The Knuckles Mountain range, a beautiful UNESCO Heritage site, is located towards the northern end of the central highlands of Sri Lanka, adjacent to Kandy. The area offers dozens of rewarding trails ranging from a few hours to a few days.
Out of these options, we followed the 6 – 7-hour Elephant Head Trail, which resembles the spine of an elephant with breathtaking views, streams, paddy fields, and historical villages, giving us an excellent diversity of everything this misty mountain range has to offer within a day.
The starting point of the trail is the beautiful “Thelgamu Oya” river and the paddy fields of a traditional village with mountains in the backdrop.
Read MoreThe panoramic view of the Knuckles Range from the top of the “Elephant Head”, the unique flat area on the top of the mountain, and the rich diversity of vegetation and birds are some of the other highlights of the Knuckles trek.
Why should you book this trip?
- The Knuckles Mountain Range is a vitally important conservation area, recognised as a National Heritage and Wilderness Area by UNESCO.
- It’s a great addition to your list of “things to do in Kandy”.
- This trekking trail will give you the opportunity to experience different climatic zones unique to the Knuckles Mountain Range.
- It’s a magical trail for bird watching. The wonderful Knuckles range covers almost every forest type found in Sri Lanka at elevations ranging between 250 and 4,000 feet.
- A walk through the Pitawala Pathana, the island’s largest dry pathana plains, will let you glimpse the 1,500ft sheer drop to the Puwakpitiya valley below.
- It’s a fantastic, moderate trek that will help you burn off those extra calories gained during your holiday.
