Horton Plains National Park Sri Lanka

 

Horton Plains National Park is a national park in the central highlands of Sri Lanka that was designated in 1988. It is located at an elevation of 2,100–2,300 m and encompasses Montane grassland and cloud forest. It is rich in biodiversity and many species found here are endemic to the region.

Horton Plains

Nuwara Eliya is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, of Sri Lanka. Its name means "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light". The city is the administrative capital of the Nuwara Eliya District, with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It is at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) and is considered to be the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka. The city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for its temperate, cool climate – the coolest area in Sri Lanka.

History The city was founded by Samuel Baker, the explorer of Lake Albert and the upper Nile in 1846. Nuwara Eliya's climate lent itself to becoming the prime sanctuary of the British civil servants and planters in Ceylon. Nuwara Eliya, called Little England, was a hill country retreat where the British colonialists could immerse in their pastimes such as fox hunting, deer hunting, elephant hunting, polo, golf, and cricket

Many of the buildings retain features from the colonial period, such as the Queen's Cottage, The General's House, Grand Hotel, Hill Club, St Andrew's Hotel, and Town Post Office. New hotels are often built and furnished in the colonial style. Visitors to the city can wallow in its nostalgia of bygone days by visiting the landmark buildings. Many private homes maintain their old English-style lawns and gardens.

Climate

Due to its highland location, Nuwara Eliya has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb), having no pronounced dry season, a monsoon-like cloudy season, and a mean annual temperature of 16 °C (61 °F).

In the winter months, there can be frost at night, but it warms up rapidly during the day because of the high sun angle.

Tourist attractions

Horton Plains is a popular tourist destination, with World's End being the key attraction. In the six months ending in August 2009, Horton Plains National Park earned a revenue of Rs. 20.1 million (US$ 0.17 million). The park is accessed by the Nuwara Eliya-Ambewela-Pattipola and Haputale-Boralanda roads, and there are railway stations at Ohiya and Ambewela.

The World's End is a sheer precipice with an 870 m (2,854 ft) drop. It is situated at the southern boundary of the park. Another cliff known as the Lesser World's End of 270 m (886 ft) is located not far from World's End.

Baker's Falls, a waterfall formed by Belihul Oya, a tributary of the Walawe River is named after Sir Samuel Baker, a hunter, and explorer who attempted to establish a European agricultural settlement at Nuwara Eliya. The waterfall is 20 meters (66 ft) high. Slab Rock Falls is another well-known waterfall in the plains. The waterfall can be reached by walking on one of the main trails; the trail is a bit steep at the end but the difficulty level is medium to easy.