TikaWeeks #23/2023: Sri Lanka update
Posted by John on 6th June 2023
As another sign of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, the central bank cut interest rates for the first time in three years last week, while in May, India extended the US$1bn credit line by a year, further easing the financial burden on the country. Inflation is coming down, government revenues are looking up and pressure on the island's balance of payments is diminishing. "This can possibly be seen as an end to the crisis.”
The Pekoe Trail – Stage 10: Dayagama to Horton Plains
Stage 10 of The Pekoe Trail is physically and mentally demanding, and also logistically challenging. Just shy of 15 km in length, it is the hardest stage so far and consequently graded as ‘difficult’. With over 900 metres of elevation gained and only a couple of hundred metres lost overall, it is up, up, up all the way!
This stage begins at Dayagama, one of the most remote villages in the tea country at the far eastern end of the Agarapatana Valley. Very few foreign visitors venture this deep into the tea country despite this region being the epicentre of the island’s tea industry. Unless you are continuing on The Pekoe Trail – only camping is optional as there are no places to stay in the area – you will need to be collected at The Old Far Inn, which is the endpoint of this stage inside Horton Plains National Park.
The hike is physically demanding as it is mostly uphill – Dayagama lies at 1421 metres above sea level while Horton Plains rises from 2138 metres – although the trail is wide and easy to follow and the gradient manageable.
Leave Dayagama heading east to the end of the valley, following the tea trail for the next 9.5 km along wide and clear tracks towards a dense forest where the trail enters Horton Plains National Park. As soon as you enter the park the trail twists and turns up the valley through dense high-elevation rainforest. You should hear various jungle calls including monkeys, deer, leopards and a number of endemic bird species. After 14.5 km, the trail joins the main road that traverses the park and continues for a further 500 metres to the endpoint (The Old Far Inn).
IMPORTANT – Access to Horton Plains National Park is restricted and an entrance fee must be paid. Entrance tickets are sold at the entrance to the park on Nuwara Eliya Road and on the road to Ohiya. The park is governed by strict regulations due to the abundance of wildlife inhabiting this very sensitive ecosystem. For more information, contact the Department of Wildlife Conservation. It is strongly advised to travel in a group and ideally with the services of a national guide through Horton Plains National Park.
Categories: News, Sightseeing, Sri Lanka, Travel tips, Wildlife
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