Sinharaja Forest Enter the Realm of the Lion

Natural attractions are in no short supply in Sri Lanka for this tiny island nation has got quite a lot packed in. Visit Sinharaja, a breathtaking rainforest that translates to “The Lion Kingdom” in the local tongue.

Where?

The rainforest is nestled within the Southern Province about 3 hours away from the commercial capital, Colombo. Therefore, it’s much easier to base yourself in the “Down South” and try to visit it as you will be saving up on a lot of time and energy. There are some Unawatuna, Galle or Mirissa beach hotels the likes of Esprit d’ici Hotel that offer day excursions to the forest.

Be Prepared

The forest has a very dense vegetation in which live a host of creepy crawlies that you do not want “creeping and crawling” over you. One example of these much detested creatures are leeches and you can keep these suckers away by using leech socks and applying citronella oil especially in vulnerable areas such as hands and feet. Wear comfortable clothing and a good pair of trekking shoes.

Internationally Recognized

Identified as a biodiversity hotspot in Sri Lanka, the Sinharaja Rainforest was declared as a biosphere reserve and world heritage site by UNESCO in 1988. According to UNESCO, Sinharaja is “the last viable area of primary tropical rainforest” in Sri Lanka.

Treasure Trove of a Forest

Sinharaja is home to many of Sri Lanka’s bird life as well as 50% of the country’s endemic mammal and butterfly species as well as many kinds of rare amphibians, reptiles, and insects.

Fritzjames Stephen is a travel writer, who writes content based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life.

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