| Year and Month | 29th June 2017 |
| Number of Days | One day |
| Crew | 6 |
| Accommodation | N/A |
| Transport | Public transportation, Privet vehicle |
| Activities | Hiking, Photography, Enjoying the nature |
| Weather | Fine |
| Route | Kandy(clock tower) -> Dambulla -> Kalu ganga -> Atanwala -> Manigala -> Ilukkumbura -> Returned back |
| Tips, Notes and Special remark |
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| Related Resources | Trip reports on : Manigala |
| Author | Nishshabda William |
| Comments | Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread |
This is actually a three day tour and it had a hike to Manigala in the day in middle. On day one, we (three males and two females) got onto a bus at about 11.30 a.m from Kandy to reach Dambulla. We reached Dambulla in about two hours time and had the lunch there. Then we took a Mahiyanganaya via Kalu ganga bus to reach Kalu ganga where we had a generous host.
We (another female joined the company) spent the night there and took a private vehicle from Kalu ganga at about 7 O’clock in the morning (29th June 2017) to reach Atanwala village via Pallegama, Laggala, Ilukkumbura and Madiwela village. But we had to get down the vehicles before reaching the Atanwala village as the road was closed for constructions.
 Manigala ; as seen over the harvested fields of the Atanwala village. |
 On foot to Atanwala village. |
We started our journey on foot at about 8 O’clock. The weather was good and the sky had no sign of rain. The village side was scenic as the fields were harvested and the yellowish brown ‘Ipanalla’ was in the sight for acres in the Thelgamu oya basin afoot the Manigala mountain.
From the Atanwala village, the foot path to Manigala starts and am not going to bother describing the land marks for turns and directions as you can simply ask villagers who are so damn friendly. But be kind enough to smile them with eye contacts and thank them for pointing in the right directions.
You’ll come across “Wadda pani ella” which is also made by the Thelgamu oya on the way to the edge of the Atanwala village. From the edge of the village, the foot path begins and is very clear as the trail is marked with red paint on the trees.
 The upper cascade of the wedda peni ella. |
 The lower part of it |
There were three main stops in the hike; first was a ‘worlds end’ kind of place, secondly a ‘Horton plains’ kind of place and finally, the peak. (I’ve given pictures to justify my point. 
)
 The route we took… (image is from google maps.) – click to enlarge |
 A little posing at the world’s end like place. |
 At first we thought this is the peak, but it is not as it turned out to be a cascade in the range. (As seen from the world’s end like place.) |
The Horton plains kind of place is ideal for camping. The thing is I didn’t see any water source on top. So, you would need to carry a considerable amount of water, find a wind shadow for the tents as the wind up there was stormy. Though this place doesn’t have a 360º view, you can clearly see Yahangla, Thunhis gala, Doowili alla, the main Knuckles range (if they were not hidden in the clouds), the Riverstone peak and the Pitawala pathana followed by the mini world’s end.
 A typical ‘Thuru wiyana’k |
 A nephila pilipes I guess.. |
 The Horton plains like place. You may see the Thun-HIs-gala in the left corner, Doowili ella within the wild and the Gombania and the following peaks from here. |
The peak also doesn’t offer a good view as it is not bold. But on the descend, there are several good view points. From these points, you may see the Moragahakanda reservoir, the Kalu ganga reservoir construction site, Walasgala and Wasgamuwa side, other than the Riverstone peak and the Pitawala pathana which you have already seen.
 Approaching the peak… You may see the Atanwala village below. The Riverstone peak is under the clouds though |
It took us just about four hours to complete the hike and descend to ‘Dumbara wana niwahana’ side. But it is a must to say that it would take a longer time to hike the trail the other way as the altitude gain is greater and the trail is harder to ascend the other way as it has some 80º parts in it.
 Descend. |
 Further down the hill ; you may see the red marking on the tree. |
On our hike, we observed several types of vegetation and so many types of fauna ranging from slight insects to mammals such as rabbits. (which I am gonna be presenting in separate articles.) After getting down to the Ilukkumbura side at about 12:30 p.m, we had a bath in the Thelgamu oya, refreshed ourselves and had the lunch. We spent some time leisurely there and the left the place at about 3 O’clock on a private vehicle.
 The crew. |