Key Places - Sri Lanka - Classic

Negombo - Udawalawe - Belihuloya - Galle

Dumbara Kanduvetiya: Knuckles Mountain Range

Spanning the horizon like the ridges of a clenched fist, from many viewpoints in the area east and north-east of Kandy,  Knuckles Mountain range was given the moniker by the British. The area’s indigenous name is 'Dumbara Kanduvetiya', meaning 'misty mountains'.

The forest reserve includes high altitude areas of cloud forest, the deep Dumbara Valley cut through by the Mahaweli river and at least 35 peaks above 900m, the highest of which is Gombaniya at 1900m. A range of weather conditions affects the area with year round rain fall in the high regions. Whilst the highlands are largely uninhabited, in the river valleys there are many settlements and villagers cultivate tea and cinnamon plantations and paddy terraces.

A protected area the massif is relatively unchartered by tourism and rich in biodiversity. The small lowland villages at the foot of the mountain range, are popular for trekking with open access.