Exploring the West Waterfall of Walawe River

Exploring the west fall of the Walawe river is in my list for more than 6 years, I know this fall from the book written by Dr Ebehad Kawutsh (A Guide to Sri Lankan Waterfalls). But due to the forest path difficulty mentioned in the book I postponed this for several times. But on this day I explored the waterfall deeply surfing the google maps satellite and 3D maps. Then I found that I don’t want to start my hike from Mulgama village and have the dangerous forest hike around where the wild elephants are roaming.

Then I saw that there are two buildings around the waterfall and when I further explored I saw a small footpath showed in Google Satellite maps. I didn’t know that footpath is a 4WD path and those buildings are powers houses. However we entered to that road carefully and always took precautions to face sudden elephant attacks. This road is located just before the Samanala wewa leak from Balangoda side. This is actually a private road of the Power house people, it means this belongs to the Electricity department.

Anyway we continue our bike ride through this difficult and gravel road for 2-3Km. On two places, we smell the elephants and we heard their sound fromthe right side cliff of the road where the Canal goes from the leak to the power house. Within an hour we reached to the power house and we talked to those people and taken their permission to go beyond this place.

Marked in Blue in Terrain Map

The waterfall shown in Google Satellite map

Here is the full map

Reached to Samanala Wewa Dam

Here is that beautiful

How big it is

The famous leak of the dam

There is a famous hidden story behind this dam

Tiny

Walawe river near the Power House

Walk from 1st Power house to the 2nd one

Giant Kumbuk Trees

This is near the 2nd Power House, it means the Dam

This stream will connect with Walawe River at there

Beautiful Tree creations

Most Beautiful Capture

The Walawe River

Another view

Another capture

We came here by walking about 1km through the forest and the footpath is well clear but always we should keep our eyes on elephants, because they are visit this footpath too. There is a small dam here where the whole water carried by another canal. So, we start walking along the canal and it is too dangerous due to the left and right side of the dead ends. We should safely walk along that 5 inch concrete bend and make sure to not to fallen in to the canal or into the forest. Because both will make you died.

After we walked about 1-2km we saw the waterfall as per the GPS map. Then we got down to the right hand side forest and headed to the fall within 200m distance. This waterfall is so dried because the water carried out from that canal to the 2nd power house. There was 2 people at the dam and 3 people at the 1st power house. The 2nd Power house actually situated at the end of this canal. However when we came to the fall it was dried but too beautiful and we rest for about 1-2 hours over there and waited for elephants. We saw some marks of camping and when we inquired it that power house people said sometimes tourists are visiting that place and spend some nights. But all of them are foreigners.

After we spent few hours we left the place and took some photos also. On our return journey we were on more attention because the time is nearly 5.30pm. It means the time of wild elephants. But we were lucky that no elephant were met and we finished our hike around 6pm by reaching the Kalthota road.

GPS of 4WD road entrance – 6.677919, 80.803676

GPS of the 1st Power House – 6.675856, 80.822269

GPS of the sub Dam – 6.676972, 80.827357

GPS of the waterfall – 6.674152, 80.828506

I’m there

The small dam

The Canal starting from the Dam

Surrounding rocks

We have to walk along this concrete bend

I took the lead

This bit dangerous due to the cliff

More to go

Getting down to the River

Rocks every where

Here is she

Walawe River West Fall

As known as Hulan Ella

Giant Rocks

Another beautiful capture

The dangerous pool

We are resting here

Another capture

See the upper part

It was dried due to the power house and that dam. Water is deviating to the 2nd Canal

Top of the West fall

Giant Rocks

There are plenty of rocks in here

We are resting while Nirosh is capturing

Achintha was there

Full view

Closer view

Side fall

Another view

Nature creations

Migara is there

Enjoying the beauty

The biggest pool, this place wil over flow in Flooding days

Elephant dungs

Final capture

These rocks and designs are amazing

Return journey

Group photo at the dam

The beautiful garden with the Walawe river at the 1st Power House

Valuable plant

Our final group photo at there

Ellepola Falls – ඇල්ලේපොල ඇල්ල

When viewed from the west, the 18m fall is said to resemble a white sail jutting out from a mast. Ellepola Ella Fall is situated in Ellepola village, Balangoda, in the Ratnapura District. It is on the Colombo – Ratnapura road and can be viewed from the school in the Ellapoloa Welange Division. However, a better view is possible from just beyond the State Plantations Welange Estate.

When viewed from the west, the 18m fall is said to resemble a white sail jutting out from a mast. Ellepola Ella Fall is situated in Ellepola village, Balangoda, in the Ratnapura District. It is on the Colombo – Ratnapura road and can be viewed from the school in the Ellapoloa Welange Division. However, a better view is possible from just beyond the State Plantations Welange Estate.

GPS Location – 6.630740, 80.685942

Ellepola fall

Here is the beauty

Lucky to see this much of water level

I think this is my 3-4th visit to this fall, but this is the amazing one with water

Another view

The stream

How polluted

So sad

Beauty

Final capture

Thank you for reading !

Sobasiri Team ©