Travel Blog – backpackerssrilanka

Travel Blog

BEST PLACE FOR NATURE LOVING BACKPACKERS IN YALA

By Admin on Saturday, November 12, 2022

YAKADURU YALA

Five Reasons to Choose “YAKADURU YALA”

01. Budget friendly accommodation

Option 01– 10 Person family open mud house. (Ideal for groups)

Option 02 – Luxury double private mud room

02. Nature concept

Yala is the Wildlife lover’s paradise in Sri Lanka. If you want to live inside a room which covered with walls, there are so many places around. Come on Guys, we are talking about wildlife and nature. Believe me, you will get the chance to spend your night close to nature and its comfortable and safe.

I know you must be having concerns; every group is having people who need some privacy. They have catered to that as well. And this covered space or room can be used as the changing room as well.

03. Best option for Small Groups

Picture says thousand words. This is the best place where you can spend with your group of friends or family. Check out the open space. Best place to get together and gossip, sing a song or play a card game.

04. 3 Km from Palatupana Entrance of Yala National Park

Yala national Park is one of the 1^st two national parks in Sri Lanka. Yala has four gates, where Katagamuwa and Palatupana are the most famous ones among those. Palatupana is the most visited due to the popularity of block 1. So Yakaduru simply 3Km away from the Palatupana Entrance.

Travel Blog

Narangala Hike

By Admin on Saturday, June 5, 2021

As I emphasized in my Wangedigala blog, there are few locations (peaks) in Sri lanka where you can experience the heavenly view above the clouds and covered hill tops. Narangala is one of those few locations which will enchant travelers with its magnificent view.

Narangala is located in Badullla District in Uva province and, it is said to be the 6^th highest peak in Badulla district which lies at an elevation of 1527m above sea level. Sometime back, it had been recognized as the 2^nd highest peak after Namunukula, however according to the recent estimations it has become the 6^th highest peak in Badulla.

It will take around one or two hours for an average person to reach the summit. It will be an easy hike so even if you’re a beginner you could probably try. Let’s see how we can get there.

If you are coming from Colombo by your private vehicle, you can reach the trail head easily via Hali ela. If you are using public transport, You can reach Badulla Either By Bus or Train.

Reaching Badulla By Bus

– There is a frequent bus service which operates from Pettah private and Public bus terminal to Badulla. There is a bus which departs the Private bus terminal every hour. If it’s a long weekend, the situation can be different. There will be a huge crowd and you might have to stay in the queue for 2-3 hours to get into a bus and still you might not be able to catch a seat. Standing for 6 hours in the Badulla bus will be a nightmare for anyone. So, for a hassle-free trip. It’s better to reserve your seat early through busbooking.com

– Second most favorite option is getting into the Badulla Night Mail and it’s the most scenic train ride in south Asia. In a long weekend, situation will be the same as in the 1st option. But the experience is so different because, this is everyone’s favorite hill country train ride in Sri Lanka. The train will depart from fort station at 7.30 pm and it will reach to Badulla at 6.30 in the morning.

From Badulla, you can take the Kandegedara bus or Galauda bus to reach Narangala. There are two famous trail heads to reach the summit of Narangala, one from Tangamale devalaya and the other is from Keenakale side. Keenakale side is commonly used by the villagers, and it is less adventurous compared to the other side.

Things to Consider.

– If you are camping there, carry enough water because there are no water sources on top or on your way to fill your bottles

– Avoid Long weekends since it will be crowded on long weekends ( Narangala is restricted for Camping due to heavy amount of disposal of waste has cost an server environmental impact to the area. And things will be changed after the 2^nd wave of covid 19 in sri lanka – may 2021)

– There are no big trees on the top and it’s covered with a Mana forest. On dry seasons Bush fires can be easily happen. This happens on every year. When you are cooking or preparing the campfire consider that as well. Other wise you will be in a huge trouble in the middle of your journey.

– There are leeches on rainy season so be prepared with repellent. Try to avoid rainy days since the peak is fully open, lightning and thunderstorms can strike on this kind of open peaks and it will be one of most frightening hazards a hiker may encounter.

– If you are going out from the tent during night time, consider about your surroundings and watch where you walk. There are lot of steep areas on the top. There are few death records on the peak most of the times campers had come from the tent in the mid night and had fallen from over the steep areas. So keep that in mind

This is a famous camping ground in Sri Lanka. Because of the easiness and the beauty of sunrise, most of the travelers tend to camp here. So I have seen lot of plastics and polythene on the top which is disappointing to see people polluting the nature. Be a responsible traveler. You might not be able to clean or bring all the garbage out there. But make sure to bring down each and everything what you carried up.

Enjoy the journey.

Travel Blog

Wangedigala Hike

By Admin on Saturday, May 1, 2021

Wangedigala is one of the most famous hikes in Sri Lanka among the travelers. Due to the Picture-perfect Structure and fascinating surroundings of these 3 peaks (Wagedigala/Gommolliya/Balathuduwa) it has become a Must do hike for the Travelers.

The Name ‘Wangedigala’ has been derived from its unique shape similar to a Mortar ( Wangediya in Sinhala) and the peak is located in proximity to A4 (Colombo-Badulla) Route.

If you are planning to do this as a one-day hike, it’s quite possible if you can start the trek early in the morning. But I would recommend for someone who is planning this trip, to do it as a two days trip since Wangedigala is one of the peaks where you can see the most beautiful sunrise in Sri Lanka.

The Rising sun through the mountain clouds will surely give you a heavenly feeling. Also, there are some other famous locations around the range including the highest waterfall (Bambarakanda Falls) in Sri Lanka. If you’re seeking for quality time away from your urban lifestyle, this would be a perfect gateway for you.

Route to Wangedigala

There are few ways to reach the wangedigala peak.

01. Starting the trek from kalupahana Weli oya Bridge

This is the easiest accessible route by public transport since you can start the trek from Weli oya bridge which is located closer to the Colombo – Badulla Main Route and closer to Kalupahana. If you are planning to use public transport you can take a Badulla Bus from Pettah Private or CTB Bus Terminals.

02. Starting the trek from Bambarakanda falls.

This is the most famous route. Trail head is located approximately 1km towards the kalupahana from bambarakanda. If you are traveling from Bambaraknda, after 750m towards kalupahana, you have to take a sharp turn to your right hand side. Then you will see a staircase on your right hand side. That’s where you have to start descending until you find the trail head.

After walking around 700m down the stairs, you will come across few houses into your right side. Here, you will be able to see a water stream towards your left side and that’s where you have to take your left turn. Follow the water stream for another 500m and then you will have to cross the water stream. On your right hand side you will notice a broken steel bridge. Don’t miss to click some photographs at this spot before you resume your walk towards trail head.

After crossing the water stream you will have to walk for another 1.5km along the water stream until you find the end of the foot path. Then cross the stream and walk towards the village where you come across a buddha statue. This is the point where both paths meet (option 1 and 2) and from here, you have to start the real trek towards Wangedigala peak through the pinus forest. The view from top of the peak is absolutely amazing. You will see the beautiful Bambarakanda Falls cascading down the hills from one side and the famous Gommolliya lying next to you. There is a huge natural campsite for you to enjoy, relax and explore nature!

Facts and Tips from me

– You can always get the support of villages until you pass the buddha statue. From there onwards you barely will meet any villagers.

– Pinus forest can be slippery because of Pinus leaves

– Make sure you bring enough of water, there will be no access to clean water on the top. (It’s important to stay hydrated!)

– Carry food that is light weighted. The more you stash in a backpack, the harder it is to hike.

– Everyone will be camping on the Wangedigala peak. There are plenty of Camping areas on the top. If you cant find a place on top, trek another 1km further until you pass the Gommolliya ( 2^nd peak) Then there is a open area with a few Pinus trees. That is the best viewpoint in the range.

( Balathuduwa also is a nice place ( 3^rd Peak))

Enjoy the journey. Leave only
footprints. Take only memories. Watch my youtube video as well