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Modern day Palabaddala trail to Adams peak (2013)

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Year and Month December, 2013
Number of Days Two Day Trip
Crew 4 –  KasunDesSri, Me and my better half
Accommodation Andiyamalatenna ambalama
Transport Public transport
Activities Hiking, Pilgrimage, Photography
Weather Perfect weather but low temperatures
Route Chilaw -> Colombo -> Kottawa -> Rathnapura ->Sripagama ->Sri Palabaddala -> Rathnapura trail -> Galwangediya -> Summit of Adam’s peak -> Nallathanni -> Maskeliya -> Hatton -> Yatiyanthota -> Avissawella -> Maharagama -> Colombo -> Monaragala
Tips, Notes and Special remark
  • Wear attire to protect you from extreme cold also take precautions to face cold and windy conditions
  • It’s better if you can carry a stock of water (1L per person) and food products.
  • Start as early as possible
  • Do not carry Plastic items (Minimize), Make sure you bring back everything you took.
  • Beware of wild animals
  • Path is cleared few weeks before the season begins
  • Almost all the Ambalam’s along Rathnapura, Palabaddala route are perfectly renovated and those even have plug points. (thank you SL Army for that)
  • Not recommended for heart patients(Heart Failure)
  • It’s a 9km tough hike and this is the number one trail with an altitude difference of more than 2000m’s.
  • Follow proper religious rituals (as you can) respect the holiness of the place.

**SPECIAL THANKS TO** Everyone who helped me out in species identification

Related Resources
Author Ashan
Comments Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread
The map - click to enlarge

The map – click to enlarge

It’s very unusual of me to visit the peak wilderness twice within one year but 2013 was a special one. Suddenly out of nowhere the idea popped out and I called my better half and agreed her to join me this time and as usual few lakdasun members answered my calls. I was so happy because Kasun and Sri were joining us, so we won’t feel lonely with their company. I have been through both Rathnapura and Hatton trails but I have not ascended from Rathnapura and after almost 5 years the trail was said to be totally different than the one I knew previously.

Though I was not feeling well I was determined to go ahead and the lovely weather conditions were a blessing for us! After getting to Rathnapura we got in to a Sripagama bus which took hours to get us towards our starting point. After getting to Palabaddala we started our journey after worshiping the ancient temple. The climb was through the village and there was a road which would let you to skip 500 steps. We knew that we had plenty of steps to tackle so we were not worried at all. The occasional stops at small stalls were limited after few halts because the prices were sky rocketing with each and every step we took.

 the ancient temple at Sri Palabaddala

the ancient temple at Sri Palabaddala

trail head

trail head

crossing streams

crossing streams

petals along the trail

petals along the trail

 the path running through village houses

the path running through village houses

Sri at work, kasun had a hard time

Sri at work, kasun had a hard time :-)

Frequent breaks were taken and we did it in our own pace by giving our muscles to rest a bit. First major milestone was Lihini hela with its modified ambalama. Guys were screaming to Lihini akka while Sri decided to answer them back as Lihini akka :-P the whole trail was like walking through a monastery. After lihini hela we came across few jungle foot path which we used to bypass a considerable number of steps.

first bit of steps through the forest

first bit of steps through the forest

sometimes it was lonely

sometimes it was lonely

Impatiens sp. (orchid)

Impatiens sp. (orchid)

one of those sightings

one of those sightings

Lihini hela shrine

Lihini hela shrine

searching for Lihini akka

searching for Lihini akka

beauty on the ground

species of Acrotrema? Gondiva?

well shaped

well shaped

katukitula wanguwa

katukitula wanguwa

the path we took

the path we took

gal gaha

gal gaha

along ancient steps

along ancient steps

kunudiya pauwa

kunudiya pauwa

at KODIYA

at KODIYA

After tackling two more peaks we reached the birth place of mighty Kalu ganga where we didn’t forget to taste some fresh spring water. Further we walked counting and celebrating each thousand steps we completed before reaching Geththampana. From Geththampana onwards the whole stretch up to Galwangediya was done recently and the military has done a very good job. It’s simply like walking along a flower garden; the concrete steps were perfectly merged with the forest. We were also relieved that the steepest ascent ended. Next was the best view point of the trail that is Dharmarajagala. The rock plaque of Dharmarajagala produced some stunning scenery. It was getting bit misty but the mist didn’t hang around. After passing Seethagangula of Palabaddala trail we reached Heramitipana where we filled our stomachs with some hot “elawalu roti” and descended to Galwangediya. While passing Galwangediya we decided that it’s better to stay the night at Adiyamalatenna ambalama since staying at uda maluwa would freeze us.

the beginning of a mighty river

the beginning of a mighty river

yeppee !!! but more to go

yeppee !!! but more to go

a nelu flower

a nelu flower

bamboo forest

bamboo forest

the little eskimo we met

the little eskimo we met

the Diyabethma(gajamansala)

the Diyabethma(gajamansala)

passing geththampana

passing geththampana

religious beliefs

religious beliefs

Dharmaraja gala

Dharmaraja gala

scenic dharmarajagala

scenic dharmarajagala

yellowish leaves

yellowish leaves

the barks were full of these

the barks were full of these

another scenic point

another scenic point

base of bena samanala

base of bena samanala

misty it was

misty it was

රත්මිහිරිය - Gordonia speciosa

රත්මිහිරිය – Gordonia speciosa

few petals we came across

few petals we came across

first sight of the holy peak

first sight of the holy peak

summit zoomed

summit zoomed

nelu species

nelu species

passing Seethagangula

passing Seethagangula

dense forest

dense forest

colourful tree tops

colourful tree tops

walking along paradise land

walking along paradise land

Haramitipana of palabaddala route

Haramitipana of palabaddala route

creative (click to enlarge)

creative (click to enlarge)

 ferns were a common sight

ferns were a common sight

meeting up with kuruwita trail

meeting up with kuruwita trail

the ancient gal wangediya

the ancient gal wangediya

wow

wow

 framed at makara thorana

framed at makara thorana

 the colouful flags

the colouful flags

life on life

life on life

a huge moth

a huge moth

dusk

dusk

Bena samanala

Bena samanala

night stop at andiyamalatenna

night stop at andiyamalatenna

the wal uura's

the wal uura’s

Lucky us there was a stall near Adiyamalatenna ambalama where we could order rice and curry as dinner and that was like a bonus to our tired souls. The ambalama was perfectly renovated and we were amazed by seen the condition of these. The night was indeed a long one because despite been equipped with all the clothing, sheets etc it was too cold (roughly below 10c). Though three of us had some sleep Sri couldn’t get sufficient amount of sleep and he was wondering around jabbering about some fantasy’s he had (probably we guessed that his neurons got freezed or something). At around 3.30am we got ready and started tackling the Maha giridambe and reached Uda maluwa at around 5am. Uda maluwa was packed and we somehow found some room on a step. Police guys were chasing away local and foreign visitors who were obscuring the view somehow we were lucky enough to witness a superb sun rise.

lit up path

lit up path

off we go again

off we go again

lit up paths of kuruwita and rathnapura

lit up paths of kuruwita and rathnapura

at ehela kanuwa

at ehela kanuwa

the inscription at ehela kanuwa

the inscription at ehela kanuwa

it was a clear morning with the moon

it was a clear morning with the moon

just before the sun rise

just before the sun rise

changing colours

changing colours

the sky is lighting up

the sky is lighting up

burning hot

burning hot

Totupola, agrabopath and kirigalpotta

Totupola, agrabopath and kirigalpotta

dawn from the summit

dawn from the summit

 i really love this scenery

i really love this scenery

trying to burn it self out of the clouds

trying to burn it self out of the clouds

here it is

here it is

waited all this time for this

waited all this time for this

spectacular

spectacular

towards nuwara eliya

towards nuwara eliya

maussakele reservoir

maussakele reservoir

towards wewelwatta

towards wewelwatta

piduruthalagala and kotagala

piduruthalagala and kotagala

 peace pagoda

peace pagoda

the horizon

the horizon

uda maluwa

uda maluwa

the shadow

the shadow

towards dell

towards dell

lovely golden rays

lovely golden rays

peaks of bena samanala

peaks of bena samanala

adiyamalatenna

adiyamalatenna

the three peaks

the three peaks

bena samanala peak

bena samanala peak

kunudiyaparwathaya

kunudiyaparwathaya

the thin layer of mist

the thin layer of mist

 

pano from the summit

pano from the summit

The descent was always the difficult part specially been steps that’s going to cause few problems. Though the pilgrim season had started only few weeks ago there were plenty of travelers. We also managed to enjoy some stunning scenery while descending to Nallathanni. The Nishshanka lena which was found after Seethagangula was something new to us. The monk at the cave said that this was a cave where King Nishshankamalla rested while climbing up towards Adams peak. Finally we reached the end of the never ending descent and gulped some cold water before getting in to a Hatton bus to get back to our destinations. From Hatton to Colombo it’s very difficult to get a bus or train during the pilgrim season and the ques were so long. We opted to break our journey by taking a bus towards Avissawella and another one from there which was the right decision at that time. This was another superb and special journey to me and I’m happy that few friends did join with me on it.

HDR

HDR

down we go

down we go

wow again

wow again

bhagawa lena

bhagawa lena

the team (thanks kasun)

the team (thanks kasun)

a gap

a gap

Sri Lanka Scimitar Barbbler

Sri Lanka Scimitar Barbbler

yellow eared bul bul

yellow eared bul bul

patterned trees of peak wilderness

patterned trees of peak wilderness

grandfathers beard found on a current wire

grandfathers beard found on a current wire

early morning droplets

early morning droplets

at geththampana

at geththampana

pleasent smoke

pleasent smoke

more scenery

more scenery

An Aranga right by the side of the steps

An Aranga right by the side of the steps

the little family

the little family

hanging bells

hanging bells

seetha gangula of hatton trail

seetha gangula of hatton trail

 last glimpse

last glimpse

passing sidhdhalepa ambalama

passing sidhdhalepa ambalama

dried out yaka edu ella

dried out yaka edu ella

the huge bell

the huge bell

peace pagoda

peace pagoda

exiting makara thorana

exiting makara thorana

nissanka lena

nissanka lena

kehelgamuwa wishrama shalawa

kehelgamuwa wishrama shalawa


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