Boasting immaculate vistas that comprise of towering mountains, surreal cascades, quaint lakes, and pristine rivers, the central highlands of Sri Lanka is a paradise with bountiful experiences for those who love nature! The region is home to numerous wildlife reserves and it teems with rare and endemic wildlife. Due to its ecological significance, the whole region has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and it is frequented by adventures and nature lovers around the globe.
The significant attractions of the Central Highlands are located at a high altitude region that reaches up to 2800 meters above sea level. It also receives adequate rainfall during both monsoon seasons, hence it is always green and lush. The site consists of three major wildlife conservation areas namely, Peak Wilderness Protected Area, Knuckles Conservation Forest, and Horton Plains and each of them is drastically different from one another due to their unique ecological composition and attributes.
Spanning over an area of 224 square kilometres around the Adams Peak (Sri Pada) The Peak Wilderness Reserve is the third largest wildlife reserve in the country. It is composed of a thick and unspoilt stretch of rain forest that is rich in biodiversity – it is home to a wide variety of birds, mammals, and amphibians. The reserve is also rumoured to have a small population of the elusive Sri Lankan Black Panther. The region around Sri Pada Mountain also features a strange yet magical phenomenon which is the millions of butterflies of various vivid species that flock to the sanctuary from around the country. There is no particular explanation for this occurring but it is the reason the Sri Pada Mountain is also known by many as the Samanala Kanda ( Butterfly Mountain). This makes the site ideal for lepidoptery.
The Knuckles Conservation Forest and the Horton Plains too are part of the Central Highlands and they both feature montane grasslands. Located in a high altitude region with a cloud forest that is home to a myriad of rare plant and animal species, the Hotrain Plains, however, is the most unique among the three. The park is also home to a well-renowned attraction – the world’s end – a cliff with an insanely steep drop from where you could get a panoramic view of the surreal and beautiful valleys and natural attributes below.
Like the other reserves, The Knuckles conservation forest also teems with biodiversity and it has become a popular hiking spot among the local youth. The purple-faced langur, toque macaque, slender loris, jungle fowl, spot winged thrush, the Sri Lankan leopards are some of the unique animals that you can spot at all three wildlife reserves.
