Believed to have been inhabited by Yaksha—Indian mythical creatures that loved to wear elaborate jewelry and were obsessed with gold and gems—the Knuckles Mountain range in central Sri Lanka spreads over 155 square kilometers in the districts of Kandy and Matale. A hot spot for eco-tourists into hiking and adventure, it's a part of The Knuckles Forest Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known in ancient times as 'Malaya Rata' and 'Giri Divaina,' Yaksha are often depicted on Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist shrines as fat, deformed little beings smothered in trinkets.
Looking like the knuckles of a clenched fist, the Knuckles Mountain Range has approximately 34 peaks that range in height from 900 to 1,900 meters, with the highest peak being ‘Gombaniya' (1,906 mts). Rural villages, tea, rice, and rubber plantations, as well as acres of cardamom and vegetables, hide in this rich biodiversity where an unpredictable climate changes rapidly without warning. With peaks often cloaked in thick cloud forests, rare and endangered species call these dizzy heights of wispy fog home. Over 34% of Sri Lanka's endemic shrubs, trees, and herbs can only be found in these magical cloud forests with thick forest canopies. The mountain range gives hikers astonishing views over a carpet of green interspersed with clear waterways that are the lifeblood of the mountains exploding in waterfalls cascading down cliff faces, and the tinkling of bubbling streams creates a forest orchestra of dancing fresh water.
Unspoiled and spectacular, The Knuckles Mountain Range can be explored for a day’s hike or a longer trek with a guide. Numerous tours are on offer. It's recommended that you don't attempt to go solo as it's too easy to get lost amidst nature's fairyland, where brightly colored lizards slink, rainbow butterflies flit, orchids hide, and birds soar to great heights. If luck is on your side, you may see wild buffalo, boar, jackal, mouse deer, or monkeys depending on the time of day, weather, and season. You can hear children's laughter as you walk past a hillside village, see old tractors being used as the family car loaded with anything and everything, rusty and virtually unroadworthy old buses blow smoke as they struggle to navigate twists and turns in hard earth tracks. And the lightening action of brown hands picking precious tea leaves of weather-worn pickers with a large collection bag slung from a headband. Or, the quirky sight of men sweeping the dirt track with makeshift brooms made from tree branches. Feel the freedom and throw off your clothes to dive into a pristine cold water hole to escape the searing heat, or you may come across one of the remote rural towns where a rustic café dishes up traditional food such as string hoppers with dahl, chicken gravy, and potato curry. Eating as the locals do in your fingers. It will probably be the messiest and most delicious meal you ever have as you laugh your head off while slurping up the juicy overflow of this traditional treat—you will end up with gravy dripping from your hands and your chin.
Trekking The Knuckles is when you can appreciate the elegance of nature in deep ravines overshadowed by the mountain peaks in blues and purples, capturing this age-old scene of natural beauty, which is spellbinding. Trails differ in length from three to eight hours or overnight with some of the more popular ones below:
Nitro Caves—go to where the bats live. This 11-kilometer trek, beginning at Corbett's Gap, offers awesome mountain views from an elevation of 1,216 meters.
Mini World's End—beginning at the Knuckles Conservation Centre, this 1.5-kilometer walk offers impressive views. You can always extend this walk or trudge to the World's End at the famous Horton Plains National Park.
Dothalugala Nature Trail – go up one side and down the other in a circuit of the Dothalugala Mountain from the Knuckles Conservation Center for a six-kilometer jaunt.
Duwili Ella Trail—leads to a 40 meter magical waterfall where you can literally stand behind the curtain of water raining down over the rocks hidden in the forest.
The Cloud Forests—be prepared to go up as the cloud forests only happen above 1,000 meters where the humidity is high, and a carpet of green will be at your feet.
The best time to visit The Knuckles is mid-February to April or June to August. It is located about 3 hours by car from Kandy and 5-6 hours from Colombo. You should always have an accredited guide with you during treks.
Gail Palethorpe, a self proclaimed Australian gypsy, is a freelance writer, photographer and eternal traveller. Check out her website Gail Palethorpe Photography and her Shutterstock profile.
