Cascades around Belihuloya

Year and Month	2015 September 20th-First visit 2015 September 30th –Second visit 2015 Octomber 08th-Visit Galagama Falls
Number of Days	Three separate days.
Crew	3-Nalinda, Kaweesha and my self 5-Glalagama Falls visiting-Harinda, Pasan, Chathuranga, Sasanka and my self
Accommodation	Sandilka Guest Balangoda T.P:045 2287739
Transport	Car, bus,jeep and walking
Activities	Waterfall seeing and Photography
Weather	Excellent
Route	Starting from Marangahawela (මරoගහවෙල)->Pambahinna (පඹහින්න)->Non Pareil Estate->Belihuloya (බෙලිහුල් ඔය)->Colombo
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Be careful in walking along the foot pathway to the top of Surathalee falls. Don’t bath at dangerous places. Don’t put plastic and polythene items. Drive along Non Pareil estate road 1. This is kind of a challenge as it has 33 bends till Galagama falls (ගලගම ඇල්ල) within about 20 kms. 2. Road condition is fairly good till School (in between 5th and 6th bends) and not good after this. But there are concreted sections following this. 3. A CTB bus is operated from Pambahinna (where road begins) till Hindu college. It operates during week days and weekends. 4. There is a gate at Non Pareil tea factory. You need permission to pass this. They may open the gate if there are no bookings at Nagrak holiday bungalow. OR can walk up after parking vehicles there. We had a contact related to Balangoda plantation and got permission to drive beyond the gate. 5. Hirikatu Oya educational and information center will come across after 5km drive along this road. It belongs to forest department and closed officially at the moment. But if you call the numbers of the caretaker you can get it opened at visit. When we visited there gate was not locked and therefore we entered. T.P: 0453607332, 0712473921 Journey to Galagama waterfall 1. The Foot pathway begins at 33rd bend of Non pareil estate road. 2. During our visit we have noticed a clear foot pathway and it got only one hour to reach the base of the waterfall. 3. Though it is not a tough journey better have a guide. Nishan from Non pareil estate is a reliable guide. (T.P:0455689701). Discuss about charges before the journey. He said Rs 1000 per journey in non working day and Rs 2000 in a working day. 4. It is risky to attempt to reach the base of the waterfall due to slippery rocks.
Related Resources	Trip report on Hunting cascades continues Pelmadulla to Imbulpe. Trip report on Visit to Surathalee Ella Belihuloya Trip report on Mystrey of Galagama Falls finally revealed
Author	Niroshan
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Cascades around Belihuloya

This is a waterfall visiting from Halpe to Belihuloya. This is the last stretch of cascades situated in Rathnapura district and Surathalee Falls borders Rathnapura and Badulla districts. I had to visit some of them twice as water level was low in my first visit.
We started from famous Surathalee falls at Marangahawela.

Surathalee falls (සුරතලී ඇල්ල)
Surathalee falls is situated in between 169-170 kilometer posts at Marangahawela. Earlier it was called as Marangahawela Falls and now named as Surathalee Falls due to shooting of famous film- “Surathalee.”
Waterfall is formed by Kadawath Oya (කඩවත් ඔය) which flows from Elamanna (එලමාන්න) Mountain. This is the margin of Sabaragamuwa and Uva province.
Surathalee falls is 60m tall and flows in three steps. There is a foot pathway to reach the top of the waterfall.

Surathalee Falls

After visiting the fall we came back and got right hand side foot pathway to reach the top of the fall. Seems the top of the waterfall is good for camping.

Get left hand side turn to the top of waterfall.

Where it drops

Top of Surathalee Falls-Nice for camping

View of Colombo-Badulla road from top of Surathalee Falls

Next fall of visit was another road side cascades are called Brampton Falls 1 & 2. Brampton Falls-2 is situated in the vicinity of Brampton Falls-1.

Brampton Falls 1 and 2
Brampton falls are situated at 165/10 bridge. These are road side cascades. The water stream starting from Papulugala mountain forms Brampton Falls and later joins with Walawe River.
Brampton Falls-1 is 6m tall and Brampton Falls-2 is about 5m tall.

165/10 bridge

Brampton Falls-1

Brampton Falls-2

After passing Pambahinna you will come across the road mentioning Non pareil estate. It hosts number of waterfalls and tourists attractions. Hirikatu oya (හිරිකටු ඔය) flows in right hand side of this road and it makes few named and unnamed cascades. You can visit the hidden beauty-Galagama falls at the end of the road.

At the beginning of Non Perial road

Waterfalls at Non Pareil road

Road side cascade come across before Hirikatu Oya center

1. Cascades situated at Hirikatu oya education and information center
As Hirikatu Oya center is situated crossing the main stream, you can view number of unnamed cascades.

Hirikatu Oya education and information center

Unnamed waterfall

After passing Hirikatu Oya information center we come across another road side beauty called Non Perial estate waterfall in between 5th and 6th bends just after the school.

Non Pareil estate falls (නන්පෙරියල් ඇල්ල)
This is about 40-50m tall waterfall flows in three steps. It is formed by a tributary flowing to Hirikatu Oya.

Non Perial estate falls-all three parts

Lower part of Non pareil estate waterfall

Lower part of Non Perial estate waterfall

Wild beauty

When you look in front from Non Perial estate water fall, you can view number of cascades formed by Hirikatu Oya. Most of them are seasonal cascades.

Hirikatu Oya forms number of unnamed cascades

The foot path way to Galagama Falls is situated at 33rd bend. Before that you will meet another two significant unnamed waterfalls in left hand side.

Unnamed cascade at 11th bend

Superb view

Connecting roads

View of Balathuduwa and Gommolliya

Non Pareil tea factory where gate is placed.

Non Perial tea factory where gate is placed.

Second significant unnamed waterfall

Samanala Wewa reservoir

The gap

Team at 23rd bend-Baker’s bend.

Baker’s bend

Journey to Galagama Falls/Kathigana Ella (ගලගම ඇල්ල/ කැතිගාන ඇල්ල)
Galagama Falls is the hidden beauty of Belihuloya. It is about 30-40 m tall waterfall formed by Belihuloya, considered as the highest waterfall of Belihuloya. The foot pathway begins at 33rd bend. After one hour journey you will come across this beauty. With high water level it forms mist which covers the cascade frequently.

Where foot pathway begins at 33rd bend

The forest similar to Hortain plains

Through mist

Memories of “Nelu”

Crossing streams

Harinda was in front line

Macro

Beauty of Galagama Falls

Galagama Falls

Base of the waterfall

Top of the waterfall

Thrill of the journey

Coming back

Misty pathway

Galagama Falls is considered as the highest and last achievement of waterfalls in Non Pareil Estate road.

Pahanthudawa Falls (පහන්තුඩාව ඇල්ල)
This 5m tall waterfall is the last fall made by Belihuloya before it joins with Walawe River. Landuyaya road begins next to Belihuloya rest house. After travel about 1.5km along this road you will come across the down ward road in left hand side to the Cey power cascade power plantation. There is a small foot pathway to Belihuloya next to the fence of power plantation. This area seems to be a famous bathing place. When you go up stream along Belihuloya, an anicut will come across. It has to be crossed and then have to walk in left hand side of Belihuloya valley to visualize this waterfall.