If you enjoy hiking through nature, Horton Plains may just be for you. As you hike through this mountainous area, you’ll come across a range of different animals and picturesque spots. Here’s a little more information!
About Horton Plains
A beautiful highland plateau is situated at an elevation of 2100 – 2300m above sea level. Horton Plains was declared a world heritage site in 2010. When you’re staying at hotels in Nuwara Eliya the likes of Heritance Tea Factory, make space in your itinerary for a visit to this biodiversity hotspot! When you visit Horton plains, popular sites such as Baker’s Fall, Mini World’s End and World’s End.
The vegetation and weather
The vegetation you’ll find at Horton Plains is classified into two groups, montane grasslands, and lesser sub-tropical montane evergreen cloud forests. Almost 750 different species of plants have been observed here, some of them endemic to Sri Lanka. Varieties of lichens, ferns, and orchids are also found here. The best time to visit is early in the morning when the sky is at it’s clearest. The weather at the plains varies during the day, with high temperatures during the day and lower temperatures towards the evenings.
Animals
24 species of mammals, 87 species of birds, 9 species of reptiles, 15 species of amphibians and 2 species of fish make up the fauna of Horton Plains. The park is a great birding area, where you’ll find 21 endemic bird species. The commonly seen mammals are the Sambar deer, with a population of 2000.