Exploring cascades of Kaluthara District

Kaluthara District is blessed with number of waterfalls. There are about 20 cascades situated in this area mainly located in Mathugama, Baduraliya and Athwalthota. These waterfalls are not much famous except few and we can’t find big waterfalls here. But some of them are so beautiful and having unusual way of flowing.
My attempt of this journey was to capture few of them.

Approximate place of Thudugala Ella in a star – Click Map to Enlarge

Approximate places of Ginigedara Ella (Red) and Makeli Ella (black) – Click Map to Enlarge

Approximate places of Rajamaruna Ella(Black), Marakapu Ella(Blue), Athwalthota Ella (Red) – Click Map to Enlarge

Thudugala Ella(තුඩුගල ඇල්ල)

Direction

Colombo->Kaluthara->Katukurunda junction->Mathugama road->Dodangoda junction->Thudugala estate->Thudugala Ella

This 8m high waterfall is a cascade of two parts. If you go further up in the water stream you may come across some other small falls. This is somewhat popular waterfall. There are few bathing places here.

There is a foot pathway close to this gate. Follow it to go to the waterfall

Thudugala rubber estate

Abounded Thudugala rubber factory

Thudugala fall

Another view

Rajamaruna Ella (රජාමැරුන ඇල්ල)

Direction

Kaluthara->Mathugama->Baduraliya->Badurugalla junction (Hadigalla road)->Badurugalla estate road

Badurugalla estate road is badly damaged. You have to travel about 1.5-2km in this road to reach the waterfall.

You will see this temple in the right hand side of Badurugalla estate road. Go towards the temple and getting down to the tea patch. Then you will hear the sound of water stream. There is a foot pathway as well

This is 7m high waterfall and flows into a shallow pool. According to the literature there is a cave behind the waterfall (only can be seen during extremely dry season). A regional leader has hidden here during dry season in fear of King Weediya Bandara. He couldn’t come out due to sudden rise of water level due to heavy rain following drought. Therefore this waterfall is named as Raja Maruna Ella.

There are few bathing places down the waterfall. We refreshed by bathing there.

Raja Maruna Ella

Filtering of water before supply

Waterfall from top

Surrounding view

Ahasbokku Ella/Kabaragoidola Ella( අහස්බෝක්කු ඇල්ල/ කබරගොයිදොල ඇල්ල)

Direction

Mathugama->Athwalthota->About 5km towards Kalawana->Pass Ambathanna bridge->Kamburuhena road (About 1.5km)

You can directly go to the top of the waterfall. Then you have to get down through the forest patch by the footpath way to reach the base.

The name is due to nearby Ahasbokkuwa Bridge. It has 30m height. There are bathing places down to the waterfall. This is one of a beautiful waterfall I have seen.

Ahasbokku Ella /Kabaragoidola Ella

It is in monochrome

Makeli Ella (මාකෙලි ඇල්ල)

Direction

Mathugama->Lathpandura->Molkawa road->Kelinkanda road->Makeli Ella

This is a straightforward waterfall with no bends and easy to approach there due to proximity to main road. Therefore it gets tourists attraction frequently. There is an observation flat form to watch this waterfall. Bathing at Makeli Ella as well as down the river is not recommended.

Prince Weediya Bandara has played here before go to the war. Therefore it is named as Makeli Ella. On the top of the waterfall there is a pool.

View of Makeli Ella from the observation desk

Have to get down into the river to get this view

Ginigedara Ella (ගිනිගෙදර ඇල්ල)

Direction

Matugama->Agalawaththa->Polegoda junction(පොලේගොඩ හoදිය)->Pulgahawaththa road->Samagipura->Ginigedara Ella

OR

Horana->Bulathsinghala->Kalwallawa->Polegoda junction->Pulgahawaththa road->Samagipura

Once you pass Samagipura temple board you may come across the road divides into two. Get the left one and travel along this road (Through Godapara trees) till you come across a rubber patch. Then take the left hand side road. After 20-30 meters you will come across a small bridge and then few houses. Waterfall is situated about 100m away from those houses.

Take the left hand side road

Abounded house will come across when you turn

Before enter the Rubber patch take left hand side road

Bridge you have to cross

Ginigedara Ella

This waterfall has unusual way of flowing. You can have a safe bath down to the waterfall. According to villagers waterfall would be full of travelers during holidays.

Marakapu Ella (මාරකැපූ ඇල්ල)

Directions

Mathugama->Baduraliya->Morapitiya->Mahawaththa Kanda road (2km)->Mananagoda->Marakapu Ella

You may come across a water tank and a rubber patch on your way to the Marakapu Ella. There is a tea patch down to the last house of the rubber estate. If you go down the tea patch you may hear the flow of the water stream. What we did was we went down through the tea patch then forest patch and got into the water stream. Then walked up in the stream about 100m till we meet this beautiful waterfall.

Alternative way is to follow the water supply tube of that house. It goes into the forest patch and ended up above the waterfall. Then you can reach the top of the waterfall and can get down viewing the waterfall.

Water tank

The last house of the rubber patch

Surrounding view

Marakapu Ella

It is height is 19m.

Because of the death of an ancient Indian leader, this is called Marakapu Ella. මාරයා ආපු ඇල්ල-> මාරකැපූ ඇල්ල

Athwalthota Ella/Pilithuda Ella (අත්වැල් තොට ඇල්ල /පිලිතුඩ ඇල්ල)

Directions

Mathugama->Baduraliya->Athwalthota

It is easy to find this waterfall. It is situated right in the Athwalthota close to the main road, about 1km away from Morapitiya (මොරපිටිය). It is one of a famous bathing place but few deaths occurred here.

Above the waterfall-Athwalthota

Pilithuda Ella/Athwalthota Fall-5m height

Pollution started

Down to the waterfall

Think before you bath here – Click Image to Enlarge

There are nice stories behind this waterfall. When few angels were bathing here a women has got into the river. Then angels have gone out and that woman was died following drowning here. After that this waterfall has started to get human lives.

Thanks for reading