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  • UNESCO

The end of the world

May 4, 2020 | Michael Turtle | 13 Comments

WORLD HERITAGE SITE

Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka

To see the end of the world, you need to get up early. So it’s before dawn that I get up and go to find the jeep that will take me to Horton Plains National Park.

Walking deep into the park, I will find ‘The World’s End’, the high clifftop with a view all the way across this island country to the shore and beyond. But if you’re not there by about 9 o’clock in the morning, you will miss it.

Every day a huge blanket of mist folds over the vista and covers it for the rest of daylight hours.

Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka

And so the jeeps and the tour buses arrive early in the morning, shortly after the sun rises. The road can only take you so far so the carpark fills up.

A deer or two eat grass and pose for photos but there’s not much to see from here. The trekkers – myself included – head for the start of the track.

Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka

The World’s End is about halfway along a nine kilometre circular route through the park. I reach it in time, just before the mist takes over the sky.

High on a cliff, I look down, more than 1,200 metres to the bottom and no fence between me and air. A few clouds hang beneath me but they add to the majesty of this view, where mountains become highlands and then roll into fields that come to an abrupt end at the coast.

The ocean is 80 kilometres away but I can see it on the horizon.

Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka

This is the main tourist attraction of Horton Plains National Park but it’s not nearly the most important thing here.

The park, along with the nearby Peak Wilderness Protected Area and the Knuckles Conservation Forest, make up a World Heritage Site called The Central Highlands of Sri Lanka. It’s a unique ecosystem with abundant flora and fauna that’s been described as “a super biodiversity hotspot”.

Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka
Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka

It’s all in the details, though.

Other than the Sri Lankan leopard (which is almost impossible to see here) most of the special species of flora and fauna are quite small – birds, lizards, flowers, herbs, and so on. It helps to know what you’re looking for or to walk slowly and take careful note of the details.

Some people walk the track with local guides – not because there’s any chance of getting lost but because the best of the park could be lost on them.

Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka

That’s not to say the landscapes along the way are not worth the journey also.

It’s not the most spectacular World Heritage Site I have ever been to and, other than the cliff views, nothing figuratively took my breath away.

However, it’s a beautiful part of the country where forests, plains and water all merge together.

Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka
Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka

I’ll leave you with some more photos of the wide vistas and the micro details that are on display at Horton Plains National Park on your way to the end of the world.

Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka
Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka
Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka
Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka
Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka

THE BEST ACCOMMODATION IN NUWARA ELIYA

There are some beautiful places to base yourself for a few days up in the highlands of Sri Lanka.

BACKPACKER

If you’re looking for a hostel, I think the Laughing Leopard is your best option.

BUDGET

For a friendly homestay at a great price, have a look at Nuwara Eliya Homestay.

BOUTIQUE

One of the area’s nicest hotels is Jetwing St Andrews in a unique property.

LUXURY

And if you want stunning accommodation in a colonial mansion, have a look at Brockenhurst Bungalow.

This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For more info click here. You can see all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites I’ve visited here.

Time Travel Turtle was a guest of Jetwing Hotels and Jetwing Travels but the opinions, over-written descriptions and bad jokes are his own.

Sri Lanka Travel Guide

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SRI LANKA?

See my Sri Lanka Travel Guide

To help you plan your trip to Sri Lanka:

  • The best places to visit in Sri Lanka
  • Visiting the amazing fortress of Sigiriya
  • The ancient city of Polonnaruwa: A World Heritage Site
  • These painted caves are not to be missed!
  • Join the pilgrims for your chance to see Buddha’s tooth
  • What to see in the coastal city of Galle
  • The best way to see Sri Lanka’s elephants in the wild
  • A local tour of the fish market in Negombo
  • What you’ll see if you trek to the end of the world
  • Why is Sri Lanka so expensive?

Let someone else do the work for you:

You may also want to consider taking a tour of Sri Lanka, rather than organising everything on your own. It’s also a nice way to have company if you are travelling solo.

I am a ‘Wanderer’ with G Adventures and they have great tours of Sri Lanka.

You could consider:

  • Sri Lanka Express (8 days)
  • Discover Sri Lanka – National Geographic (12 days)
  • Sri Lanka Encompassed (14 days)

When I travel internationally, I always get insurance. It’s not worth the risk, in case there’s a medical emergency or another serious incident. I recommend you should use World Nomads for your trip.

Reader Interactions

    Comments Cancel reply

  1. Arianwen |

    January 6, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    Reply

    Lovely photos. Why is it that we always have to get up at ungodly hours of the morning to see these amazing places?! 🙂

    • Michael Turtle |

      February 2, 2015 at 7:35 pm

      Reply

      Ha ha ha – I know what you mean. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had to get up stupid early because apparently sunrise is the best time to see something. I guess I never regret it… but I tend to spend the rest of the day exhausted!! 🙂

  2. Mary @ Green Global Travel |

    January 13, 2015 at 3:35 am

    Reply

    Gorgeous photos, especially of the small animals. Looks like an amazing trek.

    • Michael Turtle |

      January 30, 2015 at 4:39 am

      Reply

      Yeah – a great trek and also a fairly easy one to do. Because you start so early, you’re back in the hotel by lunch and can do something else in the afternoon (if you’re not too tired!!)

  3. Dan |

    January 28, 2015 at 5:40 am

    Reply

    Wow what a photogenic hike

    • Michael Turtle |

      January 30, 2015 at 2:03 am

      Reply

      It was really beautiful. As I said in the story, though, it was the little details of the animals and the plants that I loved the best!

  4. Doria Garms-Sotelo (@DoriaTravels) |

    March 18, 2016 at 11:51 pm

    Reply

    In all of the places I have visited in Sri Lanka, Horton Plains is probably my favorite because of the such diversity this short hike gives you. I was wondering if you were able to hike up Kirigalpoththa and/or Thotupola. I am trying to plan an overnight trip to these peaks and keep getting different information on how it can be done.

  5. Praveen Mendis |

    March 3, 2017 at 5:15 pm

    Reply

    Superb Post….! The pictures are stunning… Really liked it.. Thanks for Sharing.. I have been to Horton Plains so many time… but it still welcomes freshly… A must go place in Sri Lanka

    • Michael Turtle |

      April 2, 2017 at 12:41 pm

      Reply

      Thanks. Yeah, I don’t think it’s as popular as some other parts of the country but it’s beautiful there and really worth the trip. Glad you agree!

  6. Rachitha |

    July 7, 2017 at 3:58 pm

    Reply

    Great post..! and breathtaking photos.. really amazing….the pictures are so realistic..really urges me to go there… You are really fortunate to experience this place in suitable climate and season… on my last visit i was caught with rain…It was scary….area is completely covered with fog and got dark….and freezing too..But it gave extra adventurous tasks to me..A great experience.

  7. Nour |

    April 21, 2019 at 8:45 pm

    Reply

    I’m a Muslim women .I cover my head ( I wear hejab) . When I visited the temples , they ask me either to take off my hejab or no way to enter. Though the hindo men are covering their heads allowed them to enter . What a segregation is that??
    What rule is that ???

    • Shenal Jayasinghe |

      October 8, 2019 at 5:13 pm

      Reply

      Hi, Im Shenal from Sri Lanka Known as “Lankan Backpacker” lankanbackpacker.com it is not a matter of covering the head as per the law of the country it is advised to not to cover the face in order to maintain the identity

  8. Pradeep |

    September 5, 2020 at 2:39 am

    Reply

    Interesting stuff to read. Keep it up.

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This is the website of travel writer, Michael Turtle. After working in broadcast journalism for a decade in Australia, Michael left Sydney to travel the world indefinitely and write about the places, people and experiences he discovers. This isn't a diary - these are real stories from the world.

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