Travelling is a wonderfully invigorating experience and once bitten by the travel bug, wanderlust appears to take hold of one’s soul. For those considering travel Sri Lanka, the island nation is replete with diverse religious, cultural and natural attractions. However, with the assistance of service providers such as Aitken Spence Travels, one’s holiday can be tailor-made to suit their personal preferences. While the coastal belt is replete with pristine and beautiful beaches to be enjoyed by those seeking a sunburnt beachside vacation, others inclined towards adventure will find that Sri Lanka is filled with excellent hiking trails, particularly in the Central Highlands.
One such destination is the Knuckles Mountain Range where the shape created by the peaks and valleys of the mountain range nestled in the heart of Sri Lanka resembles the knuckles of a closed fist. Known by the inhabitants of the area prior to its renaming by the British as the Dumbara Kanduvetiya or Dumbara Mitiyawatha, meaning ‘Misty Valley’, the Knuckles Mountain Range is a site of immense natural beauty and has been endowed with a rich ecology.
Rising three thousand square feet above sea level, the Knuckles is an unspoilt reserve of nature, making it a very popular camping destination. Locals, foreigners, students, environmentalists and researchers visit the mountain range with great enthusiasm and camping in the mountains is a wonderful and unique experience. Furthermore, there are a number of major routes that can be followed when trekking through this UNESCO World Heritage Site such as Hulu Ganga, Bambarella, Laggala, Pitawala Pathana and Corbet’s Gap.
Trekkers visiting the Deanston Conservation Centre can also make a trek to Mini World’s End from where the view is truly spectacular for atop the peak, the mountains spread for miles and miles into the horizon, dotted by deep valleys and lakes.
Nigel Walters is a travel writer, who writes under the pen name, Fritzjames Stephen. His content is based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life.
