When waterfalls of Colombo district are in full flow

I Picked Sri from Embuldeniya sharp at 5.00 am. and came to Godagama junction around 5.30 hoping my friend prince would come there by that time. And he came there at his royal time 6.30 and we moved along high level road and reached Meepe .From there we turned right at clock tower and reached Bope junction after few minutes

Note : You can reach Padukka from Godagama and come along the Ingiriya road and reach Bope junction too.

We traveled further towards Ihala Bope and after few minutes turned left at a junction where the road go through Dammbora villege(you can ask directions anybody around Bope) . Special land mark is no sooner you turn left; you find a school at right hand side. We had a healthy breakfast at a shop near the school and proceeded to Dambora village. After reaching Dambora village we rode little further passing a paddy field and a temple and reached the following place . AYR ESTATE…..From there you can reach the Hidden beauty, Dambora Ella.

Ha ha Bus halt in a waterfall trip……….just consider this as a landmark Left side is the entrance to Ayr estate .Stream; which forms Dambora ella flows under the bridge. Stream is bordered by the estate and the main road.

Bridge and the entrance to AYR estate

This stream forms the Dambora ella within just 100m – 150 downwards. But there is no clear path to reach the fall

Near the bridge we asked the directions from few locals .They suggested two ways

1. Enter the AYR estate and go downwards(right) through rubber estate (plants) and find the fall

2. Go 200 m along the main road and find the foot path(left) leads to fall through a rubber estate and village houses

For our bad luck there was a tri wheeler going to estate and driver promised us show the entrance from the estate. But my friends please don’t ever try that path as you have to go through heavy undergrowth and pit holes where rubber plants are grown. Adding to the toughness you will find a metal fence at the border of the stream which is built very strongly. And from the fence also you can only hear the sound of the fall but unable to see the fall due to trees and bushes. We had to face all these difficulties and thought of going parallel to the stream searching for a week point of the fence( Watunu walenma Goda enna onene…..)

After few meters we saw a week point of the fence where we could stretch two strings and creep trough the fence and reach the stream. In the “operation metal fence” I wounded my leg also.

Since we had come some distance downwards, had to go up stream to search the fall. But there is a saying “Kandak naggoth Pallamak thiyenawa” so we were able to see some nice cascades of the stream before the main target

Road where we came from (after entering the estate)

From here we went through rubber estate

No clear path…went zig zag and reach the bottom …and there was another fence and had to creep through it to reach stream

After hardworking came to the stream

Going upstream

Another cascade before the Fall ( Photo credit : SRI)

After walking about 200m along the stream we reached our target . Hidden Beauty, “Dambora falls”. The view was fantastic. Not like in other falls this beauty is not polluted by brain less visitors. And to remind you the deep pool is not safe for bathing or swimming.

Dambora Ella

Another view ( Photo credit : SRI)

Closer view

Kumaraya ( Prince)

Little Sri With the Base pool . ………………( Photo credit : Sri )

We stayed there about 30 minutes and did not try to reach the top of the fall. And we didn’t want to return through the same path. We saw a foot path closer to base pool and took that path when returning. It didn’t take even five minutes to reach the main road. But we had to walk to the estate again to take our bikes

As I believe the Lakdasun members are true nature lovers I would like to describe the directions to reach the base of the fall safely and easily in a short time without taking unwanted risks. Hope you will try your best to safeguard these places…

If you are coming from Bope side make a note of the bridge (very next to sign board/bus halt) which leads to Ayre estate. (Don’t enter the estate) Go 250 m along the main road .Then you will see a house( at some distance from your left hand side ) made with cement bricks and covered with asbestos roofing sheets. And you can see a foot path leads to that house. Follow the footpath and you have to enter the garden of the house and continue walk.(there can be other paths which can avoid the house) Please get permission and inform where you are going. The path will definitely lead to the stream and you have to walk little upstream to reach the base pool.

Note : if you are coming from Puwakpitiya pls. adjust accordingly

Trail starts from here….you have to go down wards

House ….you can see the path to the falls at left hand side

After coming back to the main road we traveled straight towards thummodara and reached a T junction. We took the left turn and Reached Thummodara within no time. At Thummodara we took the right turn ( Thummodara Puwakpitiya Road) . After going for about 1km we took a turn to right and went for another 500m. Then we could clearly see the RANMUDU ELLA

Thummodara Bridge ( Photo credit : Sri )

The stream which formed RAMMUDUA ELLA (Photo Credit : Sri)

Life of the villagers (Photo Credit : Sri)

Entering to the fall

There She is ……….Middle part of Ranmudu ella (Photo Credit : Sri)

A visitor who came to have his breakfast (Photo Credit : Sri)

We just climbed a bit to reach another cascade

Upper Cascade

Best part of Ranmudu ella ( Under the Bridge)

OUR TEAM SIRIYA , HARIYA & KUMARAYA (Photo Credit : Sri)

Base pool at the lower part

Then we came back to Thummodara- Puwakpitiya Road and traveled further 3 kms towards Puwakpitiya.Then we turned right from a junction called ILLUKOWITA. It’s easy to identify that junction because of a sign board stating that road leads to “KODIKANDA ARANYA SENASANAYA”. We traveled nearly 500 meters on that road and reached the Bo Tree with a Dewalaya. After passing Bodhiya(30-40m) we parked our bikes at the nearby house and took a path to right hand side to reach ELLA UDA ELLA. The owner of the house just joined with to show us the path although it was not needed. We didn’t refuse him either..Within few minutes we reached the lower part of the fall. Then the villager took us to a place of the stream where we could see beautiful fish called “HORAPOLA”

On the way to Illukowita

Bodhiya Land mark close to Ella Uda ella

We parked our bikes at this place and tokkthe foot path to right

Beautiful Ella Uda ella (Lower Part )

Guide showing fish to Sri

Base pool …with moderate depth

Side view of the fall with my trade mark…………….. ( Photo Credit : Sri)

Horapola Malu……….According to the villager they can finish a loaf of bread within no time

Closer view ( Photo Credit : Sri)

Upper part of Ella uda ella

Then we return back and had some water from the house. We thanked the owner and offer a small tip as a courtesy although he did not asked. We came back to the Thummodara- Puwakpitiya road again proceeded another 2.5kms towards puwakpitiya. Then we took the Hewahinna Road ( to the right hand side /very next to a small shop). Sadly the name Board of Kumari Ella was fallen down and seems like no one is interested in re- positioning it back.

We traveled another 500 m on that road and reached a moderate size rock slab at the right hand side. Passing that for about 50 meters we saw the foot path (left -downwards) to the fall. By that time a young couple had come there to enjoy themselves but our arrival must have interrupted them. Can’t help …..we just kept watching and photographing the fall. They also waiting and hoping and we would leave the place soon. As it was our final destination we had decided earlier to have a dip in the stream. By knowing that we were not going to leave soon they left the place. Sorry for them. But It’s bit risky to bring your G.F. to such an isolated place .It would have been a different story if they met with some notorious drunken gang.

Rock slab ( interesting land mark )

Path to the falls

Upper pool and cascade of Kumari Ella (This place is safe for bathing)

Kumari Ella. Locals don’t see this as a fall . they call this KUMATI WALA

Another view

As usual irresponsible, foolish drunken fellows had polluted this beautiful place as they did in other two falls except DAMBORA ella.I just wanted to take a picture and went to the opposite bank of the stream. Then I saw this fellow ……………I just missed stepping onto him by few inches .and I was bare footed too. I had a narrow escape. Surprisingly it did not move. And he gave me the opportunity of taking a photograph and acknowledge the others about his presence.

Kunakatuwa..with moderate venom . It’s said the bite of this fellow is very painful and sometimes deadly too.

Deep base pool. Not suitable for bath

As most of my friends know I need some depth when bathing/swimming . At least pool should be deep up to my height. So I told my friends that I would bathe here (deep pool) and told them to bath on top part. But they advised not to do it and reminded me that it was not a lucky day for me as I wounded myself by the fence, fallen at almost every fall, narrowly escaped from Kunakatuwa. So I obeyed their words. They may have saved me from a certain danger. And we all had a SAFE and JOYFUL BATH at the top part which is below our waist height.

Some of my friends say “how hell the blue whale come to the waterfalls…………………”

Siri Malli………..

LAKDASUN FRIENDSHIP

PRINCE ( Kumaraya) We, by force put him to water.

After returning back from Kumari ella we came to Puwakpitiya and came to battaramulla via Kaluaggala>Low level Road>Kaduwela. Meantime we had our lunch at Malabe. We all came our homes before 2.30 p.m .

So this is the end of our wonderful journey. Hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading.