Waterfalls in Rathnapura-Siripagama road

Rathnapura-Siripagama (B265) road starts from Malwala junction and ends at Siripagama. There are few waterfalls situated in this road.

Following waterfalls are situated in Rathnapura-Palabathgala /Siripagama route.
1. Dumpus Ella
2. Halmahi Ella
3. Mapalana Ella
4. Galpoththawa Ella
5. Pankandura Falls
6. Minee Ella

Gilimale (ගිලීමලේ) is a historical junction of this route. Ancient “Raja Mawatha”-රජමාවත Sri Pada trail lies across Gilimale village. Gilimale Rankoth Wehera gives evidence for it. We have passed Gilimale and came to Induruwa (ඉදුරුව) bridge. Our first come across was Dumpus Ella.
Just after the Induruwa Bridge, there was a foot path in it’s left side towards the lower cascade of Dumpus Ella. It is a common bathing place as it is situated closer to main road. We have crossed this lower cascade from it’s top and walked upstream about 500m till we come across proper Dumpus Ella.

Road goes under the rock

Mapanana Ella

Playing with doggie…

Dumpus Ella / දුම්පුස් ඇල්ල (6.753839, 80.432961)
Six meters tall but wide Dumpus Ella is situated in Induruwa Forest Reserve closer to peak wilderness. Induruwa River (ඉදුරුව ගග) forms this beautiful waterfall.

Lower cascade of Dumpus Ella. It is easily seen to the road and pollution is common around it.

Front view

Lower cascade of Dumpus Ella

On top…

Lower cascade of Dumpus Ella

Proper Dumpus Ella is seen

Dumpus Ella

Dumpus Ella. It is a wide waterfall.

Flow of Dumpus Ella

A part of Dumpus Ella

Dumpus Ella

They were the members of this journey

Dumpus Ella

At Dumpus Ella

Dumpus Ella

In our return journey we entered the tea estate closer to Dumpus Ella and followed the foot path to main road. (This might be the easiest access to the fall but it lies in a private premises).

Gilimale Rankoth RMW (ගිලීමලේ රන්කොත් රජමහා විහාරය)
Historical “Raja Mawatha” lies across Gilimale and closer to Rankoth Wehera. We got a turn at Gilimale and drove along Raththurugala (රත්තුරුගල) road about 4-5km to reach Madagama (මැදගම). Gilimale Rankoth RMW is situated at Madagama.
History of the temple goes back to king Wijayabahu I (පලමු විජයබාහු රජතුමා) period in Polonnaruwa era. There is a slab inscription to prove this. (This is a copy of slab inscription found at Ambagamuwa-Nuwera Eliya)
There are few stone pillars and engraved urinals found here.

Image house of Gilimale Rankoth RMW

At entrance

Modern day creation…

පස්වග තවුසන්

Gilimale slab inscription

Content of slab inscription

Stupa

Engraved urinals

Engraved urinals

Map of historical Sri Pada path

Gilimale Walawwua (ගිලීමලේ වලව්ව)
This was built during King Sri Weeraparakrama Narendrasinghe (ශ්‍රී වීරපරාක්රම නරේන්ද්‍රසිoහ) (1707-1739) period by Lakse Mudiyanselage Pagoda Bandara (ලක්සේ මුදියන්සේලාගේ පගොඩ බණ්ඩාර). He has made a bone fire on top of Kunudiya Parwathaya to impress the king. This Walawwua was built by the treasure he got.
Gilimale Walawwa is situated at the same road to Rankoth RMW. We didn’t have a chance to enter the house and only captured from outside.

Gilimale Walawwua

Gilimale Walawwua

Gilimale Walawwua

After roaming enough around Gilimale we have moved to Mapanana junction to visit at our next two places: Halmahi Ella and Mapanana Ella. At Mapanana junction you have to turn right to visit at these beauties.
The distance is about 3km from there to Mapanana Falls. It is easy to find out the foot path to the fall which is situated right after the bridge.

Directions at Mapanana Junction

Kunudiya Parwathaya

Mapanana Falls / Mapalana Falls (මාපනාන ඇල්ල/මාපලාන ඇල්ල)
141m tall this waterfall is the 4th highest fall in Sri Lanka. It is the highest waterfall in Rathnapura district and peak wilderness. And the highest waterfalls formed by Kalu Ganga.
Elle Oya (ඇල්ලේ ඔය) origins from Bana Samonala Mountain forms this three stories fall at Kondagala (කොණ්ඩ ගල), later drains to Kalu Ganga.
A noble person called Mapa (මාපා) who lived at this village used to bath at this falls. Therefore it got the name Mapanana Falls. (Mapa+Nana) (මාපා+නාන)
Mapanana Falls can be reached from Rath Ganga-Kudawa side as well.

Heading to Mapanana Ella

First glance of the fall

Three steps of the fall. Upper part is barely visible.

Mapanana Falls.

Upper and middle part of the fall

View of Mapanana Falls from it’s base

View of Mapanana Falls from it’s base

Middle and lower parts of the fall.

Middle and lower parts of the fall.

Middle part of Mapanana Falls.

Lower part of the fall.

The team.

The team extra benefits of the trip.

රන් රඹුටන් ගස් දෙකයි

Halmahi Ella is also situated in same road, but before Mapanana Falls. You will come across a water stream before the stream of Mapanana Falls. First we walked upstream along the stream (about 500m) and reached the base of the fall. But later found a foot path on side of the falls through the tea estate.

Halmahi Ella (හාල්මැහි ඇල්ල)
Halmahi Ella is formed by the water stream started from Lihinigala (ලිහිනිගල). This is 9m tall fall and later joins with Kalu Ganga. As brisling fish “Halmassan” (හාල්මැස්සන්) can be seen on top of the fall, it is called Halmahi Ella.

Along the stream…

මැoගුස්

View of Halmahi Ella

Halmahi Ella

Halmahi Ella

Base of Halmahi Ella

At Halmahi Ella

At Halmahi Ella

Base of Halmahi Ella

At Halmahi Ella

Gifted…

End of the day

It ended one day waterfall trip around Gilimale and Mapanana. I have covered rest of the waterfalls of this route in another day when we came back from Sripada via Rathnapura trail. Next set of waterfalls situated at Uda Pawanella village.

Waterfalls in Galpoththawa River (ගල්පොත්තාව ගගේ දිය ඇලි)
There are set of waterfalls formed by Galpoththawa River, closer to Uda Pawanella River which comes across at Rathnapura-Palabathgala trail. There are Galpoththawa Falls, Pankandura Falls and Mini falls. Plus another unnamed two falls.
We got directions from Uda Pawanella to Galpoththawa Falls and then descend along the river to visit other two+ waterfalls. There is a clear path to Galpoththawa Falls from Sri Pada trail through tea estates.

Galpoththawa Falls (ගල්පොත්තාව ඇල්ල) (6.47461699, 80.27291398)
This is the first cascade formed by Galpoththawa River. It says 10m in height. It had low water level when we visited there and classic picture of the fall didn’t come.

Galpoththawa Falls

Galpoththawa Falls. Left side of the fall is completely dried.

What remains

Galpoththawa Falls

Galpoththawa Falls

Then we descend on left side of the water stream. Next significant falls is Pankandura Falls. But we came across a fall with steps before Pankandura Falls.

Should be a nice fall with high water level. In Lahiru’s report he has captured a nice fall here.

Galpoththawa River

Unnamed waterfall in Galpoththawa River-1
It reminds me “Rakka Falls” in Deraniyagala. This unnamed falls is about 7/8m in height.

It likes steps

Unnamed falls in Galpoththawa River

Unnamed falls in Galpoththawa River

Unnamed falls in Galpoththawa River

With the fall

Pankandura Falls / පoකදුර ඇල්ල (6.47434096, 80.27284375)
This three steps waterfall formed by Galpoththawa River. It’s lower part is about 9m in height.

Pankandura Falls. Note it has three parts

Pankandura Falls

Lower part of Pankandura Falls

Lower part of Pankandura Falls

With Pankandura Falls

Last waterfall of this series was Minee Falls, situated closer to by road. It is about 10m in fall and most beautiful out of all. There was another unnamed fall in between Minee Falls and Pankandura Falls.

Unnamed waterfall in Galpoththawa River-2

Unnamed fall in Galpoththawa River-2

Unnamed fall in Galpoththawa River-2

With fall

Minee Falls /මිනී ඇල්ල (6. 47426941, 80.27280933)

Beautiful Minee Falls

Beautiful Minee Falls

Minee Ella and it’s base pool

Minee Ella and it’s base pool

With Minee Ella

Fish therapy at the end

Following the last fall we have easily reached the by road which joins with Sri Pada trail.

Let me summarize waterfalls trails in Rathnapura District:
1. Waterfalls in A4 Road-Eheliyagoda to Rathnapura (7)
Bisodola Ella, Dola Palle Ella 1 &2, Kabaragala Ella, Manan Falls, Bopath Ella, Dodan Ella, Thepulangoda Ella

2. Waterfalls in A4 Road-Rathnapura to Balangoda (10)
Katugas Ella, Hathbili Ella, Pulun Ella, Kirindi Oya Ella, Marakkala Ella, Kuda Ella, Uran Watuna Ella, Muwan Watuna Ella, Ellepola Ella, Balangoda Alikata Ella

3. Waterfalls in Rathnapura-Siripagama Route (6)
Dumpus Ella, Halmahi Ella, Mapanana Ella, Galpoththawa Ella, Pankandura Ella, Minee Ella

4. Waterfalls in Rathnapura-Kalawana Road (9)
Rajanawa Ella, Haldola Ella, Napath Ella, Balla Mala Ella, Watawala Ella, Uman Ella, Dellawa Ella, Patta Ella, Lihiniyan Dola Ella

5. Waterfalls in Balangoda-Hatton Road (9)
Balangoda Ranmudu Ella, Ulugala Kaluwala Falls 1 &2, Gurumati Ella, Garandi Rikili Ella, Thini Oya Falls, Demali Ella, Minindoru Ella, Budu Oya Ella, Bolthumbe Ella

6. Waterfalls in Rathnapura-Wewalwatta-Balangoda Road (14)
Anda Ella, Goxin Falls, Pareiyyan Ella, Katukithul Ella, Hal Ella, Dehena Ella, Madanagiri Ella, Pandi Oya Ella, Wewal Ella, Alupola Ella, Beruwaththa Ella, Unnamed Waterfall, Maddekanda Ella, Polwatta Amuran Ella

7. Waterfalls in Ayagama (6)
Dumbara Ella, Miyunu Ella, Minee Ella, Ritigas Ella, Sipirimala Ella, Miniran Ella

8. Waterfalls around Rakwana (3)
Galdola Ella, Masimbula Ella, Arambe Ella

9. Sinharaja-Pitadeniya (3)
Malmora Ella, Pathan Oya Ella, Kekuna Ella

10. Sandagiriya cascades

11. Waterfalls around Belihuloya (5)
Surathalee Ella, Brampton Ella 1 &2, Nonpareil estate Falls, Galagama Falls, Pahanthudawa Ella

12. Others: Handapan Ella, Ilumbukanda Duwili Falls, Kunissan Ella

There are many un named falls I came across in different trails: Kunudiya Parwathaya, Bana Samonala.

Thanks for reading