Walking in Sri Lanka guide
Sri Lanka has done a lot of rushing around in the last few years, regularly hitting the top ten travel lists. And well merited too. We love Sri Lanka, but we also love slow Sri Lanka. It gets pretty crowded in its honeypots, and so this Sri Lanka walking vacations travel guide takes you to some equally sweet corners where everyone isn’t as busy as a bee. If you look at the country’s topographical map you will see that the rugged Central Highland range is the gem at its core. A range that peaks at 2,524m, stretches north to south for 65km and proffers rainforest, gorges, cloud forest, ridges and the prettiest of panoramic plateaus.
Always ask for a translation of the Sinhalese place names when you walk. They usually capture the place better than any Instagram shot.![]()
Herein lie myriad walking trails, such as in the Knuckles Forest Reserve or Horton Plains National Park, where this Teardrop Island’s cup overfloweth with stunning waterfalls and rivers along your way. Which, if you are a hiker, means nothing but happy tears.
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Sri Lanka walking vacation
Trek through verdant mountains and dense forest
From
US $2730 to US $3300
15 days
ex flights
Sri Lanka trekking vacation
Trekking adventure in Sri Lanka tailor made for you
From
£975
7 days
ex flights
Sri Lanka Walking vacations
Sri Lanka Walking, Culture & Foodie Vacation
From
US $1560
8 days
ex flights
Sri Lanka walking vacation
Palm-fringed beaches and jewelled cultural treasures.
From
£3130 to £3230
16 days
inc UK flights
Walking & Cycling in Sri Lanka
Walking and cycling vacation off the beaten track Sri Lanka
From
US $1180
8 days
ex flights
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Best time to go walking in Sri Lanka
I suggested a walking and whales vacation to my boyfriend. ‘Walking in Wales?’ he said. ‘No, whales. In Sri Lanka!’ ‘That’s more like it!’ was the response.![]()
Dumbara Kanduvetiya, translating as ‘Misty Mountains’, is the Sinhalese name for hiking haven Knuckles Mountains. So yes, it rains, whenever it wants. Avoid the southwest monsoon season from May-Jul, and apart from that, daytime temperatures at elevation range between 15°C to 25°C. Nights can dip as low as 10°C, but expect hot and tropical on the plains. If you are combining walking with a wildlife safari, Feb until Jun or Jul are great as water tables are low, and animals come out to exposed lakes at Yala National Park, for example, to drink.
Sri Lanka Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
18
27
86
FEB
18
29
82
MAR
19
30
89
APR
21
30
213
MAY
21
29
164
JUN
21
27
118
JUL
21
27
119
AUG
21
28
116
SEP
20
28
155
OCT
20
28
297
NOV
20
27
303
DEC
19
27
211
More Sri Lanka walking articles
From Horton Plains to the Knuckles Mountain range and welcoming local homestays, walking here has many diverse highlights...
