Udawatta Kele Sanctuary

The Udawatta Kele Sanctuary located in the city of Kandy provides an incredible backdrop against the famous and most revered temples in Sri Lanka, known as the Sri Dalada Maligawa. If you’re staying at a hotel in the city such as Hotel Hilltop, you’ll be able to get a tour guide to take you through the Udawatta Kele Sanctuary, as one is highly recommended, owing to the fact that there are plenty of wildlife around and going by yourself or straying away from the marked routes is incredibly dangerous. Most hotels list a trek through the Udawatta Kele Sanctuary, one of the more popular things to do in Kandy.

The forest is known to have a deep rich history and was once declared to be a forbidden forest by the Kings who ruled the city of Kandy, back when it was the capital city. The forest is said to be home to wild boar, monkey, squirrel, hare, monitor lizard, porcupines, anteater, tortoise and an array of colourful birds that are both migratory and endemic to the land. It was also known, that there used to be leopard, elephants and elk roaming in the wild, however, now these animals are quite rarely spotted. However, one must always be careful nevertheless as it is still a forest. The forest is also rich in an abundant variety of flora from ferns, creepers, trees, etc.

Upon exploring through these thick shrubs, you will come across a pond located in the heart of the jungle. This was believed to have once been used as a bathing area for the queens at the time. The forest was also known to have been used as a forest by the kings during an attack as the thick foliage served as an ideal place for a surprise attack or as a defense.

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. Google+