Why Horton Plains & World's End will steal your heart
High in the central highlands, at more than 2,000 metres, lies a landscape unlike anywhere else in Sri Lanka. Horton Plains is a wild, windswept plateau of rolling grasslands, stunted cloud forest and crystal-clear streams, often wrapped in drifting mist. It feels more like the Scottish Highlands than a tropical island.
The plateau is a national park and part of the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka UNESCO World Heritage Site, protected for its rare ecosystems and remarkable wildlife. Many of the plants, birds and animals here are found nowhere else in the world. Herds of sambar deer graze calmly on the grasslands, and birdwatchers come to spot endemic species such as the Sri Lanka whistling thrush and the dull-blue flycatcher.
The classic walk is a loop of about 9.5 kilometres, which takes around three hours at a comfortable pace. The path winds across the grassland and through the forest to the plateau's great drama: World's End. Here the land simply stops. A sheer cliff plunges about 870 metres, and on a clear morning, you look out over tea estates, villages and hills all the way to the southern coast. Standing at the edge, with the wind rushing up from below, is an experience you'll never forget.
The trail continues to Baker's Falls, a lovely waterfall named after Sir Samuel Baker, the British explorer who hunted and travelled here in the 19th century. The water cascades over rocks into a pool surrounded by ferns and rhododendrons, before the path loops back across the plains to the start.
The secret is to start early. Mist usually rolls in by mid-morning and can hide the view at World's End completely, so aim to be on the trail by sunrise. It's cold at dawn, so bring layers. As the sun rises and the mist lifts off the grasslands, you'll understand why this is one of the most beautiful walks in Asia.
