Best things to do in Horton Plains

Horton Plains National Park

Horton plains or Mahaeliya Tenna in Sinhalese is the great plains of the central hills of Sri Lanka, located approximately 30 km from the town of Nuwara Eliya better known for its cooler climate. Horton plains was discovered by the Colonial British, namely Governor Barnes & Sir Samuel Baker, who accounts of wanton shooting of Elephants in Horton plains in the name entertainment, no elephants are to be seen here now, only Elk, stag, butterflies, and many endemic types of flora.

The starting point is marked by a gate and a little pond and further up you’ll end up in a resting station before you start the trek, 10 km of it. A little climb on a cobblestone path will take you to the fork and taking the left here would be less strenuous on the way back, jumping or climbing short hops down from boulder to boulder on this routes while listening to the birds and wind through the trees is magical, once you reach the worlds end you’ll experience the cloud forest & be ready for the occasional drench as well. You’ll need a bit of patients to wait for the clouds to part and show you the great vista of the valley spreading for miles below. On a clear day you might even spot the ocean across the southern part of Sri Lanka. Further on, the trail becomes even and then you’ll have to make an arduous climb down to see Bakers falls and rest at the platform relishing the cool spray of the fall.

After climbing back on to the main trek from Bakers falls, one can encounter the old chimney pool created by the long forgotten British planter to harvest water for plantation. The walk is categorized as average walk and do Keep your camera ready throughout, as you never know when you’ll get to snap that Pulitzer Prize winning shot! Overall route is categorized as average.