About this experience
Set out from Habarana on this private 11-hour day trip through three of Sri Lanka's most striking north-central landmarks. Your English-speaking chauffeur guide collects you directly from your hotel and drives you in a private air-conditioned vehicle to Ritigala — the highest peak in the region's dry plains — where ancient forest monastery ruins cling to the hillside. From there you continue to Kala Wewa, a vast reservoir fed by the 1,600-year-old Yoda Canal, with the celebrated Avukana Buddha statue standing close by on the water's edge.
The final stop is Jathika Namal Uyana, the largest ironwood forest in Asia and home to a dramatic pink quartz mountain. Wander the trails beneath the tall na trees before your guide brings you back to your hotel by evening. A one-litre water bottle per person is provided throughout the day. Entrance tickets, meals, and gratuities are not included, so carry local currency for the sites.
