Hidden beauty of Riverston and Manigala — Sri Lanka

Matale is not the most famous tourist destination of Sri Lanka, but make no mistake the area has tons of picturesque places. Since some of these places are hard to reach for ordinary tourists, they are less known compared to other tourist attractions of the country. We have decided to take you to two of the amazing and sort of concealed regions near Matale, Sri Lanka; Riverston and Manigala. Come and join us.

First of all, let us tell you, it would be ideal to allocate at least two days for the journey if you want to explore the area to the fullest. Because reaching and exploring Riverston and its surroundings isn’t the easiest thing of the world; also to make it a memorable one you should spend adequate time.

Let’s see some of the must-visit places in the area

Bambara Kiri Ella Waterfall

When you move towards Riverston from the city of Matale, the first must-see destination you come across is Bambara Kiri Ella waterfall. This waterfall is simply amazing and striking, to say the least. Also, it is not that difficult to find. You will see the name board of the waterfall on your right side. From there, you can reach it after a few minutes of a walk.

The waterfall is small in stature; but the beauty of it is indescribable. If you are wondering where to have your trip’s breakfast, this would be the ideal place.

Riverston Tower viewpoint

Oh yes! This place is situated about 13–14KMs away from Bambara Kiri Ella waterfall, and usually, it would take about 50 minutes to reach the bottom of Riverston tower viewpoint. Although there is a road from the bottom to the viewpoint, no vehicles are allowed due to security reasons. There is nothing special about the tower; it’s just a transmission tower. But, the view you see when you reach the top is out of the world and jaw-dropping.

However, the hike is 2km long from bottom to top. But, you have to trust our words, the hike is exciting The surroundings are mesmerizing, and you won’t feel tired a bit.

Pitawala Pathana

There are two cliffs in Pitawala Pathana, and you will see the name board of this place on the right side of the road. The first cliff is relatively less steep than the second one. In fact, the second one is quite scary. It is advisable you don’t go near the edge of it. Because over the years there have been accidents in this place; also, the winds are tough around here.

You can perfectly view one cliff from other; and it is needless to say that the surroundings and the cliffs are incredibly photogenic. The sceneries get even better on sunny days. You just can’t take your eyes out from them.

Sera Ella Waterfall

Sera Ella is another popular destination among Riverston tourists, and it’s not difficult to find this place either. However, one thing you have to keep in mind is that you must carefully see and read the name boards on either side of the road to not miss these places. Because you hardly see people in the area and the environment kind of tend to take over the control because of the unbelievable sceneries. The road conditions are not the best, and be ready to take up the challenges they throw at you.

Coming back to the Sera Ella waterfall, it is another wonder in Riverston, and interestingly there is a cave behind the waterfall. It is something you should definitely explore while at Sera Ella waterfall, as this experience is a rare one to relish in Sri Lanka.

Manigala

Hiking Manigala is an engaging activity to be a part of, and the journey starts from the tantalizingly beautiful village of Rathinda. Let us briefly explain to you about Historical Manigala. The villagers say this place has a history of over 7000 years. They believe King Ravana’s aircraft (called Dandumonaraya) landed on Manigala Mountain. You can see a squarish area on the mountain, and they believe that is the place where the king’s palace was back in the day.

There are camping sites available in and around the village of Rathinda, and it would be ideal if you explore the above-mentioned places in Riverston and spend the night in a campsite and start hiking Manigala the next day.

When it comes to hiking Manigala, make sure you start the journey as early as possible and do not deviate from the footpath, and take an ample amount of water with you. Also, it would be ideal if you seek the help of a local to join your crew. In addition, it becomes more easy and enjoyable when hiked under blue skies than on a rainy day.

Along the journey, you will come across breathtaking sceneries. When you reach the summit, you have the opportunity to view the entire area of Riverston, including the transmission tower and its surroundings. Further, the Manigala Mountain is famous for butterflies. These butterflies blend more value to the sceneries. You should never want to miss your DSLR on the trip.

Another amazing thng you can observe is herds of cattle as villagers take them to Manigala to feed. Even though it takes some effort for the tourists to reach the summit, it seems that this is a routine for the villagers and their animals. You will get tired after you complete the hiking; and the campsites that we mentioned earlier would be the perfect place to have a good rest. Also, you can enjoy a cool and refreshing river bath at most of the facilities.

Hope you have enjoyed the article. If you want to read more content about Sri Lanka visit www.insideceylon.com. Have a great day!

Read about Nuwara Eliya, the little England of Sri Lanka here.