veil, it is recommended to come here early, preferably at dawn.
This is roughly what we were going to do, but the navigator, instead of plotting a quicker, or shorter, route, decided to take us the longest way possible - along some country roads. Having gotten lost a couple of times, running first into a river, then into an active military unit, we finally reached the road leading to the national park.
Little did I know then that there were two roads leading to Horton Plains. One is normal, from the outside; This is how all ordinary tourists get to the park. Another road - from the small town of Boralanda - although it is asphalt, it includes a wild mountain serpentine along which no one drives - even crazy tuk-tukers prefer not to bother here again.
Whether our navigator knew about this feature is a big question. But he paved the road to the national park along this narrow road, not used by anyone.
Whether it was long or short, we eventually reached the entrance to the national park. We were lucky that on this road, forgotten by all the Sri Lankan gods, there was this entrance at all - otherwise we could have simply run into a closed barrier.
The security guard, giving us a pass of some cyclopean proportions, noticed that either jeeppers, or fearless tuk-tukers, or Russians came to the park along this road.
While we were driving through Sri Lankan villages, trying to find the right road, while we were climbing up the mountain along a narrow serpentine road, while we were filling out documents, everything was covered in thick clouds.
There is a tourist route through the park - a circular path about eight kilometers long. Information boards are installed along its entire length.
The first half of the journey passes along an old military road.
There is a cloud forest all around. All year round it is covered with thick clouds, from which moisture condenses on the leaves of the trees.
The clouds, of course, add a bit of picturesqueness to this place. Without them, all these landscapes would not look so interesting.
Horton Plains is home to a variety of endemic animals, particularly birds and monkeys.
In general, wild elephants, jackals and leopards live in these forests. But to meet them you need to have incredible luck. We only met a couple of monkeys.
There are three main attractions on the tourist route: a waterfall and two observation decks - “Edge of the World” and “Small End of the World”.
“Little Worlds's End”. When there are no clouds, this site offers a beautiful view of the gorge below.
The second observation deck - “World's End” - is the main attraction of the national park.
It is believed that the view from here is one of the best in Sri Lanka. If you are here at dawn, you can see it. Well, those who, like us, arrive too late - look only at the thick veil of clouds.
Suddenly the clouds part, revealing a view of the gorge and the plain stretching towards the ocean. It all looks, to be honest, so-so - there are more beautiful places in Sri Lanka.
Horton Plains National Park (Hortons Plains National Park) is a nature reserve in a mountainous region with an area of about 32 square kilometers. It is located at altitudes of 2100 - 2300 meters, where the highest peaks are located. This place is a must visit if you decide to travel around Sri Lanka.
Horton Plains National Park has a full diversity of ecosystems: mountain peaks, grasslands, forests, lakes and waterfalls. Such conditions ensure the existence of rare animal species. It is worth considering that in most cases, after lunch everything is covered in thick fog, so it is better to start the journey in the morning.
Horton Plains National Park: How to get there
Airplane. Colombo Airport - Bandaranaike is the closest airport to the park. It is about 15 km from Colombo city itself, so you can take a taxi there or take a bus that leaves for the city center every 25 minutes.
Train. From Colombo Fort Central Station (Colombo Fort Railway Station) take the train to Ohia (Ohiya). A ticket for 2nd class is about 3 USD, for 3rd class – less than 2 USD. The journey will take 3-5 hours. To know more, you can use the official website of Sri Lanka Railways. Then by local transport - tuk-tuk - you will get to the entrance to the national park (about 10 km), the journey will cost you about 10-20 USD.
Automobile. By car from Colombo you can take the Ginigatena road (Ginigathena Road) - it is about 188 kilometers. Weather conditions in Sri Lanka can be quite unpredictable, so it is worth considering that the journey can take from 4 to 6 hours.
Horton Plains National Park Lifehacks
Since the destination of the trip is Horton Plains Park itself, it is worth preparing for a walk through it. First of all, you need to wake up very early in order to have time to fully enjoy the beauty before everything is covered in thick fog. Therefore, when calculating travel time, it is better to wake up at about 4:30 am. It’s best to have time to see everything before 9-10 o’clock. Clothing must be appropriate - comfortable shoes, closed feet, and a hat. It is worth taking enough water and food with you. Entrance to the park will cost you 20-40 USD. In the park you will be surprised by the beauty of the local nature, endless fields and dense rainforests, mirror lakes, gushing waterfalls and mountain slopes of the Ceylon island. You also have the opportunity to meet local animals such as deer.
If you visit this park, you should definitely go to the end of the world. This is no joke - The End of the World (Great World's End Drop) is a rocky cliff that is located 2140 meters above sea level. It rises above the lake and the lands below at a distance of 900 meters. World's End is located on the southern edge of Horton Plains Park. You have to walk almost 9 kilometers to get there along a hiking trail, but it’s worth it. The World's End offers truly stunning views and is one of the most beautiful places in all of Sri Lanka. But, above all, you need to remember safety: do not come too close to the cliff, it is better to move a little further away and enjoy the same beautiful view.
About 200 meters from the End of the World the road turns to another local attraction - Baker Falls (Baker's Falls). This is one of the most beautiful and most popular waterfalls in Sri Lanka. The height of the waterfall is not small - about 20 meters. The descent to the waterfall is quite steep, so you should be very careful, and in bad weather it is better to leave this idea until better times. There are also special places around the waterfall that offer the best views and angles for photos.
Sri Lanka is not only a warm sea and endless beaches, but also a vast mountainous region in the center of the island with its ancient history, culture and beautiful landscapes. We couldn't help but visit it. But we didn’t have time to go back to Hikkaduwa every day to spend the night, and it wouldn’t have been economically profitable. Therefore, we decided to hold a kind of excursion marathon. Trip format: new day - new city - new sights. Principle: We carry everything we own with us.
Articles about this trip to the mountains of Sri Lanka are combined under the general title “Excursion Marathon” and divided into days of travel. All events actually happened to us and are presented in chronological order. Five unforgettable days...
Horton National Park. On the trail of a leopard...
12/14/2015 ($1~140 rupees). A 40-minute drive from Nuwara Eliya lies a high plateau that is home to a national nature reserve. The altitude is about 2200 meters above sea level. Here tourists take an independent walk through the jungle without a guide. They observe various animals in their natural habitat, including predators.
We start moving at five in the morning. Our driver is in a hurry, stepping on the gas: the standard trip program includes meeting the Sun at the top of the plateau.
We are not alone in wanting to see the first rays of the sun and wild animals. There are a lot of cars. The road is winding and narrow. Fortunately, we make it in time. Today the sun rose under our watch.
It gets light quickly and we drive up to the ticket office.
Not far from the entrance, the driver shows us a large, handsome deer resting not far from the road.
Entrance fee to Horton National Park costs ~2500 rupees (~$17) per person. Everyone's belongings are checked for plastic bags, and plastic bottles are asked not to be thrown within the park and to be quiet. Having passed control and instructions, we cheerfully rush along the well-trodden path.
“And the road is not easy, let’s say without hiding...”
There are ten kilometers of communication with the flora and fauna ahead. At first we walk with caution, looking around. After all, here a leopard could be hiding behind every bush... We turn our heads, look around and look for herds of deer and wild boars. The walk is not boring, we periodically make fun of each other and confidently move forward to the first stop.
The path, after three kilometers, leads us to a steep cliff about three hundred meters high. We admire the scenery, relax, refresh ourselves, and take pictures against the backdrop of the mountains. We show ourselves and those around us brave courage by sitting on a cliff with our legs dangling!
A few years ago, one lucky guy from Holland, just like everyone else, was spinning on the edge, lost his balance and fell into the abyss. Fortunately, he caught on some bush, found support for his feet and waited, calling for help, for more than two hours.
This place is called - End of the world 1.
After half a kilometer we make a new halt: End of the world 2. The abyss is even deeper, about 500 meters by eye. We do everything the same as at the first rest stop. But we stay longer.
White clouds are clearly visible below. They entered our gorge in the distance, and flew to us, creeping along the bottom. And when they reached our cliff, they rushed vertically upward and flew next to us. I didn't want to leave.
The next section of the path was passed unnoticed. They immediately crossed the stream merrily.
We were no longer afraid of the leopard and did not expect to meet him.
A toilet for park visitors of an original design was discovered in the thickets. He stood on the edge of the forest in a very picturesque place.
So that toilet visitors can fully enjoy the beauty around them and not waste time, caring builders prudently made the wall opposite the front door only half full. Very convenient for tracking a leopard.
We moved on, in some places the road was paved with almost yellow brick. I imagined myself as the Tin Woodman - the companion of Ellie and her unusual friends. I was not afraid of water and boldly went down to the lower observation deck of the forest waterfall. It was discovered in the mid-19th century by the English explorer Sir Samuel Baker. Since then, this waterfall has been named after him - Baker Falls. The height of the water fall is more than 20 meters. Wonderful waterfall.
Having inhaled the ozone and refreshed ourselves from the splashes of falling water, we set off.
The remaining section was no more difficult than the previous ones, but I began to slowly fall behind. And I just wanted to get to the minibus. We've already ridden about ten kilometers off-road! But at this site, my big-eyed companions finally discovered signs of life in Horton National Park.
We witnessed a successful iguana hunt for a worm! And we also saw a gray mouse near the road. Well, not bad, for five hours of continuous searching!
Coming out of the park and approaching the mikrik, a surprise awaited us! A young deer came out to the parking lot. In Sinhala his name was Simba. He was not afraid of people, quite the opposite. Simba loved to be photographed.
Instead of the usual three hours on this route, we walked more than five. Our driver was already starting to worry.
When I saw the driver, I told him how I met a leopard nose to nose and how huge he was! The owner of the bus wanted to look at the pictures taken. I explained that there was no time for jokes, the food was gone. He was shocked because he himself had never seen a leopard here, but then I confessed and told him about the iguana and the mouse. We had a good laugh.
On the way back, already in the daylight, we saw that the landscape along the road was enlivened by huge wind generators,
carefully built by the Chinese energy campaign. We arrived quickly and parted as friends.
Here are the driver's coordinates: Sehabdeen Mohamed Shafith. Link to his Facebook. tel. +94775004241 You can also chat with him in the popular WhatsApp messenger. Can become your guide to all corners of the mountainous region of Sri Lanka. He is a good guy, so he received from us not 4, but 5 thousand rupees for this trip.
After a quick snack in a purely English pub, we hurried to the bus. It was 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Today we still need to get to the foot of Adam's Peak and settle down for the night.
Adam's Peak from Nuwara Eliya
How to get from Nuwara Eliya to Adam's Peak? There is no direct bus from Nuwara Eliya to Adam's Peak. We first had to get to Hatton, and from there to the village. Maskeliya, and from Maskeliya jump on a passing bus to Delhouse.
We were worried that something might go wrong. Some tourists advised that it was better to spend the night in Hatton? Hire a car and drive to Adam's Peak in advance.
We decided on the contrary, first to get to the village of Delhouse, directly located at the foot of the desired mountain, rent accommodation there and rest a little before the ascent.
We boarded the nearest bus and hit the road. The fare from Navara Eliya to Hatton was 120 rupees per person. We got there in 1.5-2 hours. Having changed buses in Hatton to the village of Maskelia, we went deeper into the mountain range. On the way, the rain caught up with us.
At first, everything went as usual. We were already accustomed to the mountain serpentine and thought that this would no longer surprise us. But when we got deep enough into the mountains, we had to fill in the gaps of driving in the mountains.
As the altitude increased, the roads became narrower and the turns became more frequent. It was possible to pass an oncoming car only by slowing down strongly and hugging the side of the road. On one side there is a cliff without a fence, on the other there is a rock, you can press yourself lightly. Closed turn followed closed turn.
The driver tirelessly turned the steering wheel and always sounded the horn before the next closed turn, warning the oncoming driver of his approach. He stopped completely and drove away from the same buses. Sometimes when driving around we had to turn back. The straight section of the route was often no more than two bus lengths long. At the same time, he dropped off and picked up passengers, adhered to the schedule, accelerated and braked, as always, listened to loud music. If you have a weak vestibular system, then before traveling to Nuwara Eliya and Adam’s Peak, you should stock up and take a pill for motion sickness and nausea.
It was dusk. We reached the small village of Maskeliya for 40 rupees per person and 1.5 hours of time, where fortunately a passing bus to Delhouse was waiting for us. We weren't alone. Several more tourists boarded the next bus.
The rain didn't stop. After paying 35 rupees for the fare, an hour later the conductor told us where to get off. Just opposite a number of small hotels.
We chose the first one available and settled in a family four-bed room for 3,500 rupees. It was 9 pm. We set the alarm clock, plugged in the chargers and fell asleep to the sound of rain. Get up soon...
Remember, the truth is in the numbers! Good luck!
