Sinharaja Rain Forest - Sri Lanka

Sinharaja Rain Forest Sightseeing Tour

         Sinharaja Rain Forest Reserve is sightseeing tour to  national park and a biodiversity in Sri Lanka. It is of international significance and has been designated a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage by UNESCO.

         The hilly virgin Rain Forest, part of the Sri Lanka lowland eco region, was saved from the worst of commercial logging by its inaccessibility, and was designated a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978 and a World Heritage Site in 1988. The reserve's name translates as Kingdom of the Lion.

              The reserve is only 21 km (13 mi) from east to west, and a maximum of 7 km (4.3 mi) from north to south, but it is a treasure trove of endemic species, including trees, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

            Because of the dense vegetation, wildlife is not as easily seen as at dry-zone national parks such as Yala. There are elephants and the  soleopards are rarely seen. The commonest larger mammal is the endemic Purple faced Langur. An interesting phenomenon is that birds tend to move in mixed feeding flocks, invariably led by the fearless Greater Racket- tailed Drongo and the noisy  Orange-billed Babbler Of Sri Lanka's 26 endemic birds, the 20 rainforest species all occur here, including the elusive Red-faced Malkoha,Green-billed Coucal and Sri Lanka Blue Magpie.

         Reptiles include the endemic Green pit viper and Hump-nosed vipers, and there are a large variety of amphibians, especially tree frogs. Invertebrates include the endemic Common butterfly and the inevitable leeches.

              Peaks

              Pinipitigala

              Mulawella

              Access ways

              Kudawa entrance - Colombo -- Kalawana -- Kudawa

              Pitadeniya Entrance - Galle or Matara -- Deniyaya -- Pitadeniya

              Morning Side Entrance -- Galle or Matara -- Deniyaya -- Morning Side Estate