Knuckles Hike

As Knuckles is a well known mountain range in Sri Lanka we felt guilty for not going hiking in this range. So after a few cancellation we decided to do this hike however. We got into a Colombo – Kandy bus from Mawanella around 06.45 am. We reached Kandy railway station around 7.20 am and wait for Matale train. We got into the slow train and reached Waththegama around 09.00 am. We took some bread and other items from Waththegama town.

Luckily we were able to catch a bus to Bambarella. The bus left around 09.30 am from Waththegama town. We were talking with the bus conductor and passengers regarding our knuckles route. BTW bus conductor told that he knew about the route and entrance point.

We reached Thawalamthenna around 11.00 am and we crossed the bridge and then keep on walking. So we came to a place where the steps are going on left so we decided to change the dress and start the hike.

The bus will take you to last stop; we had to walk from there…

You have to start the trail from this point

Suddenly a person whom travelled with us from Waththegama came to us and inquired about us. He said he was from Wildlife department. He asked us for the permission letter we obtained from department. So we convinced him and said that we were not aware of that permission issue. He said we should have to take an entrance ticket for Rs. 30/= and need to obtain a guide from there. He further pointed out that entering without permission will lead to 6 months jail or 200,000 rupees penalty.

Providing identification details to wild life department officer

We were able to compromise him that we are doing hiking from day one and nature lovers so no need to afraid on us and we provide our NIC numbers and including addresses so that he could trust us. BTW there was no one we can buy entrance tickets. So we said we will pay them when we are returning.

The Officer helped us on start of trail

So please take necessary permissions from wild life department or an entrance ticket from trail starting point and obtain the help of a guide

Then he accompanied with us for a while in walking and he showed the way to estate. We took our breakfast just before the estate and start our walking. When we came to estate we took left and walk. We had to walk nearly 4-5 km throughout the estate roads. After a long walk along the estate roads we came to the point where the real hike begins.

Walking along the green blanket of nature is an amazing experience

The gloomy background was a warning which we didn’t care of it

Walking through estate roads…

We came across this stream, unfortunately she was not that much water flowing..

Crew is walking through a bridge…

There are lot of streams crossing your way during the journey

Starting point of the actual trail, you will find directions in your RHS

A concrete patch of road leading to a small name board was the point where we had to start our real hike. It was already 12 and we were heading up for the mountains. At the beginning the surrounding was only covered with mana plants and as the period was drought, it had all dried up and we had to put an immense effort to battle it out with the sun.

Suresh is standing along with name board of Knuckles Peak Nature Trail…

After about 300m of ascending we came to a waterfall and spent some time there and started to move forward. After crossing the waterfall, it was easy for us to ascend because we had to go through the trees. After about half an hour of ascending we came on top of the 1st mountain. And then we headed towards the second one. It didn’t take much time for that within half an hour we got there.

.	A hidden beautiful waterfall always add values to a hike

But still time was running out and it was already 3.30pm then and the mist has started to cover up. So we made our stride as quickly as possible to the 3rd mountain as there were no suitable places to put up the tent in the second one. The path was bit clear, but we had to cover quite a lot of ground to reach up to the 3rd one than the other 2. As it was getting darker and as still we didn’t reach the top we were bit hesitant to go forward and we thought of tent somewhere over there. But before that we decided to send someone up to the top and see whether it is possible to go up that day itself. Aashik voluntarily took up the challenge and went to the top. Within 15 minutes he came down and said that the summit is not far away, and we could reach there in a 15 minutes time. And specially told that summit was the better place to put up the tent. So we all went up to the summit and after that we put up the tent as soon as possible.

The path is clear and you have to keep on walking towards top

Walking through bamboo jungle…

The range can be seen completely after you pass waterfall and continue your walk

BTW do not forget that Knuckles requires a long walk than you think

Entering into misty world..

Capturing a moment in mist

Yes we were staying on top of clouds :-)

It was a hide and search run with nature

But, to our unfortunate it began to rain heavily and the most unfortunate thing of all was that our tent became a pond and we were as frogs in the pond. Any way it was not going well for us. We tried to pour out the water with the baskets we had, but in vain.

Then we decided we should shift the tent somewhere else because it was not a pit where we had put up the tent. All the water was poured into our tent. Then 2 of us went out and found a better place. Then we shifted the place. After about 2 hours of intense raining, it began to ease up. Then we slept in the wet cover after consuming the dinner.

When we got up in the morning, it was really a heavenly place to see. If you are a real nature lover u will pump out your heart at it. We were amazed at seeing those beauties. After admiration, we took up our breakfast, bread and Tin Fish sambol.

View from our tent, where we were able to survive the flooding last night inside the tent

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.	Make your shadow over mountains (edited image and couldn’t find the original)

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.	Shadows tell how higher you are…

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.	It was slippery while climbing down..

Then we decided to descend down wards. The path was slippery as there had been rain previous night. We kept our strides carefully and descended down. Within an hour and a half we were able to reach the bottom.
We were able to get a fish therapy in river (just near the bridge) and got refreshed. All you had to do is just put your legs there and small fishes will come around your legs.

And then we reached Thawalamthenna we got to know that the buses scheduled that day weren’t working. So we had to walk to the next town. From there we got on to a public van and reached… after that we got home taking a bus from there. It was one of the memorable hikes we had.