Tips for Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka
In the uppermost highlands of Sri Lanka, tropical mountains give way to a cold, windy and alien terrain. Evergreen forests, marshlands, foggy grasslands, enormous overlooks and incredible biodiversity can be found here.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to various species of birds, bear monkeys, giant squirrels, wild boars, fishing cats, leopards, Sambar deer and the Red Slender Loris. The Plains host 5% of all Sri Lanka’s biodiversity.
Spectacular views and hikes make Horton Plains one of the most beautiful and enjoyable places to visit in Sri Lanka.
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Tips for Horton Plains National Park
Getting to Horton Plains
Horton Plains can be visited by train. Passangers can hop off at the station in Ohiya. The nearby stations of Haputale, Ella and Nanu Oya all have direct trains to Ohiya. From Ohiya, visitors can hire tuk-tuks up to the park entrance.
Many travelers choose to spend the night in Nuwara Eliya before taking a taxi, rental vehicle or Tuk-Tuk to Horton Plains. This route takes roughly two hours.
The cost for Horton Plains varies upon arrival. Native Sri Lankan citizens hiking for just one day cost 30 INR. Overnight stays for Sri Lankan natives are 60 INR.
However, visiting foreigners must pay much more. A one day pass for foreigners costs INR 1,150 and INR 2,090 for an overnight visit.
Groups who wish to bring their own vehicle into the park must pay an additional 500 INR.
Views
Horton Plains National Park is famous for its incredible panoramas of the countryside, staring down at lower jungle mountains and tea fields. It’s important to arrive at the park in the early morning, before 9. Thick mists cover the plains for most of the late morning and early afternoon.
Be cautious when walking in dense clouds or fogs. There are no guardrails in Horton Plains. Therefore, caution when getting close to a cliff’s edge is warranted.
The best time to get clear views from Horton Plains is from January to March. There are not many crowds during this time of year and the sky is somewhat clearer.
If your views are shrouded due to clouds, simply wait. the highlands are often hit by strong winds. Clouds can clear away at any moment, providing an excellent view. On truly clear days, the Indian Ocean is visable from the Plains.
Wildlife
Horton Plains has incredible biodiversity. The vast majority of animals are active in the early morning. Visitors can expect to see wild boar, Sambar deer, wood pigeons, rhino horn-lizards and stripe-neck mongoose.
There are also Toque monkeys in the park. Monkeys everywhere in the world tend to be grabby around tourists, so make sure you don’t have anything dangling, such as straps. Avoid leaving food out in the open.
Horton Plains is also home to diverse flora. The most striking plants are the Maha Meemana Tree Fern (found in forest clearings), Patana Grass and Dwarf Bamboo. Rhododendron Arboreum flowers are also found on the plains. They’re extremely striking during blooming season.
Additionally, Bird Watching is also popular in Horton Plains. The more famous avian sights include Sri Lanka’s bush warbler, the pied thrush, black eagles, jungle fowls, mountain hawk-eagles and the yellow-eared bulbul.
Attire
Horton Plains is constantly wreathed in clouds rising off the Indian Ocean. Bring gear and clothing that can afford to be damp. There’s rarely outright rainfall, but there is constant mist. This also makes the ground somewhat slick, so bring proper footwear.
Consider bringing a jacket. due to the high altitude, Horton Plains is much coder than the rest of Sri Lanka.
If you plan on swimming in the rivers, waterfalls or pools outside the park, bring a swimsuit as well
Park Directions
The vast majority of Horton Plains’ points of interest exist on the East side of the park. Most tourists only explore the eastern portion of the park via several hiking trails. These trails take roughly four hours to explore on foot, not counting time needed to get into the park.
Some visitors choose to explore the entirety of the park by trekking along the forest and moutnain ridges. This trek takes around five days to complete and shouldn’t be attempted without a guide and topographical maps.
Things to Do in Horton Plains
Horton Plains
A gorgeous, expansive and high-altitude biosphere with frequent rain showers across a series of windy plains and tree-choked gorges. The distance from the train station to the upper plains is 9 kilometers, so bringing some extra money for a Tuk-Tuk is often preferred.
World’s End (Great World’s End Drop)
A sheer cliff facing south. There is no guard rail, so be cautious when approaching in the fog. The view is spectacular. During exceptionally clear moments (of which there are few) the distant ocean is barely visible.
Mini World’s End
Roughly ten minutes walking from the World’s End major overlook point, this smaller platform offers a similar view of the Sri Lankan lowlands. This overlook has a small platform, making it very popular for photos.
Baker’s Falls
A stunning waterfall tumbling over huge, grey boulders located in Horton Plains. It’s accessed by following a series of footpaths along highland river.
Devil’s Staircase
A very challenging, zig-zag trail leading up from Ohiya and into the central Sri Lankan mountain range. The Staircase offers stellar views of the surrounding mountains. The base of the Staircase also has a view of a small waterfall.
Bambarakanda Falls
This waterfall is an hour outside of Horton Plains. It can be reached by taking the roads on the south side of the National Park. The waterfall is an enormous spray of water and the tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka.
Ravana Falls
Located two hours away from Horton Plains National Park, Ravana Falls is one of the most popular tourism waterfalls in Sri Lanka. The waterfall is at its most powerful during monsoon season. This waterfall is available for visitors to swim, though the rocks are slippery.
The waterfall is named for the famous Sri Lankan King Ravana from the Sanskrit epic Ramayana. In the stories of the Ramayana, the King Ravana hid Lord Rama’s wife Sita in caves located beneath this waterfall. The epic goes on to describe Sita’s rescue, involving Lord Rama’s enlistment of an army of monkeys.
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