Adventures in Kithulgala

A small town located in the west of the road from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, Kithulgala is definitely one of Sri Lanka’s finest locations, and has become increasingly popular among adventurous souls in the past few years. Tucked away amidst the thick rainforest and the beautiful Kelani River; the town, with its rich biodiversity and great atmosphere, is a paradise for watersports, birdwatching, trekking & exploring and a plethora of other adventure sports!

Essentially known as the wettest place in the whole island, Kithulgala experiences two monsoons each year. This along with the Kelani River makes the place ideal for plenty of daring watersports and the town especially comes alive during the first three months of the year. Among the most enjoyed watersports is White Water Rafting in Kelani River. But it’s not just the more adventurous that enjoy expeditions to Kithulgala. Be it waterfall jumps and waterfall abseiling, mountain biking in the roads and forest, river expeditions and forest walks or simply bathing in the shallow waters and enjoying a picnic, Kithulgala allows it all.

This wet zone town is also interestingly where David Lean filmed his 1957 Oscar-winning epic Bridge on the River Kwai though there is little physical evidence of it left today. If you are visiting, make sure to also explore the Belilena Caves where the 12,000 year old skeletal remains of the prehistoric 'Balangoda man’ have been found.




Written By: Kavisha Perera