Sinharaja Rain Forest - one of Sri Lanka's best hiking areas
Sinharaja is Sri Lanka’s second largest mountain range, al chain of hills in the south-west of the island. The forest at its lowest is 270 m above sea level. The highest peak, Hinipitigala, reaches 1171 m. Tea and pepper is grown at the eastern slopes of this mountain range, in the area of Suriyakanda, which is also known as Sinharaja’s “Morning Side”.
Halfway between southwestern coastline and highlands, is situated exactly downwind towards the monsoon and thereby the place which receives most monsoon rainfall in Sri Lanka. Annual precipitation is above 3000 mm and can even reach 6000 mm.
And this is why Sinharaja earns its reputation as the best example of virgin rain forest in Sri Lanka. The Sinharaja Forest Reserve is the island nation’s largest and best preserved tropical rain forest. It covers the western half of the mountain range. 21 km long and 7 km wide, the forest reserve cannot claim to be a huge tropical jungle area. However, due to its biodiversity and the plentitude of endemic species, it was declared a World Heritage Site in 1988.
Two thirds of its Sinharaja’s tree species are endemic, many of them are rare. Altogether, 211 woody tree and liana species are identified within the reserve, 139 of them are endemic. High levels of endemism are also probable for the lower plants like ferns and epiphytes.
The birdlife of Sinharaja is unsurpassed in Sri Lanka. The forest reserve harbours 20 of Sri Lanka’s 26 endemic bird species, because Sinharaja combines two vegetation zones: wet lowlands and highlands. Only those 6 of Sri Lanka’s endemic bird species that inhabit dryzone areas exclusively can not be found in Sinharaja.
Sinharaja Rain Forest is also famous for its butterflies. 50 % of Sri Lanka’s endemic species occur in the reserve.
Sinharaja is not a national park. (Wikipedia articles can be misleading in this respect.) It is admistered by the Forest Depatment, not by the Wildlife Department. This is advantageous for foreign visitors, as it means lower costs for entry fees.
And this is why Sinharaja earns its reputation as the best example of virgin rain forest in Sri Lanka. The Sinharaja Forest Reserve is the island nation’s largest and best preserved tropical rain forest. It covers the western half of the mountain range. 21 km long and 7 km wide, the forest reserve cannot claim to be a huge tropical jungle area. However, due to its biodiversity and the plentitude of endemic species, it was declared a World Heritage Site in 1988.
Two thirds of its Sinharaja’s tree species are endemic, many of them are rare. Altogether, 211 woody tree and liana species are identified within the reserve, 139 of them are endemic. High levels of endemism are also probable for the lower plants like ferns and epiphytes.
The birdlife of Sinharaja is unsurpassed in Sri Lanka. The forest reserve harbours 20 of Sri Lanka’s 26 endemic bird species, because Sinharaja combines two vegetation zones: wet lowlands and highlands. Only those 6 of Sri Lanka’s endemic bird species that inhabit dryzone areas exclusively can not be found in Sinharaja.
Sinharaja Rain Forest is also famous for its butterflies. 50 % of Sri Lanka’s endemic species occur in the reserve.
Sinharaja is not a national park. (Wikipedia articles can be misleading in this respect.) It is admistered by the Forest Depatment, not by the Wildlife Department. This is advantageous for foreign visitors, as it means lower costs for entry fees.
Hiking Trails in Sinharaja
Besides Knuckles Range and Horton Plains, Sinharaja is Sri Lanka’s best hiking or trekking area, at least during the local dry season. There are different routes, so you can spend several days to explore all of them. Most trekking trails lead to peaks, where you can enjoy nice views, or plenty of waterfalls, most of them situated at the southern edge of the Sinharaja range.
The four major natural trails start at the Kudawa Conservation Centre near the northern gate (road arriving from Weddagala, Ratnapura side) and near Sinharaja Adventure Resort, Birds Paradise Hotel and Yoho Kudawa Bungalow.
The most popular trail for weekend hiking tours is to Moulawella Peak (also spelt “Mulawella”) to the east, Moulawalla Trail is about 8 km long and reaches a viewpoint at a height of 760 m. A shorter hike of only 2.5 km is the Wathurawa Trail in the same area.
The Nawada Tree Trail is 6 km long and leads to the tree of the same name in southern direction. The name-giving specimen of the Giant Nawada Tree (Shorea stipularis), known as Yodha Nawanda Gasa in Sinhala, is 43 m high, with a girth of 6.3 m. The species is enedmic to Sri Lanka, it belongs to the species-rich Dipterocarpaceae family of lowland rainforest trees distributed in tropical zones all over the world.
The longest and arguably most beautiful trail, requiring a full day hiking, is 14 km long to Sinhagala in southwestern direction. Sinhagala, which literally translates to “Lion Rock”, is a 742 m high peak with a rock surface and steep slopes situated in the very centre of Sinharaja Forest Reserve. It’s a perfect vantage point. Sinhagala Trail and Moulawella Trail are the most scenic rainforest hikes in Sinharaja.
Sinhagala can also be reached on a shorter trail from Pitadeniya Conservation Centre in the very south of Sinharaja Forest Reserve, at the road from Pallegama (Galle side, near Eco Lodge Sinharaja).
Pitadeniya Ticket Office and Conservation Centre are also the starting point for Sinharaja’s classical waterfall hiking trails, namely to Pathan Oya Ella and Kakuna Ella (also known as Patane Oya Ella resp. Kekuna Ella). It’s 5 km long. Including another waterfall, Malmora Ella, the hike will be 8 km.
Only 3 km further west, at the village of Lankagama, is the group of the “Five classic waterfalls” near the Sinharaja Seyana Eco Lodge. The waterfalls are Brahmana Ella, Thatu Ella, Duwilli Ella to the west of the trail’s fork, and Ura Wetuna Ella and Galdoruwa Ella to the north of the fork.
A full-day trekking tour of more than 20 km (one way) leads from Lankagama to Neluwa, which is situated to the southwest of the Sinharja Forest Reserve.
Branching off from the gravel track are side trails to the waterfalls of Warukandeniya Ella, Thambalahama Duwili Ella, Kosmulla Duwili Ella and two falls called Thapolena Ella 1 and 2.
Confusingly, there is one more waterfall named Duwili Ella, but quite at the opposite side of Sinharaja Rain Forest, namely in the very northeast. It can be seen on a 15 km trail from Morningside near Sooriyakanda to Denuwakanda.
The four major natural trails start at the Kudawa Conservation Centre near the northern gate (road arriving from Weddagala, Ratnapura side) and near Sinharaja Adventure Resort, Birds Paradise Hotel and Yoho Kudawa Bungalow.
The most popular trail for weekend hiking tours is to Moulawella Peak (also spelt “Mulawella”) to the east, Moulawalla Trail is about 8 km long and reaches a viewpoint at a height of 760 m. A shorter hike of only 2.5 km is the Wathurawa Trail in the same area.
The Nawada Tree Trail is 6 km long and leads to the tree of the same name in southern direction. The name-giving specimen of the Giant Nawada Tree (Shorea stipularis), known as Yodha Nawanda Gasa in Sinhala, is 43 m high, with a girth of 6.3 m. The species is enedmic to Sri Lanka, it belongs to the species-rich Dipterocarpaceae family of lowland rainforest trees distributed in tropical zones all over the world.
The longest and arguably most beautiful trail, requiring a full day hiking, is 14 km long to Sinhagala in southwestern direction. Sinhagala, which literally translates to “Lion Rock”, is a 742 m high peak with a rock surface and steep slopes situated in the very centre of Sinharaja Forest Reserve. It’s a perfect vantage point. Sinhagala Trail and Moulawella Trail are the most scenic rainforest hikes in Sinharaja.
Sinhagala can also be reached on a shorter trail from Pitadeniya Conservation Centre in the very south of Sinharaja Forest Reserve, at the road from Pallegama (Galle side, near Eco Lodge Sinharaja).
Pitadeniya Ticket Office and Conservation Centre are also the starting point for Sinharaja’s classical waterfall hiking trails, namely to Pathan Oya Ella and Kakuna Ella (also known as Patane Oya Ella resp. Kekuna Ella). It’s 5 km long. Including another waterfall, Malmora Ella, the hike will be 8 km.
Only 3 km further west, at the village of Lankagama, is the group of the “Five classic waterfalls” near the Sinharaja Seyana Eco Lodge. The waterfalls are Brahmana Ella, Thatu Ella, Duwilli Ella to the west of the trail’s fork, and Ura Wetuna Ella and Galdoruwa Ella to the north of the fork.
A full-day trekking tour of more than 20 km (one way) leads from Lankagama to Neluwa, which is situated to the southwest of the Sinharja Forest Reserve.
Branching off from the gravel track are side trails to the waterfalls of Warukandeniya Ella, Thambalahama Duwili Ella, Kosmulla Duwili Ella and two falls called Thapolena Ella 1 and 2.
Confusingly, there is one more waterfall named Duwili Ella, but quite at the opposite side of Sinharaja Rain Forest, namely in the very northeast. It can be seen on a 15 km trail from Morningside near Sooriyakanda to Denuwakanda.
Important advice for hiking and trekking in Sinharaja Rain Forest
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Be aware, leech protection is essential throughout the year, unless it’s a very dry season. Without leech socks every hike in Sinharaja would turn out to be a bloody experience. Blue soap is not a sufficient protection, only a supplement. Dettol and other chemical are not 100% reliable, either. Only special leech socks are safe enough. They can be purchased at the ticket office. |
Visiting Sinhara is not at all recommendable during the main monsoon season between June and September, as the pathes are too muddy even during few sunshine hours and all birds and other animals will be hidden! |
