Month: September 2022

The forest cover of Makandewa spreads over 1155 hectares. Makandewa gets heavy rainfall every year and it functions as a catchment area in Kitulgala, inducing frequent rain. This untouched rainforest is home to many dozens of Fauna and flora; some of them are endemic to Sri Lanka. Makandewa rainforest is especially popular for bird watching in Sri Lanka. It is inhabited by a large number of avian fauna species; therefore, Makandewa rainforest is part of most Sri Lanka bird-watching tours. More than 54 species of birds can be witnessed in Makandewa rainforest. Kitulgala Kitulgala is a major tourist attraction in Sri Lanka, which offers a wide range of activities for adventure enthusiasts. The rugged terrain of Kitulgala with cascading waterfall, rivers, streams, rainforests and the green-capped mountain offers adrenaline-pumping activities such as trekking, hiking, rock climbing, waterfall abseiling, mountain biking, caving, jungle trekking and bird watching. Kitulgala is one of the popular places for Sri Lanka's one-day trips. It is easy to reach Kitulagal from Colombo and all other major tourist resorts on the west and south coast. Therefore, most tour operators such as Seerendipity tours offer one day tour to Kitulagla with a twst of adventure. The forest covers Kitulgala Kitulgala has a large tract of forests. It is very important to maintain a healthy forest cover in Kitulagla in order to guarantee the yearly heavy rainfall in Kitulgala and its surrounding area. Kitulgala had been a laid-back village with a very big farming community until very recent. There is rapid development in Kitulagla over the last few years, especially due to tourism. At the moment tourism has become an important industry for the peopel in the area and a large number of people are dependent on it for their income. The popularity of Kitulgala among travellers and the development of tourism in the area have made a significant improvement to the life of people. Same time it has caused some destruction to the valuable forest cover. Development has also invaded Kitulagala like most other places in Sri Lanka. There had been a huge development in Kitugla over the last few years and new building has mushroomed in a few areas, mainly along the main road. Therefore, part of its precious forest cover is depleted and the remaining forest cover is also under heavy pressure. Makandewa rainforest, which is protected under the flora and fauna act, is the most significant natural forest cover in Kitulgala. Makandewa is the biggest rainforest in Kitulgala and still holds importance as a tourist attraction. Makandewa rainforest is a significant important forest reserve and offers a fantastic opportunity for rainforest and trekking tours in Sri Lanka. The forest reserve is located next to the Kelaniya River, which is the most popular river for whitewater rafting in Sri Lanka. Kitulgala and its surrounding area as well as the Kelaniya river highly dependent on the rainfall induced by the Makandewa forest. Makandewa rainforest Kitulgala The forest cover of Makandewa spreads over 1155 hectares. Makandewa gets heavy rainfall every year and it functions as a catchment area in Kitulgala, inducing frequent rain. This untouched rainforest is home to many dozens of Fauna and flora; some of them are endemic to Sri Lanka. Makandewa rainforest is especially popular for bird watching in Sri Lanka. It is inhabited by a large number of avian fauna species; therefore, Makandewa rainforest is part of most Sri Lanka bird-watching tours. More than 54 species of birds can be witnessed in Makandewa rainforest. The award-winning English film “The Bridge on the River Kwai”, which won seven Academy Awards in 1958 was filmed in the backdrop of the Makandewa rainforest. A location within the forest was chosen to film a part of the film. This location was chosen to film the incident, in which the bridge was blown off making the train fall into the river. The reminiscence of the bridge that was specifically built for the film still can be seen at the site. Why You Should Visit There are few trekking routes in Makandewa forest. However, the most popular is the trek which starts from the hanging bridge. Makandewa rainforest is dense with various sizes of tropical trees and plants, and here you can witness the three canopies created by varying sizes of trees and plants they are bush, canopy and upper canopy. The sun rays cannot penetrate into the forest through the thick formation of the canopy and upper canopy; therefore, it remains dark even during midday. The trekking route The trekking route of the Makandewa forest is fairly easy even though it is a bit of rugged terrain. Comfortable shoes are recommended for jungle trekking. The boulders close to the river and waterfalls as well as the boulders around the natural pool are very slippery. So, be careful when you walk on the boulders. The Kelaniya River flows through the jungle and it creates a natural pool with crystal-clear water on its way through the jungle. The travellers can also witness a few waterfalls within the forest. The forest offers many opportunities for trekking, hiking, whitewater rafting, bird watching, and canoeing. Season to Visit During the monsoon season, there can be frequent heavy rain in the forest. The highest rainfall reported in the forest was from October to April (during the southwest monsoon). The rainfall considerably lowers during the 6 months from November to April. Try to plan your visit to Makandewa forest from December and February or August to September, during these periods the forest remains dry most of the time.

Seerendipity Tours and Travels

Month: September 2022

Kitulgala visiting places: Makandewa rainforest