Sinharaja

No trip to appreciate Sri Lanka's natural gems would be complete without a visit to Sinharaja, one of the last remaining sizeable piece of lowland evergreen virgin rainforest on the island. Its rectangular 21km by 7km (maximum) section in the south west of the country measures a total area of 11,250 ha and can be explored to your hearts content by foot to search out its valuable wildlife treasures. Due to its implicit ecological importance it was declared an International Man and Biosphere Reserve in 1978, and then a National Wilderness area in 1998 by UNESCO and is the only Natural World Heritage Site in the country.

The rugged terrain of Sinharaja has an elevation that ranges from 90m to 1,170m, that enjoys high rainfall resulting in the existence of numerous eco-systems and diverse habitats. It is made up of a dense multi-layered canopy of trees reaching up to a staggering 45m in height that are watered by numerous rivulets and streams. Sinharaja is a treasure trove of nature and a vast repository of Sri Lanka's endemic species found no-where else in the world.

Indeed, over 60% of identified plant species in Sinharaja are endemic while out of the 12 endemic mammal species in Sri Lanka, eight are found in Sinharaja. This includes the Purple-faced Leaf Monkey whose amusing actions it is possible to follow for hours in the canopy overhead without them immediately taking flight at your presence. A staggering 95% of Sri Lanka's endemic birds (about 20 species) thrive in the forest including the Red-faced Malkoha and the Sri Lanka Blue Magpie making it a bird-spotters paradise. An interesting characteristic of Sinharaja is the mixed species flock formation of birds that use their numerical advantage, and shrill mix of bird calls, within the layered canopy for protection as they forage for food.

Sinharaja lies in the wetland zone and half of the total number of reptiles and amphibians in the country call this forest their home. Your guide will expertly point them out, his excitement a gauge of how rare or important they may be. As you walk alongside crystal-clear cool tributaries, over streams and past rivers look out for fish such as the striped rasbora, walking catfish and the endemic combtail and watch you don't tread on any little toads and scuttling crabs. Colourful butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies skim the surface, whiz around your head and dance among the trees.

Aside from its fantastic ecological and biodiversal value, Sinharaja possesses great scenic beauty and the large numbers of exciting trails by which to explore it are seemingly endless. Under the packed canopy the forest is dark, moist and cool, freshly scented and alive with the melody of cicadas and croaking frogs.