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The word speleology, describes the exploration, surveying, mapping, and photographing of caves, which is performed by the scientific community. These caves are home to a great variety of creatures that are nocturnal in their habits and most of the recently discovered species are from caves that have been around for at least 500 million years. These caves especially the Belilena Cave in Sri Lanka abound with stalactites and stalagmites, formations of conical calcium deposits sometimes as tall as a small child.

This captivating activity is relatively new to Sri Lanka and is rather an unusual experience not to be missed. Sri Lanka is dotted all over with many caves from the Ritigala mountains in the north to the central hills and the southern hillocks of the South. The most famous being Batatotalena at sudugala, attributed to the Balangoda man a prehistoric man whose skeletal remains were uncovered inside this cave, Belilena in Kithulgala and aptly named Wavulpone because of the large community of bats living inside with some records indicating a figure as high as hundred thousand.

Kitulgala is a small town located in the west of Sri Lanka. It is in the wet zone rain forest, which gets two monsoons each year, and is one of the wettest places in the country. Nevertheless, it comes alive in the first three months of the year, especially in February, the driest month. The Academy Award-winning The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed on the Kelani River near Kitulgala, although nothing remains now except the concrete foundations for the bridge (and, supposedly, the submerged train cars that plunged into the river in the climactic scene). Kitulgala is also a base for white-water rafting.

Sri Lankas most recently discovered bird, the Serendib scops owl was originally heard calling by Deepal Warakagoda in these forests.

The hills above the rubber plantations also have mountain hawk-eagle, crested treeswift, and Layards parakeet.

Belilena is a very large cave, in which the 12,000-year-old skeletal remains of the prehistoric Balangoda man (Homesepiens Balangodensis) have been found. In order to reach the cave, you have to walk through the jungle, close to the Inoya estate (approx. 8 km from Kitulgala itself).

Located 2000 feet above sea level, the Belilena Cave lies amidst picturesque environs close to Kitulagala. Recent archaeological excavations conducted at the cave have unearthed several fossils believed to be more than 32,000 years old.

The part of the cave beyond the lake that fills it a short way from its mouth still remains unexplored to this day.

This Huge Cave has been home to the prehistoric Balangoda Man (Homo sapiens balangodensis) where 16,000-year-old skeletal remains have been found. Fa Hien-Lena has yielded the earliest evidence (at ca. 37,000 BP) of the Balangoda Man followed by Batadomba-Lena at 31,000 and 18,000 BP.

These caves have also yielded other artifacts such as prehistoric tools belonging to the 30,000 BP. Batadomba-Lena caves have yi