Joanna James
Blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, a huge variety of flora, fauna and some of Sri Lanka's key cultural and historical landmarks, Habarana is a great place to visit if you're a nature lover.
If you're an outdoorsy person who likes to be one with nature you should check out the trekking, hiking and nature walk options that Habarana has to offer. At a height of more than 760 metres the Ritigala Kanda (Mountain), the tallest mountain in the northern plains of Sri Lanka is a great place for hiking. The rock fort of Sigirya which is located close to Habarana is a great place for trekking and nature walks. The view of the surrounding from the summit of the fortress is best enjoyed at sun dawn as it gets quite hot and crowded as the day progresses.
Sri Lanka is home to more than 400 species of birds, 6 of which are endemic to the country. The forest that surrounds the Sigiriya rock fortress is a UNESCO recognised World Heritage Site and is named the Sigiriya Sanctuary. A tourist visiting this bird sanctuary which is made up of thick shaded forest and waterways will be escorted by a trained bird watching expert naturalist who will provide them insight on the bird's patterns and behaviour. The lush jungles surrounding Habarana is another great place for spotting birds such as the Sri Lankan Green Pigeon, Sri Lankan Jungle Fowl, Brown Capped Babbler and the Sri Lankan Swallow.
Having been recognized as a wildlife sanctuary in 1937 and located about 25 kilometres from Habarana, the Minneriya National park has a wide variety of animals, flora and fauna species. The park is home to the toque macaque and the purple-faced langur: two species of the monkey families that can be only found in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan sloth bear, Sri Lankan sambar and the Sri Lankan axis deer are some of the other animals that can be spotted when visiting the Minneriya national park.
The Minneriya national park is also a popular tourist destination that is frequented by many tourists who come to see the Sri Lankan elephant, the elephant species that is endemic to the country. Habarana hotels the likes of Cinnamon Lodge Habarana will arrange safaris that will pick you up from your hotel or resort in a four-wheeled vehicle and take you to the park to see these magnificent creatures and bring you back once you're done. The park has a population of over 200 elephants who come to bathe and feed during the dry season in Sri Lanka that occurs from April – November.
You'll be able to experience the authentic lifestyle and cuisine of the locals by embarking on a village tour. As Habarana's main source of income is agriculture and you'll be able to see lots fields growing fresh vegetables, spices, fruits and rice crops wherever you go. You can even talk to some of the locals and understand what a typical day-to-day life is like for them and understand what kind of hardships they face. In addition to people involved in agriculture, you'll also get see to lake fisherman, village vendors and scarecrows erected in the middle of fields to scare animals away from their crops.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
