Udawatta Kele Sanctuary A Trek Through an Enchanting Forest

Tucked away in the historic hill capital of Sri Lanka is an ancient forest seemingly lost in time; here amidst the peace and tranquillity, you can discover the natural enchantment that is the Udawatta Kele Sanctuary.

An age old forest

This rainforest reserve was in fact once part of a royal reserve used only by kings. Today, this 257 acre patch of forest is one of the best places to spend time amidst nature with family, friends or even by yourself. Because of its central location, it is easily accessible from most Kandy hotels and is well worth visiting.

Getting here

The Udawatta Kele Sanctuary can be easily reached from the main Kandy town. Around half an hour away from Amaya Hills, the forest reserve is a short drive or tuk-tuk ride from the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic; alternatively, it’s about a 20 minute walk from the temple.

Hiking the trails

There are several trails at the reserve for you to hike along and you can get a small map with the trails marked. Because of the forest’s relatively small size, you can explore more than one trail and in about 4 to 5 hours you can cover almost all the main parts.

Animal residents

Amidst the dense clusters of trees and fascinating twisty roots and creepers at Udawatta Kele Sanctuary you will find a variety of wildlife too. Be on the lookout for toque macaques, mouse deer and wild boar, while Layard’s parakeet, the brown-headed barbet and the kingfisher are amongst the many bird varieties that can be spotted.

Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting. Google+