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A country of beauty, Sri Lanka is indeed a paradise where nature thrives. Once on your Sri Lanka vacation, do pay a visit to our many rain forests, in the western and southern slopes of the mountains especially if you are on a Sri Lanka guided tour.
Natural vegetation is determined by climate. The Lowland Wet Evergreen Forests transforms into Mid-elevation Evergreen Forests and then to Montane Evergreen Forests, well denoted on any Sri Lanka map.
The rainforests that now receive increased attention are mostly in the central massif of the island. They occupy an area of 2% of the total land area of the country with some designated as World Heritage sites.
Sri Lanka’s forest cover was once 1.76 million hectares or 26.6% of the land area. Only 2% of that is now left, of a treasure that was once a quarter of the island.
These are the treasure troves that make Sri Lanka unique in bio diversity. The top three are Peak Wilderness, 250 km2; the Knuckles, 175 km2; and the Sinharaja World Heritage Site, 90 km2.
Enter these pristine forests. Leave behind the hustle and bustle of a busy world and step into nature’s embrace. Sri Lanka has difficult yet accessible tropical rain forests where you can hear the sounds of many inhabitants, from the elusive loris, the majestic elephants and fierce eyed leopards. Your holiday in Sri Lanka can only be made complete with such a visit.
The “Peak Wilderness” Sanctuary, so named as it surrounds the Adams Peak, Horton Plains, Pidurutalagala, and Hakgala are cloud forests or Montane Evergreen Forest in the central massif. Isolated from these, stands the Knuckles Mountain Range separated by the Mahaveli river basin. Its folds and peaks resemble a clenched fist, hence the name. Cloud forests are sponges that hold water in moss and soil, releasing it to streams and all the rivers of the country.
The unique ensemble of flora and fauna found in the misty forests of the central hills is a source of great fascination to both the disciplined naturalist and layman. At the end of the 19th century the famous British botanist Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker convinced the British Empire to protect all forests of Sri Lanka over the altitude of 5000 ft. Perhaps this intervention saved most of what remains today as according to scientists the conditions of Sri Lanka’s rainforests are far better than those of other tropical countries.
When you leave these magnificent forests that seem to have been scattered over the central hills by an unseen hand, there’s no saying good bye. They come with you. On your return flight from Sri Lanka, do take one long, last look out the window. The forest trails of Sri Lanka are never to be forgotten.
