Please Wait..!

A visit to UNESCO Sinharaja Rainforest

Back Back

Surrounded by bruised clouds and spectral mists, the enigmatic Sinharaja Rain Forest is the last remaining virgin tropical rain forest on the island. This mysterious and beautiful UNESCO World Heritage forest spreads out over an area of just 34 square miles, but is alive with life, colour, and sound. Home to a vast range of rare and endangered trees in addition to an abundance of endemic birds, reptiles, and mammals, Sinharaja is a treat for naturalists. The larger of Sinharaja’s resident mammals are leopards and elephants, both of which have been confirmed to be living within the forest reserve. Sightings are extremely rare, however you may come across their tracks. More common sights are giant squirrels, monkeys, chameleon lizards, wrinkled frogs and non-venomous snakes. There are also many nocturnal residents in the forest that are usually only seen at night such as mongoose, civets and bats. Perhaps one of the most talked about and notorious resident, however, is the leech. Leeches thrive in Sinharaja and leech bites are extremely common but quite harmless.

Experience Overview

The only way to enter Sinharaja is on foot, accompanied by a national guide. The reserve can be entered from three different sides, but the more common entrance is via Deniyaya, a small and dusty town on the edge of the rain forest. The guide will take your on a trek through the lush vegetation of the Sinharaja floor, explaining the importance of the rain forest to Sri Lanka’s ecosystem and helping you to uncover the diversity of the area. Depending on which side you enter the forest, there may also be an option to swim in a fresh water lake underneath a waterfall. The walk itself can be adjusted to suit your needs but will usually take around 3 hours. It’s a beautiful walk with plenty to see, however the paths can be quite muddy and slippy and weather conditions can also be erratic in the off-season.

Includes:  - Experience - Sri Lanka In Style
Includes:

Water, a national guide, entrance to the park.

Duration:  - Experience - Sri Lanka In Style
Duration:

Approx. 3 hours.

Difficulty:  - Experience - Sri Lanka In Style
Difficulty:

Strenuous. We categorize this experience as strenuous due to the leeches.

Suitable for children:  - Experience - Sri Lanka In Style
Suitable for children:

The trek is suitable for children.

Times:  - Experience - Sri Lanka In Style
Times:

Early morning (at around 8am) and afternoon (after 4pm) are the best times to visit as it is not too warm

What to wear or bring along:  - Experience - Sri Lanka In Style
What to wear or bring along:

Light, comfortable clothing, a raincoat as it often rains, swimwear if you want to take a dip in the waterfall.

Important to know:  - Experience - Sri Lanka In Style
Important to know:

August and September as well as January to March are usually the driest months, weather-wise. If it rains, there will be leeches. There may also be leeches if it is not raining.

Private or not?  - Experience - Sri Lanka In Style
Private or not?

The visit is private. That said, there may be other people around at the forest.

Gallery

 
 

Videos

Managing Expectations

It is important to remember that, whilst they are experts in their field, the people who run or host our experiences are not necessarily used to working in the tourism industry and may not offer the level of service you would find at a five-star hotel. For example, instead of a formal lecture, you may get a relaxed conversation where open discussion is encouraged. All of our hosts are, however, extremely engaging, knowledgeable and passionate about educating visitors about their chosen subject and we have worked with them to ensure that they deliver worthwhile, fulfilling experiences. We welcome feedback, so please let us know what you thought and if you think any improvements could be made to the experiences we offer.

Enquire Now

Get in touch with one of our knowledgeable travel experts to plan your Sri Lanka journey.