TikaWeeks #29/2023: Sri Lanka update
Posted by John on 18th July 2023
We turned 19 last weekend! Launching on 15 July 2004, Tikalanka has had a tumultuous time over the years, in line with the fortunes of Sri Lanka. Our first season coincided with the Asian Tsunami disaster on Boxing Day, when both Pathi and I were running holidays as guides on the island. In the New Year the civil war restarted after a fragile ceasefire, followed by the 2008 global economic crash. In 2009 the civil war ended and Sri Lanka quickly became the place to visit. Everything was mostly rosy – notwithstanding the continual political intrigue and regular elections on the island – until Brexit briefly upset the apple cart. With tourism picking up again and Tikalanka having the best years ever, the Easter Sunday 2019 bombing atrocities stopped us in our tracks. Then came 2020 and Covid… Only this year has it been possible to restart our holidays in earnest in collaboration with Tropic Breeze. Long may the good times roll!
The Pekoe Trail – Stage 15: Makulella to Ella
Beginning at the delightful Allimale Bodhiya temple in Makulella overlooking Ambagaswatte valley, this 9.5-km, moderately challenging stage should take around 3 hours to complete at a modest pace. The river flowing through the valley feeds Ravana Falls, a popular tourist stop on the Ella to Wellawaya road below. This spectacular waterfall is named after the mythical King Ravana from the Ramayana epic. According to legend, King Ravana hid princess Sita inside a cave behind the waterfall.
The stage starts at an elevation of 1240 metres and ends at an elevation of just over 1000 metres. The initial section is a charming walk through a mixed forested area before entering a eucalyptus forest after 800 metres – don’t take the track right into the valley, go straight ahead. After 1.5 km, the track splits into two again, but keep right this time as the track winds through the trees and on into a tea plantation with stunning views. The trail penetrates a patch of jungle and shortly afterwards emerges onto a much wider trail. At this point, you turn left and walk in the direction of the eucalyptus forest again. From here it is a fairly straight, 2 km walk to the top of Ella Rock.
Ella Rock sits at the 4.5-km point of this stage, with the first half being much quieter, more peaceful and serene than the second half. Needless to say, the view from Ella Rock is spectacular. Expansive panoramas are laid out in front of you, from the valley below to Little Adam’s Peak on the opposite side of the valley, and the countless mountains and valleys far beyond. From here The Pekoe Trail is a popular route as a day trip to the top of Ella Rock for the many backpackers staying in Ella. The initial 200-metre descent traverses another eucalyptus forest before passing a few local houses with cultivated gardens on the way to Kithal Ella railway station. From the train station there is no option but to walk along the railway track for approximately 1.5 km, so take extra care and keep vigilant – the trail infrastructure is in development at the present time. The stage finishes at Ella railway station.
Categories: Sri Lanka
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