Although Sri Lanka is world-famous as a stunning beach destination, it has a number of breathtaking hiking trails that are great for hiking & trekking. You can be active on your holiday while enjoying the serendipity of the peaceful countryside. Hiking & trekking allow you to see deeper of the places you’re visiting. Rather than congesting in heavily crowded major tourist attractions, you can get a real feel of the country’s vibes on the hiking trails.
So do you like to know what makes Sri Lanka such a great place for hikers? Here are ten reasons why you might want to head for the hills when you visit Sri Lanka next time.
1. Gorgeous views & magnificent landscapes
Sri Lanka is an evergreen island with a gorgeous mountainous interior in the central hill country. These breathing mountains covered in lush green jungles are the best place to see the ultimate beauty of the island. Hiking & trekking afford you fantastic views across these amazing landscapes.
Tropical rainforests dominate in the wet zone and endless tea plantations dominate in the central hill country. Sri Lanka has over 400 waterfalls, and you’ll meet a few of them during your hiking & trekking journeys. You’ll get the chance to feel the fresh, cool mountain air and the unspoiled beauty of pristine nature.
2. Sri Lanka suits both beginner & advanced hikers
Are you an experienced hiker looking for an adventurous hike or just want to enjoy the sceneries along a fairly easy hike? Sri Lanka is suitable for both beginner and advanced hikers. Thrill-seeking hikers can enjoy many adrenaline-filled activities, such as white water rafting, kayaking, and waterfall abseiling during their journeys.
There are many breathtaking hiking trails in Ella, Nuwara Eliya, and Matale areas for beginners, even those who haven’t any hiking experience. Knuckles and Hantana mountain range in Kandy offer gorgeous panoramic views and the best thing is you can complete most of these trails with a minimum effort.
3. You don’t need expensive hiking gear
Hiking & trekking in Sri Lanka is quite easier than in other countries and you don’t need any expensive gear when beginning. Most trails can complete with only a backpack and good pair of shoes. Sometimes hiking poles are useful, but you need nothing else. After all, you don’t need to have a physique like Usain Bolt, just anyone can hike in Sri Lanka.
4. You can see the most splendid sunrise in the world
Do you like to watch one of the most splendid views of the sunrise in the world? Hiking on Adam’s Peak gives the chance to see it. The official hiking season of the sacred mountain Adam’s Peak runs from December to May. During this period, thousands of devotees and hikers climb to the summit.
Although climbing 5200 stone stairs makes the Adam’s Peak trail challenging, many hikers complete it within a few hours. The hike is usually done in the nighttime; the goal is to enjoy the great spectacle of sunrise in the morning. Your hiking efforts will be rewarded with magnificent views of sunrise, probably the superb in the world.
5. You can go to the end of the world
Have you ever been to the end of the world? If not, you can visit Horton Plains National Park in Sri Lanka. It is the largest plain situated in central hill country set at around 2000 m altitude. Around a 4 km hike inside the park will bring you to the World’s End.
It is a remarkable cliff of 1200 m drop with a panoramic view until a few hundred kilometers. The sceneries on a clear sunny day allow you to view until southern coast of the island. This is one of the best hikes in Sri Lanka with a whole lot of marvelous sceneries, not to miss while hiking & trekking in Sri Lanka.
6. You’ll meet some amazing wildlife
Sri Lanka is considered a biodiversity hotspot and there is no end to the amazing flora and fauna you can encounter while on the trail. You’ll see a lot of endemic and indigenous species in the wild. One of the wonderful species to spot during hiking is the Sambar deer.
The largest herds of Sambar deer in Sri Lanka are living in the Horton Plains. It isn’t rare to see them grazing by the roadside in the park. Sambar deer are a rare sight to see anywhere else in Sri Lanka.
7. You don’t need to fear anything, except leeches
Whether you’re trekking through the trails or hiking up a hillside, you don’t need to worry about anything dangerous, but you’ll meet with some unpleasant guys. They are leeches, which are abundant in wet mountainous areas and wet zone forests including Sinharaja Forest Reserve. There are some local remedies like lemon and salt to get rid of leeches, but you can wear anti-leech socks to prevent their attack.
8. You can witness lovely birds
Bird watching enthusiasts will get a wonderful opportunity to get up close with the amazing birdlife while hiking and trekking in Sri Lanka. There are large numbers of different bird species spread throughout the island. Hiking and trekking in Nuwara Eliya and the Knuckles Mountain Range allows you to watch the lovely hill country birds.
Sinharaja Forest Reserve is one of the best places for hiking in Sri Lanka to see many endemic birds. You’ll see the stunning Blue Magpie and Red-faced Mal-Koha, which are rare species to see in other areas. Look carefully at the trees in the Sinharaja hiking trail to witness them!
9. Learn about local culture
Hiking and trekking will get you to places you would otherwise never see. It gives the opportunity to have a glimpse of the local life in remote rural areas. You can see farming or fishing locals and tea-plucking ladies in tea plantations.
Visiting villages way off the tourist track gives the opportunity to experience their natural hospitality. You may eat the food grown in their gardens and learn about the local culture a bit.
10. Escape crowds and immerse in nature
Escaping the crowd is a very important thing to consider while traveling in the new normal. Luckily, Sri Lanka offers many stunning hikes with spectacular natural scenery, but without many crowds. Since hiking and trekking aren’t so popular hobbies among Sri Lankans, you won’t meet a lot of locals on the trails.
You are going to meet some like-minded backpackers on hiking trails to share your experiences. While you go on a hike deep into the interior, sometimes you may not see another soul. It will help you to immerse in the beauty of nature and feels like visiting a different world.
The best hikes are never the easiest. But in Sri Lanka, you can achieve the pleasure of a good hike easily, rather than in many other countries. Hiking and trekking in Sri Lankan hill country will reward you with magnificent views and vistas across the plains in the lowlands. Sri Lanka’s natural terrain and tropical weather allow you to enjoy lovely nature and feel a sense of satisfaction after the hike. Our hill country is gorgeous and these stunning views and vistas are awaiting you to witness.!
Text by Magnificent Sri Lanka. Images from Wikimedia Commons, Pixabay, and Facebook. All copyrights are reserved by the original authors.
