Off The Beaten Path – Sri Lanka

From relaxing on the golden beaches of Bentota and enjoying the clear waters of the Indian Ocean to climbing ancient Sigiriya, Sri Lanka has something for everyone. In addition to its well-known sights, Sri Lanka is home to a range of lesser-known stunning attractions including remarkable landscapes, rare wildlife and repositories of several thousand years of history. 

The Knuckles Range

Rising out of the island’s central highlands east of Kandy, the wild mountains of the Knuckles Range are Sri Lanka’s very own Shangri-La – remote, beautiful, and known only to a privileged few. Swathed in a dense tangle of dwarf cloudforest and often concealed behind veils of drifting cloud, the Knuckles’ jagged grey peaks can only be properly appreciated on foot, and the entire region remains little visited, despite being inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 2010. Trekking also offers the chance to appreciate the range’s status as one of Sri Lanka’s most remarkable biodiversity hotspots, with leopards lurking in the shadows (although they’re rarely seen) along with other rare creatures including purple-faced langur monkeys, giant squirrels and some superb endemic birdlife.

Boating With Dolphins
Hidden away on Sri Lanka’s northeast coast, the remote Kalpitiya Peninsula is one of the island’s true undiscovered – or, at least, only very slightly discovered – gems. The peninsula comprises a narrow sliver of land, with the waves of the Indian Ocean crashing against its eastern side and the tranquil waters of the Kalpitiya Lagoon on the other. The biggest draw here, are the vast pods of spinner dolphins regularly seen offshore. Dawn trips offer an unforgettable oceanic experience, as your boat bobs and ploughs through the waves and the waters around churn with literally hundreds of dolphins racing, cavorting and frolicking alongside – and occasionally shooting clean out of the ocean in acrobatic leaps and twirls.   

Exploring Ancient Ritigala

The great ancient Buddhist monuments of Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla are high on most visitors’ wish-lists, but for somewhere equally magical but far less well-known, head to the thickly forested hill of Ritigala, deep in the heart of Sri Lanka’s northern plains. Ritigala’s remote location and dense forest have appealed to generations of religious ascetics, revolutionary activists and others seeking a place to hide from the world. Buddhist monks established a monastery here some 5000 years ago, and although most of its buildings have now been swallowed up by the surrounding jungle, substantial remains survive, including beautiful “meditation walkways” running through the trees and quaint little monastic residences dotting the forest floor, comprising a pair of tiny houses, connected by an even tinier bridge and surrounded by miniature moats. And you’ll almost certainly have the place to yourself – be very surprised if you see another tourist. 

The Road To Jaffna

Divided from the rest of the country for over two decades during the country’s tragic civil war, the north remains Sri Lanka’s final frontier, and the ultimate destination for those wishing to get firmly off the tourist track. The long journey up the old A9 highway to Jaffna is unquestionably the country’s most absorbing road trip, taking you from the Buddhist south into the Hindu heartlands of the Tamil north. Every mile of highway was once bitterly fought over, and although massive road improvements mean that the journey is now easier than ever, there’s still a looming sense of history as you head into the war-torn former territories of the Tamil Tigers, past the overblown war monuments of Kilinochchi and Elephant Pass before arriving finally at far-flung Jaffna, with its colorful temples, time-warped colonial architecture, and a great many bicycles. 

Call Rawhide Travel and Tours and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com

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