| Year and Month | February, 2014 |
| Number of Days | Three Day Trip |
| Crew | 5 (between 25-30 years of age) |
| Accommodation |
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| Transport | Bus, Dimo batta and of course on foot |
| Activities | Pilgrimage, Sceneries, Photography, Adventure |
| Weather | Cloudy but beautiful |
| Route | Colombo -> Maskeliya -> Nallathanniya -> Hattan-Nallathanni trail to Adams peak ->Hapugasthenna trail -> Hapugasthenna state -> Rathnapura -> Colombo |
| Tips, Notes and Special remark |
**Special Thanks to** Chathuranga for helping us with a map, giving us necessary information and specially encouraging us. |
| Related Resources |
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| Author | Danu1 |
| Comments | Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread |
It took me about 25 years to make my mind to first climb the Adams peak. But when I did, I realized that only the first part of the old saying is true. (Nogiya ekath modaya, desarayak giya ekath modaya). After trying out Hatton, Rathnapura, Kuruwita and Maliboda trails within just 4 months, I was wondering whether there is any other route to Adams peak. But I didn’t have to wonder much as I found Chathuranga’s article about Hapugasthenna trail in footpath.lk. However it looked like a difficult and challengeable trail for a not so often hiker like me. Finally, surprise, Chathuranga joined the company I work and we were in the same team. So how can I not try out that trail when the hero of the story is in the same team?
After endless discussions about when to go, what to eat, whether we need to carry a gas cooker etc etc, we finally decided to go on just before a long weekend in February 2014 carrying bread, a homemade curry and a couple of Samaposha packets but nothing else (honestly we even forgot to carry sugar and coconut to mix Samaposha with :D).
The journey
After meeting at Pettah bus stand around 5.30 am, we’ve taken the bus to Maskeliya and then from Maskeliya to Nallathanni. We reached Nallathanni around 1 pm. Since it is a beginning of a long weekend, signs showed that there will be a huge crowed by night. After reaching Gangulathenna, we stayed in the Samanalee hotel which is owned by a very good friend of us. After having couple of rotties, we went to the Seethagangula stream which can be found 50m away from the back of the Samanalee hotel and had a good, freezing bath.
We decided to start our journey a bit earlier than planned before as the route became more crowded by every second. Once we reached Indikatu pana, we decided to take the short cut to Rathnapura route to climb the rest.
The route – Click Map to Enlarge
 View of the Adam’s peak from Gangulathenna |
 Sumana Saman dewalaya – Uda maluwa |
The last shop in the Rathnapura route run by two former care takers of uda maluwa during off season were very welcoming as expected. They have provided us with Rotty, sambol and a lot of information about the Hapugasthenna route and stories around it. From them, we got to know that the path was cleared very recently by villagers which reduce much of our worries about getting lost in the jungle.
The descend from the starting point of the footpath to base of Adam’s peak was endless hence felt like we were reaching Hapugasthenna plantation in a one go. We met the main feeder stream of baththalu oya in the base of Adam’s peak where we had Rotti and sambol for breakfast. Once we passed the base, we had to climb for about 400m-500m till we met a flat section.
All our tiredness and pain had gone away once we came to the Paradise (that was the name given by Chathuranga and the gang in footpath.lk and we agreed too).
The camp site was safer as it was a bit above the stream but we had to move rocks and dug to level the site. After managing to level the site to put up both the tents, we started making a fire. The most amazing and miracle thing we observed was no matter how fresh or wet the wood is, it lights up with one blow.
It was a paradise by any mean. Icy cold crystal clear water was deep enough to have a dip, flowers, many cascades and beautiful weather made it a paradise.
 Red circle – Water pump room just above the last shop in Rathnapura trail |
 Heaven |
 Entering into the endless jungle |
 Samith with the goPro |
 The footpath goes through the twin trees |
 Base of Adam’s peak – main/longest feeder stream of Baththalu oya |
 A very different view of the Adam’s peak |
 A very different view of the Adam’s peak |
 Climb up for about 400m-500m |
 First to arrive, more to relax |
 Main water fall in the paradise |
 Main water fall in the paradise |
 Our camp site |
 Since it was not flat enough to sleep in the small tent, we kept all our bags inside it and slept in the bigger tent. |
 Boiling water to make tea – lit up in one blow though the surrounding was so wet. |
 Samaposha mixed with chocolate |
 Good morning Paradise |
 Small waterfall near the swimming pool |
 Feeding the swimming pool |
 Jump? |
 Yes, jump |
 Good bye Paradise |
 Better than a concrete road |
 Did you see the human like face? |
 Small tree with nothing inside |
 How small you think? haha |
 Wondering in the jungle |
 Not for so long as there were many signs |
 Beautiful jungle |
 Beautiful jungle |
 The highway |
 Walking in the highway |
 Green it was |
 Obstacles |
 Rooted footpath |
 No words to explain the beauty of the jungle |
 Resting in Ramagala? |
 More obstacles |
 Green |
 More green |
 Welakkara galge |
 Somarathna ambalama |
 Rath ganaga |
 Sunset in Hapugasthenna plantation |
Dimo butta
It’s a must do trek for adventure and nature lovers. But do not forget that you enter into a verging forest hence leave nothing but the foot prints. If you are not a regular hiker, it would be easier if you climb down from Adam’s peak. Prepare well, collect information and HAPPY TREKKING.
Thanks for reading.