White Water Rafting in Kitulgala

Colombo, Sri Lanka is a wonderful place and with a vibrancy like no other. Being an island you can travel to the ‘interior’ and down south area in a short time and get back. One such place that should be a priority for you is Kitulgala. Located just about 80 kilometres from the city of Colombo, this beautiful area runs into the world famous town of Nuwara Eliya. A famous thing to do in Kitulgala is to check out the palm trees from whose sap a local sweet known as ‘jaggery’ is produced.

Yet, the town of Kitulgala is famous for something even more exiting; there is more to the town that just ‘Kitul trees’ since it is also the island’s white-water rafting haven. The entire experience takes place on the Kelani River in Kitulgala. You can white-water raft for over five kilometres and tours are generally arranged for one hour to half a day, depending on your preference.

The best three months of the year for white water rafting are at the beginning, with February being a favourite. There are also different types of white-water rafting such as black rafting too. This is where you would go in the night time, adding that much more excitement to your journey. Equipped with head lights and all the necessary safety gear, this is a must try for the more experienced rafters out there.

Kitulgala is also a nice place to relax and enjoy some bird watching too. There are some species here that cannot be found anywhere on the island. You can catch a glimpse of the spot-winged Thrush and many other types of birds as well.

While in the town of Kitulgala, visit the locations where the Academy award winning film, ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’ was filmed. The foundations of the bridge remain to this day. When planning a trip to this wonderful town, check out the many tours to Sri Lanka and make sure you get good Holiday in Sri Lanka tour packages such as those offered by Sri Lankan Dreams. It provides truly fascinating sightseeing tours that take you to some of the country’s most well known landmarks and attractions.

Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+