Horton national park sri lanka. National Park - Horton Plateau (Sri Lanka). Adam's Peak from Nuwara Eliya

Sri Lanka is not only a warm sea and endless beaches, but also a vast mountainous area in the center of the island with its ancient history, culture and beautiful landscapes. We could not visit it. But we did not have time to return every day for an overnight stay back to Hikkaduwa, and even this would not be economically profitable. Therefore, we decided to conduct a kind of excursion marathon. Trip format: new day - new city - new sights. Principle: we carry everything with us.

Articles about this trip to the mountains of Sri Lanka are united under the general title "Excursion Marathon" and divided into travel days. All events happened to us in reality and are presented in chronological order. Five unforgettable days...

Horton National Park. On the trail of the leopard...

12/14/2015 ($1~140 rupees). A 40-minute drive from Nuwara Eliya is a high plateau, which is a national nature reserve. The height is about 2200 meters above sea level. Here, tourists make an independent walk through the jungle without a guide. Observe various animals in their natural habitat, including predators.

We start moving at five in the morning. Our driver is in a hurry, presses on the gas: the standard program of the trip includes meeting the Sun on the top of the plateau.

We are not alone in wanting to see the first rays of the sun and wild animals. There are many cars. The road is winding and narrow. Fortunately, we make it. Today the sun rose under our supervision.

Quickly brightens and we drive up to the box office.

Not far from the entrance, the driver shows us a big handsome deer resting not far from the road.

Entrance ticket to Horton National Park costs ~2500 rupees (~$17) per person. Everyone's belongings are checked for plastic bags, and plastic bottles are asked not to leave in the park and to be quiet. Having passed the control and briefing, we cheerfully rush along the well-trodden path.

"And the road is not easy, let's say without hiding..."

Ahead of ten kilometers of communication with flora and fauna. At first, we walk with caution, looking around. After all, here, behind every bush, a leopard can hide ... We turn our heads, look around and look for herds of deer and wild boars. It's not boring to go, we periodically make fun of each other and confidently move forward to the first halt.

The path, after three kilometers, takes us to a sheer cliff about three hundred meters high. We admire the landscapes, relax, refresh ourselves, take pictures against the background of the mountains. We demonstrate to ourselves and others brave courage, we sit on a cliff with our legs dangling!

A few years ago, one lucky guy from Holland, like everyone else, was spinning on the edge, lost his balance and flew into the abyss. Luckily, he caught hold of some bush, found a foothold, and waited, calling for help, for more than two hours.

This place is called - end of the world 1.

After half a kilometer we make a new halt: end of the world 2. The abyss is even deeper, "by eye" about 500 meters. We do everything the same as at the first halt. But we stay longer.

White clouds are clearly visible below. They entered our gorge in the distance, and flew up to us, creeping along the bottom. And having caught up with our cliff, they vertically rushed up and flew next to us. I didn't want to leave.

The next section of the path was passed imperceptibly. Immediately merrily crossed the stream.

We were no longer afraid of the leopard and did not expect a meeting with him.

In the thickets, a toilet for visitors to the park of the original design was found. He stood on the edge of the forest in a very picturesque place.

So that visitors to the toilet could fully enjoy the beauties around and not waste time, caring builders prudently made the wall opposite the front door only half. It is very convenient to track down a leopard.

We moved on, in some places the road was paved with almost yellow brick. I imagined myself as the Tin Woodman - a companion of Ellie and her unusual friends. I was not afraid of water and boldly went down to the lower observation platform of the forest waterfall. It was discovered in the middle of the 19th century by the English explorer Sir Samuel Baker. Since then, this waterway bears his name - Baker's Falls. The height of the water fall is more than 20 meters. Wonderful waterfall.

Breathing in ozone and refreshed by the spray of falling water, we set off.

The remaining section was no more difficult than before, but I began to slowly fall behind. And I just wanted to get to the minibus. Already ten kilometers off-road galloped! But on this site, my big-eyed companions finally found signs of life in Horton National Park.

We witnessed a successful iguana hunt for a worm! And we also saw a gray mouse near the road. Well, not bad, five hours of continuous searching!

Leaving the park and approaching the mikrik, a surprise awaited us! A young deer came out to the parking lot. In Sinhalese, his name was Simba. He was not afraid of people, rather the opposite. Simba loved to be photographed.

Instead of the usual three hours on this route, we walked more than five. Our driver was starting to get worried.

Seeing the driver, I told him how I met the leopard nose to nose and how huge it was! The owner of the bead wanted to see the pictures taken. I explained that there was no time for jokes, they ate their legs. He was shocked because he himself had never seen a leopard here, but then I confessed and told him about the iguana and the mouse. We laughed merrily.

On the way back, already in the light of day, we saw that the landscape along the road was enlivened by huge wind generators,

carefully built by a Chinese energy company. We arrived quickly and parted as friends.

Here are the coordinates of the driver: Sehabdeen Mohamed Shafith. Link to his facebook. tel. +94775004241 You can also chat with him in the popular whatssap messenger. Can become your guide to all corners of the mountainous region of Sri Lanka. He is a good guy, so he received from us not 4, but 5 thousand rupees for this trip.

After a quick bite to eat in a purely English pub, we hurried to the bus. It was 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Today we still need to get to the foot of Adam's Peak and settle down for the night.

Adam's Peak from Nuwara Eliya

How to get from Nuwara Eliya to Adam's Peak? There is no direct bus from Nuwara Eliya to Adam's Peak. We had to first get to Hatton, and from it to the settlement. Maskeliya, and from Maskeliya jump onto a passing bus to Delhouse.

We were worried that something might go wrong. Did some tourists advise that it is better to spend the night in Hatton? Hire a car and drive to Adam's Peak in advance.

We decided on the contrary, first to get to the village of Delhouse, directly located at the foot of the desired mountain, rent a house there and have a little rest before climbing.

We boarded the next bus and set off. The fare from Nawara Eliya to Hatton was 120 rupees per person. We got there in 1.5-2 hours. Having made a change in Hatton for a bus to the village of Maskeliya, we went deep into the mountain range. On the way, the rain caught up with us.

At first, everything went on as usual. We have already got used to the mountain serpentine and thought that we would not be surprised by this. But when we got deep enough into the mountains, we had to fill in the gaps in driving in the mountains.

With the rise to the height of the road became narrower, and turns more often. With an oncoming car, it was possible to pass only by slowing down hard and clinging to the side of the road. On the one hand, there is a cliff without a fence, on the other - a rock, and you will squeeze slightly. A closed turn followed a closed turn.

The driver tirelessly turned the steering wheel and always gave an audible horn before the next closed turn, warning the driver of oncoming traffic about his approach. Completely stopped and ate around with the same buses. Sometimes I had to back out when driving. The direct section of the track was often no more than two bus bodies. At the same time, he dropped off and picked up passengers, adhered to the schedule, accelerated and slowed down, as he always listened to loud music. If you have a weak vestibular apparatus, then before traveling to Nuwara Eliya and to Adam's Peak, you should stock up and drink a pill for motion sickness and nausea.

Twilight has come. We got to the small village of Maskeliya for 40 rupees per person and 1.5 hours of time, where we were fortunately waiting for a passing bus to Delhouse. We were not alone. Several more tourists boarded the next bus.

The rain didn't let up. Having paid a fare of 35 rupees, an hour later the conductor told us where to get off. Just opposite a number of small hotels.

We chose the first one that came and settled in a family four-bed room for 3,500 rupees. It was 9 pm. They set the alarm clock, plugged in the chargers and fell asleep to the sound of rain. Get up soon...

Remember, the truth is in the numbers! Good luck!

Excursions on Plateau Horton

Sri Lanka - Plateau Horton- the highest national park in the world Sri Lanka. highest point plateau Horton located at an altitude of 2134 m above sea level, and the entire territory of 3162 hectares - between 1800 and 2300 m above sea level in Sri Lanka.

This unique ecosystem was discovered and described by English explorers in the 19th century and named after one of the governors of Sri Lanka, Sir Robert Horton. Another British name is associated with this place: Baker's Falls is named after Sir Samuel Baker, who studied and popularized this place.

Bottom part plateau horton, in places swampy and indented by streams, gradually passes into small forest areas and further into grassy wastelands, called “patans” in Sri Lanka. This small area of ​​land contains 75% of the species diversity of the forest flora and 25% of the meadow and field flora of Sri Lanka. Among them are many endemics - plants found only here!

The “Prehistoric” forest got its name because of the tree-like ferns (Cyathea crinita, Cyathea walkerae) preserved on this land since the preglacial times. Many species of fungi, lichens, mosses, club mosses, and ferns form the forest floor and an epiphytic community that covers the trunks and branches of trees. Their abundance is complemented by many more highly organized plants, such as peperomia, violets and orchids. Among trees and shrubs there are wild ancestors of coffee, cinnamon, vanilla orchid, primitive magnolias and many other species.

Deer, roe deer, wild boars graze on the grassy wastelands, and leopards, jackals, monkeys, and a giant squirrel live in the forests. A huge variety of birds, including migratory ones, can be seen or heard in the national park.

Plateau Horton is the watershed of the most significant rivers Sri Lanka: Mahaweli, Kelani, Walawe. Few places in the world can compare to Plateau Horton for the purity of the entire ecosystem. Since 1969, the territory has been declared a national park of Sri Lanka. The World Wildlife Fund oversees the conduct of scientific research on this reservation.

The main attraction of the park is " End Sveta"- a slope that abruptly breaks vertically down. Two observation platforms are equipped on the slope: "Small World's end» small the end of the world at an altitude of more than 300 m from the bottom of the abyss and "Big World's End" big end Sveta at an altitude of more than 1300 m. The view from here is one of the most wonderful on Sri-Lanka. If the air is transparent, then you can see a stunningly beautiful gorge, with a river and a village in the distance. But if you find yourself on the observation deck early in the morning, when the sun has just risen above the horizon, thick clouds will rise from the bottom of the gorge before your eyes and completely hide the panorama you just saw. It is at this moment that it will seem that you are standing at the End of the World!

Smoking in the park is strictly prohibited! It is impossible to bring products, polyethylene or plastic packaging.

This corner of the world is so unique that it is worth spending time, money and effort to see it!

The Horton Plains is located 32 km south of, covering an area of ​​​​3,160 hectares and stretching for many kilometers, is part of a national park located at an altitude of 2134 m above sea level. (cm. ). Elephants used to live here, now deer, roe deer, jackals and leopards. The lower part of the plateau, swampy in places and indented by streams, gradually passes into areas overgrown with trees and further into a gorge blown by the winds. Here you can see rare species of plants, butterflies, birds, monkeys. But the main attraction of the Horton Plateau is rightfully considered the "End of the World" - a slope that abruptly breaks vertically, first at 328 m, and then at 1312 m. The view from here is one of the most wonderful in Sri Lanka. On a clear early morning, the expanses of the Indian Ocean, stretching beyond the horizon, open up to your gaze. The Horton Plateau is probably one of the cleanest places in the world. It should be noted that smoking is strictly prohibited on Horton Plateau..! By visiting this amazing corner of Sri Lanka, you will have the opportunity to expand your understanding of the natural diversity of the island.

The best time to visit the Horton Plateau is in the early morning. It is believed that in the morning the weather is usually clear. But there is no guarantee that in a couple of hours, clouds will appear right above your head and at times it will drizzle. We recommend bringing a windbreaker, a small backpack, a thermos with hot tea or coffee. Don't forget your camera. Protective shoes should be worn on the feet. The air temperature from morning to noon will change, from about +12 to +23C. The length of the route to the cliff "End of the World" is about 5.5 km. About the same amount back, but on a different route. In time, the entire walk takes from 3 to 4 hours.

The route follows a hard trail of yellowish and red colored soils, bordered first by grass and shrubs, and then by primeval forest with intricately meandering tree roots among tree ferns. In the most interesting places, the trail is equipped with observation platforms. Along the way, you will see grassy wastelands called Pathans, streams and small transparent lakes, a prehistoric forest with lichens, mosses, ferns and club mosses that cover the trunks, branches and roots of trees, as well as the amazingly beautiful Baker Falls. From the animal world, you will surely come across a forest deer, possibly roe deer, monkeys, giant squirrels, as well as many species of birds.

The last point of the route will be the rocky cliff "End of the World", equipped with two observation platforms at different heights. Majestic mountain peaks will open to your eyes, lost in a light haze or buried in the caps of clouds. If the weather is excellent and the air is completely transparent, you will see a stunningly beautiful mountain gorge with a barely noticeable river flowing through it. You don’t want to leave at all, and only after admiring the surrounding beauty, you can start off on an equally interesting return journey. For foreign tourists, an entrance ticket to see the plateau costs $25 for an adult and $15 for a child. For organized tourists, entrance tickets are already included in the price of the tour.

Sri Lanka with a backpack, 2016. Part 05: Horton Plains National Park: mountains and forest February 23rd, 2016

In this part, I will tell you how I climbed the second and third peaks of Sri Lanka, after getting lost in the rainforest.

Horton Plains (X O rton Plains or Plateau X O rton) is the highest plateau in Sri Lanka. The national park of the same name is famous for its diversity of flora: gently sloping hills, endless fields with wild flowers, streams and waterfalls, patches of tropical forest inhabited by rare animals and birds, including the leopard. Here are such natural attractions as World's End (End of the World), mountains Kirigalpoththa (Kirigalp O tta) and Totupola Kanda (Totup O la k A nah).
A little more about the last two. The highest point in Sri Lanka is Pidurutalagala (Pidurutalalag A la, 2524m) is located near Nuv A ra- E lii. At its top, the main television broadcaster of the country is installed, which is guarded by the military, so it would hardly be possible to climb the peak, and not on the way.
Kirigalpoththa is a little lower - 2392m, but it is located on the territory of the national park. There is also the third peak - Totupola Kanda - 2361m.

Before the trip, I met Amran, a Sri Lankan guide. He helped me get to the national park and go inside as part of his group. The fact is that alone tourists are not allowed into the mountains. One reason is that a leopard usually doesn't attack two.
01) We drove to the park in a pickup truck with an awning

02) Sluggish horned deer roam the territory

In Sri Lanka, nature conservation is very reverent. The slogan of the numerous national parks of the island, loosely translated: "Kill only time, take only photos, destroy only garbage, leave only traces." Great wording!
03)

The ticket cost 2058 rupees, plus a service charge of 1097 rupees, for a total of 3160 rupees (1663 rubles). For local 10 times cheaper, this is a common occurrence. But Horton Plains is worth the money, believe me!
After buying a ticket, you need to go to registration, where plastic bags will be taken from you, the bottles will be counted and the labels will be torn off.
Mobile communication in the park is almost non-existent.

Kirigalpoththa
After checking in, I separated from Amran's group and started climbing.
There is a full moon tonight - the Buddhists have a holiday (Dur at tou P O ya, the first full moon of the year is the celebration of the Buddha's first visit to Sri Lanka), so the park is full of people, but most of them will go to the more popular End of the World. I set off early at 7:30, so for the entire ascent I met only one group of three people who were already descending from the top.
04) Rhododendron

The length of the track is 6-7 kilometers, with a slight rise of 250m, in 6 hours you can walk there and back. True, the path took me longer, because I turned the wrong way and kept wondering how the path became overgrown. When I realized that there was no path, there was a dense tropical forest around me. While I was getting out of these wilds, I was soaked with dew and lost my map. But in the end, I found the right path and continued on my way. And to you, reader, this advice: on the way to Kirigalpoththa, wherever there is doubt, keep to the right, and follow the path only if you are sure that it is a path.
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Horton Plain is called a giant sponge because the plateau absorbs a huge amount of rainwater, which then feeds many of the country's rivers. Because of this, the soil is swampy in many places. A step past the trail and the sneakers are already full of muddy goo that stinks until the shoes are completely washed.
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From the mountain there is a beautiful view of the surroundings.
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It is better to make any ascents early in the morning, while there are few people and clouds.
08) This is the very End of the World - by 10 o'clock in the morning the valley, for the sake of which people go to this cliff, is already filled with clouds

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The top itself is covered with forest, but it does not interfere with the view. There, a deer ran away from me, and a frog jumped by the collar.
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There are a lot of wild bees before the last ascent - no need to make noise and make sudden movements.
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The path to Kirigalpoththa is similar to the one in Altai, only the vegetation is different: either a musty forest, or a giant fern, or dry grass. There are no leeches.
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By 12:20 I went downstairs, had a bite of a triangular pie for 40 rupees (21 rubles) and a coconut pancake for 70 rupees (37 rubles). There was a heavy but short rain, which I waited under a canopy while talking with a Sinhalese planter. I learned from him that Sri Lankans take offense when Europeans confuse or compare them with Indians. Indians, according to him, are less neat, for this they are not loved anywhere.

Totupola Kanda
Don't be offended, leopard, you had a chance to feast on self-confident bastard when I got lost on the way to Kirigalpoththa.
Well, don't worry, I'll give you a second chance - ahead of Totupola Kanda. Due to bad weather and low popularity, there is just now no one there.
15) "Don't go, don't" - the little deer tells me

16) “Why are you listening to him? He hasn't even grown horns yet!" - an older deer cheers

The beginning of the ascent is a couple of hundred meters from the entrance gate from the side of Pattipola. I went there half the way on foot, and half I was given a ride.
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The track is short and easy: just a couple of kilometers with a climb of less than 200m. You can run there and back in an hour. The path is obvious, all the time uphill, the forest is fabulous.
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At the top, a sad sight awaits you - an antenna in the bushes.
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But before the last ascent there is a platform from which a beautiful view opens. It, however, also could not be fully appreciated because of the thick clouds.

When leaving the park, I once again encountered local hospitality. When the guard found out that I was going to Pattipola, he stopped a minivan leaving the territory and put me there. Joyful young Tamils ​​from Trincomalee rode in the saloon, drumming and singing "Hotel California".

On my return, I ate a couple of coconuts and chewed a couple of bananas, chungacha-ah-anga-ah!

21) Girl playing with a wheel

22) local shop

Let's sum up the day. Today I climbed the second (Kirigalpoththa) and third (Totupola Kanda) peaks of Sri Lanka.

The Horton Plateau is a beautiful place. It is one of the most popular national parks in Sri Lanka. The plateau is located just 32 kilometers from the mountain resort of Nuwara Eliya.

This picturesque place was discovered by the planter Thomas Farr in the 19th century. And the plateau got its name "Horton" in honor of one of the governors of Ceylon. In 1969, it became a nature reserve, and after almost 20 years, the plateau acquired the status of a national park.

The area of ​​the plateau is 3,160 hectares. The area is swampy, cut by streams, gradually turning into areas overgrown with shrubs and trees.

As for the climate, the humidity here is low, and the average annual temperature in this area reaches +14…+16 °C. There is quite a lot of precipitation - 5,000 m per year.

The natural landmark can boast of its important ecological role, as it serves as a habitat for many species of animals and plants: mountain rainforests, 24 species of mammals, 9 reptiles, 87 birds, 8 amphibians. Often, during walks, tourists meet here birds, monkeys, deer, amphibians and beautiful butterflies. The chances of seeing predatory animals are negligible, as they live in places inaccessible to tourists.

In addition to species diversity, this area is known for the highest peaks of the country - Mount Kirigalpotta (altitude 2395 meters above sea level) and Thotupola Kanda (2357 meters).

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"End of the world"

This famous landmark is one of the reasons Horton Plateau attracts so many tourists every year. "Doomsday" is a huge rocky cliff with observation decks equipped on it. And there really is something to see! Just imagine a delightful panorama: a gorge with a barely visible river or mountain peaks immersed in a light haze and snow-white clouds. If you want to see the south coast of the island, visit the plateau early in the morning (beginning at 10 am due to thick fog, visibility deteriorates).

The length of the route to the cliff is five kilometers with a little. Approximately the same distance is for the return route, which already passes along a different route. The path runs on solid ground past the 20-meter Baker Falls and the small edge of the world (another rocky cliff, but not so spectacular and high). In addition to the main route, there are also additional small trails leading to the Slab Falls and Aggra Falls.

By the way, in order not to freeze while visiting the national park, take care of your clothes in advance. It should be warm, since the temperature in the morning rarely exceeds +12 ° C, while in the afternoon the thermometer rises to 25 ° C. It would be useful to take a raincoat, some provisions and a bottle of water with you.

Entrance fee

Entrance to the park is paid. The calculation is carried out in rupees (local currency), based on the dollar.

For adults, the ticket price is $ 15, which is about 2300 rupees. For children aged 6 to 12, the ticket will cost eight dollars or 1250 rupees. Children under six years of age can enter for free.

Additionally, you will have to pay a service fee of eight dollars. If you stay in the park overnight (there is a possibility), the price doubles.

If you arrived at the park by transport, you also have to pay for it. For entry by SUV and minivan, be prepared to pay 250 rupees, entry by car will cost half as much, 125 rupees.

Prices are relevant only for foreigners; visiting the national park is many times cheaper for residents of Sri Lanka.

The park is open daily from 06:00 to 18:00. Ticket sales end two hours before closing.

How to get there

The most convenient option is to visit the Horton Plateau with a guided tour. You can buy it in almost any hotel or travel agency in the resort towns of Sri Lanka. Excursions are organized from different cities, including from the small southern resort towns of Unawatuna and Hikkaduwa.

Visiting the plateau on your own is a little more difficult, but no less exciting. As a rule, it is more convenient to get to the national park from the nearest cities, in particular, from Nuwara Eliya. If you want to get to the park early in the morning, without crowds of tourists, it would be best to stay at one of the hotels in Ohia. From there, the plateau is not very far away: you can take a tuk-tuk - the main means of transportation in Sri Lanka, which is a three-wheeled motorcycle, or even walk. True, it will take quite a long time.