Abseil Adventure in Sri Lanka

This itinerary consists of extreme activities such as abseiling and long hiking trails. It is categorized under intermediate+ and advanced and therefore should only be taken up by those in good health and have no fear of heights.

Day 1

Travel from Colombo to Kandy

After your pickup from Colombo in the morning, we will be travelling to Kandy, the ancient capital city of Sri Lanka. Situated about 115 km from the airport, the drive could take about 3 – 4 hours.

Before we kick-start this exciting abseiling adventure in Sri Lanka tomorrow, you will have rest of the day to yourself. By all means take this free time to either chill at the hotel or spend some time exploring Kandy town.

Kandy

The city’s famous attraction is the Temple of the Tooth, a cultural fortress home to one of Buddha’s relics, a tooth. Undeniably, an extremely venerated Buddhist place of worship, full of beautiful architecture and history, all are welcome to visit the palace. But please remember to dress appropriately and respectfully, should you visit the temple.

Day 2

Katusu Konda Hike

Our abseiling adventure in Sri Lanka, an island steeped in over two millennia of history and natural beauty, begins today.

After checking out of our hotel we drive about 45 minutes to the trail-head of Katusu Konda (Lizard’s back) or also known as Knife-Edge peak.  It is part of Sri Lanka’s famous Hanthana mountain range which consists of a total of 7 peaks. In addition to forming an iconic backdrop to Kandy, it also served as protection against enemy forces back in the day.

Katusu Konda happens to be the most popular and the easiest peak to summit in the Hanthana range. Despite gaining only 400 m in elevation, once at the top of the peak, you will be rewarded to exhilarating view of valleys and lush green forests below. This this trek will not only offer a feast for the senses along its trail, but also front-row seats to an adventure filled with waves of adrenaline bursts as you gently take a walk on the proverbial knife-edge. Regardless of Katusu Konda’s humble stature in comparison to its sibling peaks, don’t be fooled by the thrills of this mountain. It will indeed capture your imagination, leaving you only wanting more of Sri Lanka’s peaks and views.

Concluding this thrilling day, we head to our accommodation for the night, after a short stop for lunch.

Day 3

Laxapana waterfall

Enough suspense. Let’s kick-start your abseiling adventure in Sri Lanka today.

After checking out of our hotel in the morning, we make our way towards Laxapana Falls. Standing tall at 126m, it the 8th tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka and the highest free-falling cascade in the country.

The name Laxapana translates into a hundred thousand lamps in Sinhalese and the waterfall borders along the revered and protected Sri-Pada Peak Wilderness Sanctuary. Simultaneously, it guarded from above by the mystic and mythical Seven Virgins Mountain range, steeped in folklore and legendary tales. In fact, Buddha himself was said to have stopped briefly nearby during one of his 3 visits to Sri Lanka.

Today, you will have the chance to become one with this serene and mystic waterfall. Get ready to conquer its rock face one step at a time. From top to bottom, with its free-falling cascade guiding you all the way down.
Before you start though, not to worry, you will receive a full introduction, a briefing to abseiling. Specifically, important safety instructions and tips, including demonstrations.

After that, it’s time to harness and let go of your fears and be one with nature’s masterful glory, as you take your first step into abseiling the waterfall of a hundred thousand lights.

Day 4

Hike Devil’s staircase

This itinerary is all about novelty and self-discovery, so we can guarantee that no two days will be alike.

Today we start off with a long hike, followed by an overnight bush camping experience. Finally, we end your abseiling adventure in Sri Lanka on Day 5 where you will descend seamlessly from Sri Lanka’s tallest beast of a waterfall, Bambarakanda Falls.

Checking out of our hotel, we drive to Ohiya railway station and start our 13 km journey along Devil’s Staircase.

In order to reach our target destination, we will be Immersing ourselves in the unmatched beauty of the hill country that captivates all those who set eyes on it, whether it’s their first or their hundredth time. Await Sri Lanka’s beauty to unfold with each step you take today.

Lined with towering pines and eucalyptus trees, we descend through one of Sri Lanka’s most captivating mountain ranges: Horton Plains.

Soon enough, Devil’s Staircase route will reveal various breathtaking scenes and sights all around. We will shortly pass through forests, grasslands, perfectly manicured tea-estates and rustic villages with views of the low-lying southeast basins in the distance. This includes one of the many man-made reservoirs the country is famous for: Udawalawe reservoir.

Once we reach our camping ground, time to take a rest and prepare for the night ahead. While our dinner is prepared, you will receive an introduction to camping in the wilderness which means an opportunity to learn the basics of setting up tents.

Afterwards, lay back and marvel at the untouched beauty engulfing us every way you look. Count your lucky stars, literally, if it’s a cloudless night because you can even fall asleep as the Milky Way smiles down on you.

Day 5

The epic finale – Abseiling Sri Lanka’s tallest waterfall, Bambarakanda

While a new dawn breaks amidst the cool morning mist off Horton Plains’, it’s time for a hearty breakfast and warm up for the culmination of our trip ahead.

But no destination is worth it without the journey getting there, right? Trust us, this will surely be one for your memory bank. For life.

Starting off, we follow our trail through a secondary forest of pines with intermittent views of green and blue valleys below, In contrast, mammoth sized mountain ranges will start to gather behind us as we head towards the southern plains ahead.

Finally we reach the top of Bambarakanda Falls. Looming high at 263m, it is undoubtedly a beauty and a beast all at once. The roaring pounds of water hitting the rocks below will only be overshadowed by the sheer charisma of this gallant waterfall. And, today, you will conquer 193 m of its ancient rock-face.

Prior to gearing up, you have your introduction and safety briefing and then, it’s time to make history. Take a deep breath because this is the culmination of your abseiling adventure in Sri Lanka.

Let Bambarakanda Falls’ magic engulf you as you both embrace the ropes and loosen your body. Take your first step towards fully experiencing the freedom of defying gravity and boldly go where only a few have dared before.

Back to Colombo

Our abseiling adventure in Sri Lanka, discovering the off-beaten trails and unforgettable views, has sadly come to an end. But not before we take some time to reminise the pure bliss of the last few days over a cup of Sri Lankan tea and take one last look at the mountainous paradise we are leaving behind.

Afterwards, it’s time for a grateful goodbye to your guides before we take off from Kalupahana area towards Colombo. On account of the 5-6 hour drive, we return to Colombo late in the evening and you will either be dropped off at the airport or at designated drop-off points in Negombo.