Nature & Wildlife · The Highlands
Mountains & Waterfalls
In the centre of the island the land rises into misty peaks, cloud forests and grasslands, cut by countless waterfalls.
5 min read
An educational feature from the Nature & Wildlife collection.
01
The Central Highlands
Peak Wilderness, Horton Plains and the Knuckles Conservation Forest together make up the Central Highlands World Heritage Site, recognised by UNESCO in 2010 for its exceptional endemic species.
02
Horton Plains
This high plateau of grasslands and cloud forest ends dramatically at World’s End, a sheer escarpment with views toward the southern lowlands on clear mornings. It is also the source of several major rivers.
03
Ella
The hill town of Ella sits among tea estates and ridges. Nearby, the Nine Arch Bridge carries the hill-country railway across a valley, a celebrated piece of colonial-era engineering.
04
Waterfalls
The highlands are threaded with waterfalls, from Ravana Falls near Ella to Bambarakanda, the island’s tallest.
Did you know
Interesting facts
01
The Central Highlands became a World Heritage Site in 2010.
02
Bambarakanda is considered the tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka.
03
Horton Plains is a national park managed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation.
References & further reading
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Central Highlands of Sri Lanka
- Department of Wildlife Conservation, Sri Lanka
- Forest Department of Sri Lanka
Content is summarised from the sources above for educational purposes. LANKA. is an independent publication.
