104 hectares of this forest has been declared as a sanctuary and is protected as a Forest Reserve by the Forest Department. This is a very popular site with the birders in Kandy area. This is a tall, wet evergreen forest. The lake within the sanctuary attracts many species of birds that feed on fish.…

This city park was named after Queen Victoria in 1897 to commemorate her 60th jubilee coronation. An evening walk in this garden can catch you an encounter with the Pied Thrush, Kashmir Flycatcher, Indian Pitta and the Indian Blue Robin besides some endemics.  

Preserved for its biological, hydrological and aesthetic values, Horton Plains offers a breathtaking panorama of grassland valleys, high plateaus, mountains crests and forests.  Bakers Falls and World’s End are two of this area’s not-to-be-missed viewpoints. It consists of ecosystems such as Montane evergreen forests, grasslands, marshy lands and aquatic ecosystem. At an altitude of 2,100…

The garden was established in 1861 as an experimental cultivation of Cinchona, a commercial crop thriving at the time. Once after the Tea replaced the Cinchona, it was turned into an experimental Tea cultivation. In 1884 it transformed to a garden. Since then many sub-tropical and some temperate plants were planted in the gardens. There are over 10,000 species of flora…

King Kashyapa built his rock fortress in the 5th century so as to have a bird’s eye view of approaching enemies. Today, from its summit it is birds and wildlife the intrepid visitor sees. Surrounded on all sides by vast man-made water tanks, Sigiriya is rich in interesting species.  From the Asian elephant to a…

Tissamaharama in ancient times was the epicenter of irrigation and cultivation. The man made Tissa wewa is a part of the sophisticated irrigation system that still prevails to this day. This first century constructions are home to large number of water fowls and migrant waders.  

This sanctuary is 1,397 hectares in extent. It is primarily a complex of large tanks and adjoining forest. The largest of the tanks holds a large breeding colony of Herons and other water birds mainly during the months of April – June. The dominant species is the Openbill but Great Cormorant, White Ibis and a…

This sacred city was established around a cutting from the ‘tree of enlightenment’, the Buddha’s fig tree, brought there in the 3rd century B.C. by Sanghamitta, the founder of an order of Buddhist nuns. Anuradhapura, a Ceylonese political and religious capital that flourished for 1,300 years, was abandoned after an invasion in 993. Hidden away…

Mihintale is a mountain peak near Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka. It is believed by Sri Lankans to be the site of a meeting between the Buddhist monk Mahinda and King Devanampiyatissa which inaugurated the presence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. It is now a pilgrimage site, and the site of several religious monuments and abandoned structures. Main attractions in Mihintale include The ancient…

Dambulla is situated in the Matale District, Central Province of Sri Lanka, 148 km north-east of Colombo and 72 km north of Kandy. Due to its location as a major junction, it’s the center of vegetable distribution in the country. Major attractions of the area include the largest and best preserved cave temple complex of Sri Lanka, and the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, famous for being built…