Plants & flowers

To the naturalist, Sri Lanka offers an exciting array of interesting and unique forms of Butterflies. Of the 242 known species, most are found in the regions of the lower foothills (i.e. up to 910 metres). A few (6 species) can be glimpsed above 1210 metres. A most spectacular scene is the seasonal migration of butterflies during March and April, when tradition has it that they fly towards 'Samanala Kande' (Butterfly Peak), the local name for the mountain more famous as 'Sri Pada' or `Adam's Peak'.

Hakgala Botanical Gardens

Located within just 10km away from Nuwara Eliya town, the Hakgala botanical garden was once a Cinchona plantation. The name Hakgala or “Jaw Rock” comes from the legend of the epic Ramayana story in which it is believed that Monkey God took  back a part of the mountainside in his jaw when asked by Rama to seek out a special herb

Peak Wilderness Sanctuary (Adam’s Peak)

The Peak Wilderness Sanctuary is a long strip of wet zone forest and is situated in the Ratnapura District. The key attraction of this sanctuary is Adam’s Peak itself, which is the second highest summit in Sri Lanka and is a deeply religious place of worship among Buddhists, Hindus  and Muslims alike, 

Ritigala Strict Nature Reserve

The Ritigala Nature Reserve is a thick forest situated right in the midst of the dry zone found just off the Anuradhapura-Habarana road. Rising 600m above the surrounding plains, Ritigala is the highest peak in the entire area and enjoys its own micro-climate with relatively more rainfall and a cooler climate than the rest of area of North Central Province

Knuckles / Corbett’s Gap

25km East of the city of Kandy, the Knuckles mountain range is an  unique ecosystem separate from the rest of the central hills. This mountain range consists of five peaks and resembles the knuckles on a persons folded fist. It is about 12 miles long and it extends roughly from the northwest to the southwest of Sri Lanka. 

World heritage sites OR Bird sanctuaries