Waterfall hunting in Rathnapura-Kalawana road

Following waterfalls are situated in Rathnapura-Kalawana road.

1. Rajanawa Ella
2. Haldola Ella
3. Napath Ella
4. Balla Mala Ella
5. Watawala Ella
6. Uman Ella
7. Dellawa Ella
8. Patta Ella
9. Lihiniyandola Falls

Rajanawa Ella (රජනාව ඇල්ල)
This is the first waterfall you will come across in this group. It is very popular as it is situated closer to the main road. You can reach Rajanawa Falls at 1st mile post bridge of Rathnapura-Kalawana road.
Rajanawa Falls is 12m tall and having risk of pollution due to it’s popularity.
As King Walagamba has bath here, it is called Rajanawa Falls.

Bridge at 1st mile post at Rathnapura-Kalawana road. White arrow shows where you have to get down for the waterfall

After cement steps you have to walk along the water stream to reach the beauty

Rajanawa Falls

Rajanawa Falls

Pollution started

Lateral view of Rajanawa Falls

Haldola Falls (හල්දොල ඇල්ල)

This waterfall is situated at Haldola area. You have to take the left hand side road at Dala (දෑල) Bridge when you are going from Rathnapura to reach Haldola. There is a road to right hand side just before Haldola old bridge. Get down from this road to reach the waterfall.

This 7m tall waterfall is completely dry when we visited there. Might be low water level or water has been diverted from other side. If rain is not there that much, not worth to visit there.

Haldola old bridge. Take the road just before this bridge to reach the water fall

Haldola Falls-Completely dried

Haldola Falls

???Water stream has been diverted and making small water fall in other side

Napath Ella (නාපත් ඇල්ල)

This waterfall is situated in Kolombuwagama (කොළොම්බුවගම). You can take your way from Niwithigala (නිවිතිගල) to Kolombuwagama. There are infrequent buses from Rathnapura to Kolombuwagama and it takes about ½ hours to reach there from Niwithigala. From Kolombuwagama junction take the road to Napath Ella. It is about 2km distance and can drive closer to the waterfall.

Mini hydropower project was constructed above the waterfall before 2years and currently it has low water level. She shows her colours only during rainy season.

Napath Ella is 12m tall.

Dam is constructed over the river to divert water for mini hydro power project

Dried river

Water canal

Dried Napath Ella and it’s base pool

To get the view of Napath Ella, you have to go down through the Mana patch in at the junction of roads to Hydropower station and Dam

Distance view-She has sacrificed her beauty for electricity

Balla Mala Ella (බල්ලා මල ඇල්ල)

This popular waterfall is situated in Udakarawita (උඩ කරවිට) area. We have reached the top of the waterfall from the road starts at 14th mile post towards Janapadaya (ජනපදය). Drive about 4-5km along this road and take left hand side road to reach the top of the waterfall. You can reach the bottom of the waterfall from Karawita town as well.

We reached the top of the waterfall and then went down in right hand side to reach the bottom. There is a foot pathway but this way is bit difficult.

It is 52m tall waterfall. Due to fallen of a dog of the estate owner from this waterfall, called Balla Mala Ella.

Road in good condition. Black arrow shows the direction to top of the waterfall

Top of the waterfall

She starts to flow

Her side view

Full view of Balla Mala Ella

How she looks in monochrome

Watawala Ella (වටවල ඇල්ල)

This waterfall has two parts. But you can’t see both parts together. First part can be reached from 14th mile post. Take the road towards Janapadaya from 14th mile post and drive about 2-3km to reach the top of the first part. (Clarify the place you have to get down to the waterfall from the road). But you can’t reach the bottom of the waterfall from there. This part is about 10m tall.

This is the bend you have to get down to the waterfall in Janapadaya road

Go along the water stream to reach the waterfall

From the top of waterfall

Watawala Ella-1st part

Most beautiful and 2nd part of the waterfall can be easily reached from 12th mile post/ Karawita town. Take the road from 12th mile post towards Paranawaththa (පරණවත්ත). You have to take left hand side road at Paranawaththa three way junction if you are coming from 12th mile post. After about 100m in this road you will notice a foot pathway in right hand side to reach the waterfall. (Better clarify from villagers). Total height of this waterfall is 40m.

Black arrow shows the direction from 12th mile post. Take the left hand turn from there showing in red arrow.

Foot pathway goes behind the house

Watawala Falls-part 2. You can reach the upper part shown by black arrow, by the foot pathway in left hand side of the waterfall

It is a common bathing place

Uman Ella (උමo ඇල්ල)

The water stream called “We Ganga” වේ ගග will make this waterfall after Delwala Falls. You have to get the road on left hand side at 14th mile post of Rathnapura-Kalawana road. Walk about 2km along this road to meet the ultimate foot pathway to reach the waterfall. (I think driving is possible up to some extent along this road. Road condition is fairly good).Foot pathway lies behind a private house and you will reach the top of the waterfall.

You can visualize about ¾ of the waterfall from there. It is very difficult to reach the base of the waterfall due to steepness. This waterfall is similar to Gal Oruwa waterfall in Lankagama.

Always clarify your way to this waterfall from villagers as it takes many turns to reach the waterfall.

As it flows through a tunnel, it is called Uman Ella.

Directions at 14th mile post. Green arrow shows towards the waterfall. Main road is to Kalawana

White arrow shows the direction towards the waterfall behind this house

You will come across the water stream and walk on the side/along the water stream in left hand side to view the waterfall

Uman Ella-Only a half of it.

Uman Ella

Base of the waterfall. Note the steepness in both sides

Failed attempt to get a full view. Unfortunately it is covered with a stone cleft.

Delwala Falls (දෙල්වල ඇල්ල)

This 20m tall beautiful waterfall is situated in Delwala village. This can be reached from Pabotuwa (පෑබොටුව) junction . Drive about 2km from Pabotuwa junction towards Delwala and waterfall can be seen in left hand side. To reach the waterfall you have to go through a tea estate. The pool at the top of the waterfall can be used for bath.

If you go further in this road you can reach seven waterfalls of this area. (Refer report Seven waterfalls ( Ali Hatha) of Delwala-Nivithigala)

Entering the tea estate through it’s gate to reach the waterfall

Getting down along the foot pathway shown by red arrow to reach the base. You can’t reach the waterfall by the road shown by green arrow

Delwala waterfall

Delwala Waterfall

The pool at the top of the waterfall is shown by blue arrow.

Patta Ella (පට්ට ඇල්ල)

This 3 m tall beautiful waterfall is situated in Kalawana-Samanpura (සමන් පුර) road. You can have a right turn to Kalawana-Samanpura road before Kalawana town. After about 2km at Rajjuwaththa (රජ්ජුවත්ත) area (Better clarify about this place from villagers) you will come across a tea patch through which the foot pathway lies towards the water stream. It brings you to the top of the waterfall. To get a clear view, have to get down through tea patch.

Yellow arrow shows the direction from Kalawana, red arrow shows where you have to get down through the tea patch

Through the tea patch

Top of the waterfall

Patta Ella

Patta Ella in monochrome

Lihiniyandola Falls (ලිහිණියන්දොල ඇල්ල)

This waterfall is situated along the boundary of Wathurawa (වතුරාව) and Wembiyangoda (වෙන්බියන්ගොඩ) villages. It has three parts with a height of 25m. Get the direction from Kalawana along Waddagala (වැද්දාගල) road and turn to Wathurawa from Kolaniya (කොලණිය) Junction. Then drive along Wathurawa road till you meet the road towards Budulena Buddhist Hermitage. Drive up in that road about 2km till you meet the boundary between Dolabada Kanda tea estate and Budulena forest patch. Follow the foot pathway down along this boundary and you will notice this beautiful cascade in your right hand side. The first foot pathway starts from there directs you to the middle part of the cascade. If you go down further along the main foot pathway, you will notice the latter part of the cascade and it is bit difficult to reach there. (Alternative way is follow the road up to Budulena Buddhist Hermitage and get direction from chief priest. But it takes time as he is so talkative).

First bus from Kalawana to Wathurawa starts at 6.50am. There are buses in less frequent to Wathurawa. There is an alternative route (less distance) from Kalawana town. But the bridge of this road has collapsed and only walking is possible there.

Road towards Budulena Buddhist Hermitage

Beautiful Mathugama Side

Foot pathway is shown by black arrow. It is the boundary between forest patch and tea estate. If you go further up (yellow arrow), you will come across the hermitage

Going down along the foot pathway

Beautiful 2nd part of the cascade. You can easily reach the base of this part

Closer view

Going further down along the foot pathway

Third and second parts together. Reaching the third part is fairly difficult

Another view

We didn’t attempt to reach the first part of the cascade.

A part of Lihiniyandola closer to Mini hydro power project

Emerging threat- “Walla Patta” වල්ල පට්ට

“Budu Lena” Buddhist Hermitage

Budu Lena Buddhist Hermitage

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