Why Kitulgala will steal your heart
Where the road from Colombo begins to climb into the hills, the Kelani River rushes through a valley of dense rainforest. This is Kitulgala, Sri Lanka's adventure capital, and it's one of the most exciting stops on the way to tea country.
The star attraction is white-water rafting. With experienced local instructors, you paddle down a series of rapids, graded roughly 2 to 3, with names that hint at the fun ahead. Between rapids, you float through calm stretches, swim in the cool water and gaze up at the forest canopy. It's thrilling but suitable for beginners, and it runs for most of the year.
Kitulgala also has a claim to fame. The river was a filming location for the Oscar-winning 1957 film The Bridge on the River Kwai. The bridge itself was blown up in the film, but you can still visit the filming site on the riverbank, and film lovers will enjoy the story.
Beyond the rafting, there's canyoning, waterfall abseiling and confidence jumps into deep pools for the adventurous, as well as jungle walks through the lowland rainforest. Birdwatchers come to spot rare endemic species, and the forest is alive with butterflies, lizards and the calls of monkeys.
Kitulgala sits neatly between Colombo and the hill country, so it's easy to add a thrilling morning or afternoon to your journey. Stay overnight in a riverside lodge, fall asleep to the sound of the water and the forest, and continue to Nuwara Eliya or Adam's Peak the next day.
