Horton Plains National Park

Horton Plains, Sri Lanka’s only national park declared a World Heritage Site, is an eerie highland plateau popular with hikers. A circular trail of 10 km length winds through cloud forests and open grasslands. Major attractions are scenic spots such as Baker's Falls and the two spectacular panoramic viewpoints called “Big World’s End” and “Litte World’s End”. Horton Plains, situated at an elevation of more than 2000 meters above sea level, is Sri Lanka’s only national park within the hill country and the only one where hiking is permitted without ranger, though strict rules have to be observed within the national park boundaries.

It’s highly recommendable to start the walk in the early morning. Before 10.00 a.m. chances are higher that clouds will part at the World’s End vantage points. Therefore, you should leave Nuwara Eliya or Haputale before dawn and you should walk the circular road clockwise, first visiting World’s End and Baker’s Falls afterwards, on the way back.

Average temperature varies between 10 and 15 degrees, the mean maximum daily temperature in this area is 16 degrees centigrade. In the noon and afternoon, the plains are misty. In fact, you are in the clouds and Horton Plains is part of Sri Lanka’s cloud forest area. Ground frost occurs frequently in February.

So be prepared. It’s highly recommendable to carry a raincoat or a jumper and umbrella with you. You definitely need strong and comfortable walking shoes, the trail is quite muddy in places and stony in others. Sunglasses and a cap to warm your ears and to protect your head against alpine sun’s UV radiation make sense, too.

On weekends and public holidays, particularly during weekends prolonged by Poya Days, Horton Plains will get crowded. But most visitors are Sri Lankans, not foreign tourists. Although you will then not be able to enjoy the silence of this mystic place, you can make new contacts with Sinhalese and Tamil hikers.

HORTON PLAINS GEOGRAPHY

Horton Plains was declared a national park in 1988. The plains, situated on a mountainous massif second in height only to the central massif of Nuwara Eliya, s situated in the southermost range of Sri Lanka’s highlands. It is positioned at the eastern boundaries of this range, which is Sri Lanka’s largest area of Upper Montane Forest Range. The western boundary of the ridge is marked by Siri Pada (Adam’s Peak) in 35 km distance.

Horton Plains National Park covers an area of 32 square kilometers. The tableland is situated at an altitude between 2000 and 2100 m above sea level, but some park borders are as low as 1200 m. The highest peaks are Kirigalpotta, Thotupola and Kudahagala, all of them higher than Siri Pada. With 2,388 above mean sea level, Kirigalotta in the west of Hoton Plains National Park is the second tallest montain in Sri Lanka and the island’s highest point accessible to the general public, since Sri Lanka’s highest peak at all, Pidurutalagala (2.534 m) near Nuwara Eliya, is occupied by a military base, access prohibited. Thotupola Kanda, near the northernmost point of the park area, is the third highest mountain in Sri Lanka, reaching 2,357 m above sea level. Sri Lanka’s fourth tallest mountain too is situated within the national park borders. The 2,320 m high Kudahagala, also known as Agra Bopath, is located only 2 km to the northeast of Kirgalpotta.

In some years, Horton Plains can record over 5000 mm of rainfall. In Sri Lanka, this amount of precipitation is only second to Sinharaja Rain Forest (6000 mm). For comparison: annual rainfall in the tea highlands is about 2500mm on average. Nonethelss, the humidity is relatively low at 65%. During the dry season, the temperature can drop to 5 degree centigrade in the day time. The mean annual temperature is 13 °C,  but the temperature varies considerably and can reach up to 27°C.

Apart from the central highlands around Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains is also one of the most important catchment areas in Sri Lanka, feeding the Mahaweli, the largest river of the island. Horton Plains are also the headwaters of the Walawe Ganga, the most important river of the south. Horton Plains and the adjacent Peak Wilderness are part of the principal watershed of Sri Lanka.

We invite you to visit Sri Lanka and watch this incredible place and enjoy