There are many people who take up mountain climbing as a hobby and make the trip with friends as soon as they get a vacation. There are many mountains in the country that are very popular among such groups.
A large number of people climb these mountains every year and they have become very famous not only among local but also foreign tourists. This article is about some important facts about a few such mountains.
The Knuckles Mountain Range is considered as the northern boundary of the Central Hills. It is also known as Dumbara Range. It Borders the Mahaweli Basin on the South and East and the Matale Plain on the West.
One can reach this mountain through the Hunnasgiriya Road from Kandy. The other two routes are from Matale to Rattota and Riverston and from Wattegama via Panwila.
Highest peak
The highest peak of this range is 1,863 metres (m) above sea level. It is the sixth highest mountain in Sri Lanka. December to February is the period during which many people climb this mountain, while the period from March to May is ideal for climbing the mountain as the rainfall is less at that time.
When travelling about 30 kilometres from Matale, one can reach Riverston. It is located on the road between Matale and Girandurukotte. This mountain is a very popular place among local visitors as well as foreigners. The weather there is very similar to that at World’s End (Lokanthaya).
While climbing this mountain, one can visit two waterfalls namely the Sera Falls and Bambarakiri Falls. This trek is about 2.5 kilometres and takes an hour or two. The road to this mountain leads through an area called Pitawala Pathana, which is high in biodiversity.
The Kirigalpotta Mountain is located at a height of 2,388 metres or 7,835 feet above sea level. Kirigalpotta, belonging to the Nuwara Eliya District is located in Horton Plains. Also, this is the second highest mountain in Sri Lanka and the highest mountain accessible to the public. It usually takes 3-4 hours for the trek.
The total distance of the trek is 5.6 kilometres. There are two favourable periods to climb this mountain. One is from February to April and the other is from July to September.
Suitable
It is said to be suitable because the weather is quite dry during that time. The climb to this mountain is not too strenuous but the weather can make the journey a bit difficult at the unreliable stops.
Hantana is another popular mountain range among local and foreign visitors. The highest peak here is about 1,240 metres above sea level. These mountains belong to the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Pathahewahata, Udapalatha and Deltota. There are several ways to reach the mountain. Coming to Kandy, one can reach the Hanthana mountain range through the Hanthana tea estate.
The old radio station road that leads through Peradeniya University and the road that passes through Mahakanda Sarasavigama area can also be used to reach the Hanthana Mountain Range. Hantana belongs to the mid-humid zone between the central hills. Its annual rainfall is about 2,000 mm.
The Namunukula Mountain Range has got its name since there are nine peaks. The highest peak here is the 12th highest point in Sri Lanka. Its height is 2,035 metres or 6,677 feet. It is located on the border of Badulla and Moneragala, belonging to Badulla district.
The road between Badulla and Passara is considered to be the easiest way to reach this mountain. But the most beautiful place to visit is considered to be the waterfall entrance.
Also, Namunukula mountain scenery has also been used for navigation in the southern seas in the past.