LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION
Itinerary: Tea, Treks & Temples
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TWO TO THREE WEEKS
Expect hairpin curves and breathtaking views for much of this 304km outing; hike, taste some of Sri Lanka’s tea and view ancient Buddhist sites before dropping down to the coastal plains.
Start your trip across the heart of Sri Lanka in Kitulgala, a gateway for rafting and canoeing the Kelaniya Ganga (Kelaniya River) as well as for jungle hikes. From here it’s a relatively short hop to misty Hatton, Dikoya and Maskeliya, three small towns centred on one of the top tea-growing regions in Sri Lanka. Aside from getting to taste incredibly fragrant single-estate teas in arguably the most scenic part of the Hill Country, you can bed down in ex–colonial tea planters’ bungalows, explore winding, village-to-village trails or make the strenuous predawn climb up Adam’s Peak (Sri Pada).
Head across to Ella and Haputale, on the Hill Country’s precipitous eastern side, for more hiking, stupendous views and small-town ambience. If a close-up encounter with Buddhism is on your agenda, head northeast to Bibile and attend a meditation retreat at Nagala Viharaya. Then, travel southeast to Monaragala, the jumping-off point for one of Sri Lanka’s most atmospheric ancient Buddhist sites, Maligawila, which is home to an 11m-tall standing Buddha that’s at least a thousand years old.
Cut back west to Wellawaya to take in Buduruwagala, a set of seven colossal figures – including the tallest Buddha in the country – carved into the side of a rock cliff.
From Wellawaya descend to the coastal plains of Kataragama, the terminus of the Pada Yatra, a pilgrimage that begins at the other end of the island. One of Sri Lanka’s oldest and most venerated dagobas can be found in nearby Tissamaharama, which is also a convenient entry point for forays into Yala National Park.
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