Trekking and hiking are excellent ways to not only explore a country but also gain an insight into her people, their traditions and beliefs. The hill country offers some of the best terrain and scenery as trails wind through dense forests, up steep mountains, past flowing waterfalls, between fields of tea and through clear rivers that offer a cooling dip. Horton Plains, at an altitude of 2,134m, has a refreshing climate and a variety of walks through unusual high-altitude vegetation. The trek past Baker's Fall to the dizzying 880m escarpment of World's End is memorable, and scaling the holy mountain of Adam's Peak (Sri Pada) is a physical and spiritual experience. The Knuckles Mountain Range is a delight as scenic trails wind through five major forest formations offering hikers the unique opportunity to see a variety of rare and endemic flora and fauna. Nature lovers will also enjoy the Sinharaja Rain Forest Reserve whose biodiversity makes it one of Sri Lanka's seventh UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
There is no better or more exhilarating way to discover Sri Lanka's spectacular scenery than white-water rafting down a majestic river. For instance, join the boulder-strewn and picturesque Kelani Ganga (river) above Kitulgala and navigate name-chilling rapids such as Killer Falls and Head Chopper. The higher-grade rapids of the Sitawaka Ganga and the icy depths of the elevated Kotmale Ganga between Hatton and Nuwara Eliya provide experienced rafters with more of a challenge, while both black-water rafting carried out in the night three days prior to or after a full moon (poya) day and white-water kayaking, lend an even more thrilling angle to the sport!
Found in the southern hill country, it's revered as a holy site by Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians. It has specific qualities that cause it to stand out and be noticed; including its dominant and outstanding profile, and the boulder at the peak that contains an indentation resembling a footprint. Buddhists say that the footprint mark is the left foot of the Buddha left behind as he strode away; Hindus believe that it is the footprint of God Shiva;Muslims and Christians in Sri Lanka ascribe it to where Adam, the first Ancestor, set foot as he was exiled from the Garden of Eden. Climbing at night can be a remarkable experience, with the lights of the path leading up and into the stars overhead. There are rest stops along the way. This mountain is most often scaled from December to May. During other months it is hard to climb the mountain due to very heavy rain, extreme wind, and thick mist.