PROGRAMME : Knuckles Exploration
DURATION : H/D – F/D excursions

SCHEDULE

• Guests will be met at the Raththota or Corbett’s Gap
• Start the trail.
• Packed lunch will be provided (Only for Full day trail)
• On conclusion, proceed to your next destination.

Nature trail starting from Raththota

Guests would be taken on a nature tour that would arouse the interest of any nature enthusiast and amaze any botanist or researcher. This wonderful tour will take one through almost all forest types in Sri Lanka. If one were to start from Illukkumbura the lowest point, which at only 250 ft is covered by the Dry Zone Forest and travel up to Riverston at 4000ft, which area is covered by the Pygmy Forest (top most segment of the montage forest), one will traverse Dry Zone Forest, Wet Zone Forest, Dry Pathana, Montane Forest and end up with Pygmy Forest. What is amazing about this tour is, all these can be encountered within half an hour’s drive. Separate short hikes into each forest type would be an unforgettable experience. A walk through the Pitawala Pathana, the largest Dry Pathana planes in the island and look down the precipice – a sheer drop of about 1500 ft – at the Puwakpitiya valley below, would be another fascinating part of the journey.

At the top, at Riverston, the Montane Forest has become a perfect example of the Pygmy Forest. This feature is resulted by the fact that the blowing in this area is the strongest in the country during the windy season, which is about half the year.

Nature trail starting from Corbett’s Gap to Meemure
Corbet’s Gap is very beautiful location in the Knuckles range of mountains surrounded by a pygmy forest. Down below, at around 3500ft is a tropical montane evergreen forest, which is inhabited by many rare and endemic flora and fauna; such as, endemic Tenant’s Horned Lizard, Sri Lanka white-eye, rare Mountain frog (polypedates eques), Barnes’s Cat Snake etc.

Meemure is an ancient isolated village deep in the Knuckles wilderness area, with people who, have traditional cultural attitudes towards the forest, and are imbued with many positive aspects, rely heavily on the forest for their survival; gaining as much as 63% of their total income from the forest resources.

– End of the Tour –

RATES INCLUDE

• Experienced local guides for all the nature trails
• Snacks and water during the trail
• Packed lunch ( Only for full day tour)
• All government taxes.

RATES DO NOT INCLUDE

• Transportation.
• Any additional beverages or foods
• Any tips to the staff.
• Any personal effects not mentioned here.

IMPORTANT FACTORS

• Personal effects for Warm/Windy/Rainy conditions should be carried by clients.
• Insect repellent, Sunburn lotion etc. are recommended.