A walk through Paradise: Riverstone, Sri Lanka

Well, I am going to walk you through an area with untouched beauty and misty surroundings. I have shared many amazing travel experiences of mine and this is one of the best of them. This happened in December 2022 and somehow I couldn't share it at the moment and here we go! Sri Lanka is known for its diverse natural attractions. Riverstone is at the top of them where you never want to leave once set foot.

From the top

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It's located near Matale town and part of the Knuckles Mountain Range, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The whole area is known for its rich biodiversity, breathtaking viewpoints, natural trails, waterfalls, and amazing landscape. It's like a paradise for the hikers and we could only go for a small hike to Riverstone viewpoints and a glance at the Pitawala Pathana nature trails.

The Route

It was me and some of my friends in a car. We started the journey from my hometown buttala, early in the morning as we needed to go to the location before noon. It's around a 4-hour ride.

As we are reaching to the destination we can simply feel the change in climate and landscape. The car ride itself is a treat with the scenery feeling untouched by humans.

Riverstone Peak is on the Raththota-Illukumbura-Hettipola road, which is not in perfect condition, but we can access it by car up to the entrance.

We can park the car there and it's around a 5-6km hike then through the paradise.

The trail and the surrounding

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This area is packed with mountain ranges that stand up to around 1500m from the mean sea level. As you can see, it's a misty day, and the windy atmosphere gave a different vibe. Unlike the other trails in the area, it's almost in good shape and along the way, there are a few viewpoints and stops. We can walk through dense forests, tall trees, small streams of crystal clear water, wildflowers, and birdies.

The aroma is truly refreshing and pure. Anyway, the highlight of the trail is the peak point. It's a breathtaking panoramic view of the surrounding area, as you can see in the first image. It's all about hills and valleys and the lush greenery of the Knuckles mountain range. be aware of the leaches.

The Gang

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Innocent me

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Actually, with the time restraint, we did explore only a little piece of the area. but as I said earlier this whole place is just like a tourist paradise with so many interesting places. Hiking of Knuckles Mountain itself, Pitawala Pathana Trails and Mini World's Edge, Bambarakiriella Waterfall, Sera Ella Waterfall, Manigala Rock, Thelgamu Oya, etc.

Our shelter for the night

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What's better than some alcohol hiding in nature with this kind of atmosphere? We found a perfect budget place for the night from one of our friends. The place is well-maintained and has been built suited to the rural lifestyle. The night was long and it was a perfect getaway with my friends after all. Still, put a smile and satisfaction going through the images.

So, that's it for the day!

Until the next time! Enjoy!

Thank you.
Best Regards!