Saree Ella - quaint waterfalls at the foot of Knuckles Range

Saree Ella is one of the numerous waterfalls in the valley of the river Huluganga, which marks the western edge of Knuckles Range, separating the latter from the Campbell's Lane Forest Reserve. The name "Saree" indeed refers to the traditional type of garment worn by the women in South Asia, as the form of the waterfall is wide at the bottom and has one single stripe further up.

The picturesque Saree waterfall is situated at an altitude of 976 m (3200 feet) above sea level. The two cascades together measure 20 m in height. The wide lower cascade is about 5 m (16 feet) high. The pool below the latter cascade allows a cooling bath without dangerous currents.   

A parking opportunity at the road, leading eastwards behind Gomara village via Lebanon Estate to Gomara Estate, is in only 100 m walking distance from the pool at the bottom of the waterfalls. The roads are quite bumpy in long parts. Saree Ella is located 2.1 km (1.3 miles) behind Gomara, This village, besides Rangala, is the most important starting point of hiking and trekking trails at the eastern slopes of Knuckles Range. Road distance to the imposing Huluganga waterfalls is 7.2 km (4.5 miles). Even closer are the Twin Falls of Jodu Ella, 4 km (2.5 miles) by road, but only 1 km, as the crow flies. From Kandy, it's 37 km (23 miles) by road, but due to the poor road conditions (and several photo stop opportunities) it takes almost 2 hours by car. The road along the Huluganga is pretty scenic between Hatale and Saree Ella. Due to the abundance in waterfall, the Huluganga valley combined with Rangala is a highly recommendable day excursion for nature lovers.

As said, the area of Gomara is also one of the best bases for hiking and trekking in Knuckles Range World Heritage Site.