Trail to Lanka Ella Falls from Bambarakanda, Kalupahana [Download as PDF]

Trail Difficulty: Easy | Moderate | Strenuous | Tough

 

Trail Head: Bambarakanda Rest, Kalupahana.

 

Nearest Town: Kalupahana                   Nearest City: Bandarawela

 

Access to Trail head: [Show Trail Map in Google Earth]

 

Route to Bambarakanda Rest

Colombo -> Ratnapura -> Balangoda -> Kalupahana (left turn from Colombo – Badulla highway [A4] at Kalupahana, between 172^nd and 173^rd km post & Drive 5km) -> Bambarakanda Rest

Last 500m after passing Bambarakanda falls is an unpaved rough road which will need some ground clearance to tackle. Road construction work is underway and hopefully the road will become better soon.

 

Bambarakanda Rest is a small guest house managed by Mrs. Sera Mayakaduwa (Tel: 0575670457)

 

Trail End: Lanka Ella (waterfall)               Total Length: 1.9 km

Elevation Gain: Negligible (Elevation at Trail Head: 1110m | Elevation at Trail End: 1144m).

Even though the elevation gain is negligible the trail goes over a side of a cliff which effectively makes you climb and descend about 150m from one valley to the other.

 

Approximate time: 1.5 hours

 

Hiking Season: Best months are April to September

 

Permit Required: NO

Bambarakanda Falls is the highest waterfall in Sri Lanka located in the eastern slopes of Central Hills at the foot hills of Horton Plains. The area around Bambarakanda falls is one of the most scenic areas. It also offers a number of interesting and challenging hiking trails.

Lanka Ella is a isolated waterfall located in the area. The fall gets its name due to the shape of the base pool which resembles the tear-drop shape of Sri Lanka . Trail to Lanka Ella mostly winds through Pines plots and savannas and offer several scenic outlooks in to the forest covered mountain range of Horton plains and vast plains in eastern Sri Lanka .

 

 

0 to 900m: From the Bambarakanda Rest (Waypoint: BL01) start walking towards the Bambarakanda falls on the main road. About 500m from the trail head you will pass the Bambarakanda Falls observation point (Waypoint: BL04). Passing this, walk about 100m more along the main road and get in to the foot path leading to the base of the Bambarakanda falls, on to your right hand side climbing down few cement steps (Waypoint: BL05).

 

As you walk about 150m along the foot path, you will find another foot path coming from the main road leading to the base of the Bambarakanda fall (Waypoint: BL08). Take right turn and merge on this foot path. As the foot paths merge you will see the bridge constructed over the stream carrying the flow of Bambarakanda falls (Waypoint: BL09).

 

As you cross the bridge, the trail enters a Pines plot. You will experience a mild climb. About 50m from the bridge you will find a trail towards right which takes you to the base of Bambarakanda falls (Waypoint: BL11), continue along the left trail which climbs up along Pines.

 

 

900m to 1.3km: As you pass BL11 the climb will intensify. The next 400m will be a hard climb through the Pines plot taking hair-pin turns left and right until you reach a place where you are at the edge of the pines plot with undisrupted view of the eastern plains and the roads below (Waypoint: BL16). This is the hardest part of this trail.

 

 

1.3km to 1.9km: after BL 16, the trail will be fairly flat for next 100m or so. As soon as you pass BL16, you will reach a point where the trail again split (Waypoint: BL17). The right branch climbing up is the trail to the top of Bambarakanda Falls. Continue along the left branch.

 

As you walk along the flat trail, you will reach an area where Pines trees mix with other native plant species. After passing this area there and after a slight climb you will reach an open grass covered hill side (Waypoint: BL21). From this point onwards the trail goes along this grassy lope of the hill slowly climbing down to the valley. You can enjoy breath-taking views of the forest covered mountains on the far side of the Valley.

 

As you continue, you will notice that that the trail gradually climbs down towards the valley. The river flowing through the valley is partly fed by the water from Lanka Ella Falls. About 250m from BL16, you will reach a point where you can see the top part of Lanka Ella falls in the distance. Around this area you will again find a split in the trail (Waypoint: BL22). The right branch goes to the top of the Lanka Ella falls and the left branch climbs down towards the valley to reach the base of Lanka Ella Falls.

 

Continue to climb down along the grassy mountain slope for another 300m where you will see a forest patch almost at the elevation of the valley (Waypoint: BL24). You can see another small waterfall merging with the river in the valley on your left side. Once the trail enter the forest patch (Waypoint: BL25) walk another 50m though the forest and reach the stream flowing from the Lanka Ella fall. Walk 10 meters up stream to reach the base of the fall (Waypoint: BL26).

 

 

Tips, Notes & special remarks: 

• Make sure that you carry a water bottle. Most part of the trail is dry and water sources are limited to the streams at very beginning (Bambarakanda Fall’s stream) and the Lanka Ella Fall’s stream.

• Leaches may occasionally bother you, especially in the lower sections of the trail.

• Be extremely careful when walking along Pines plots. Trail when covered with Pine needles can be quite slippery. When combined with steep ascends and descends this becomes a significant danger.

Way Points