sahitra
On your holiday in Sri Lanka, while it's tempting to spend most of your time on the honey-hue coastline, you must experience the country's gorgeous misty mountains.
Blanketed in clouds of the swirling mist, the highlands are magical and are home to acres of tea estates and cascading waterfalls.
The best thing about Sri Lanka is that it’s a year-round holiday destination, but with that said it has two alternating monsoon seasons. The best time to visit the tea country is between December and May as the weather is generally dry. However, if you don’t make it any time within these months, don’t worry! If your goal is to see the country’s magnificent waterfalls, then the rainy season is the best time to visit as the cascades are most impressive during this time.
It’s hard to believe that Sri Lanka has the highest density of waterfalls in the world, but this vast variety of different landscapes and activities is what makes the country so special.
Named after a revolutionary English coffee planter whose estate was in proximity to the fall, Devon Falls is the 19th tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka. Often referred to as ‘The Veil of the Valley’, this three-tiered waterfall flows perfectly between two mountain ridges and on a sharp incline. This is certainly one of the country’s most popular waterfalls and it is fabled for its beauty, but what makes this waterfall even more wonderful is its accessibility. Viewing Devon Falls is one of those experiences that requires minimum effort for a breath-taking outcome. You can easily observe the falls from a viewpoint on the Dimbulla main road, and there is even a cafe near the viewpoint, so enjoy a cup of Ceylon’s finest while you’re here. You should also visit St. Clair’s Falls which is fondly known as the “Little Niagara of Sri Lanka”.
Quite possibly the most beautiful waterfall in Sri Lanka- and that's saying a lot since there are about 328 waterfalls in Sri Lanka! Gartmore Falls is a hidden gem that flows into the picturesque Maskeliya Reservoir. From a distance, the waterfall looks like a thin white ribbon surrounded by a sea of green as the waterfall is wedged between two mountains covered in lush greenery. Behind the waterfall, there are other mountains which have been overrun by greenery and which peek out from the swirling mist. Similar to Aberdeen Falls, this cascade also gets its name from the estate it’s located in, but it is occasionally called Sri Pada Falls due to its proximity to the holy mountain.
If you’re interested in nature photography this is a must, as there is another waterfall that feeds into the same reservoir, Moray Falls, and when you get a panoramic view of the two together it is breath-taking! This is truly a must-visit and it doesn’t attract too many visitors so it's perfect for an idyllic afternoon walk.
It may seem peculiar that a waterfall in rural Sri Lanka is named after a city in Scotland, however, its name is derived from the former Aberdeen estate that was owned by a Scotsman. This waterfall is quite special for its three cascades, but its final cascade is certainly the most spectacular. The water gushes past a large craggy rock, which creates a cave-like crevice, before plunging into the cool deep pool below. The water here flows out to the serene Castlereagh Reservoir which you can see from Ceylon Tea Trails and its charming bungalows, making this an excellent excursion.
Folklore suggests that there is a secret tunnel under the rock which connects Aberdeen Falls to Laxapana Falls, another stunning waterfall located on the former estate. However, this has not been proved and still remains somewhat of a mystery.
