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Kegalle

Experiential journeys will make you a storyteller
About Kegalle
Situated on the Colombo-Kandy Road, Kegalle is a large agriculture based town mainly producing rice and rubber. There are few graphite mines in the town. But the main tourist attraction is an elephant breeding park. Apart from this, there are two other organisations working on elephant welfare. Apart from Kegalle, you can visit some nearby destinations like Hikkaduwa and Yala National park. The fantastic place of Kitulgala in Kegalle district is a complete tour package on its own. You can do a lot of water sports in the three rivers of Kitulgala like water rafting, kayaking, confidence falls, etc. Other than these, you can also organise night camps in the jungle. There are a lot of homestays and hotels in Kegalle for your hospitality. Some suggestions for good hotels are Hotel Heshani, Aarya Hotel, Hotel Elephant Bay, Hotel Elephant Lobby, etc. You will also get private resorts in Kegalle like Wijaya Bunglow. The nightlife in Kegalle is not so much famous, it being a suburban. Still you will find some bars and nightclubs in the town like Planters Club. You can have a drink there and enjoy a cosy evening. Are you wondering where to eat in Kegalle? Here are some good restaurant suggestions for you like Channa, a Japanese restaurant; Ambasewana; Ken Food Center, etc. If you love shopping, you will get some malls in Kegalle to satisfy your shopping craves like Athukorala Shopping Centre.
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Kegalle FAQ's

Travel Advice

  • The Sri Lankan tourist places are infamous for pickpockets. Carry your belongings safely.

  • While visiting the elephant park, don’t go too close to the elephants. After all they are wild elephants.

  • As Kegalle is not a developed place, you might not get your required medications there. It’s better to carry all from your place.

  • Stay away from strangers seems to be too friendly.

  • Donate to the elephant parks only in you are impressed with their work. Don’t waste your money only because they are requesting a donation.

  • Choose famous hotels and resorts for your stay. The not-so-famous ones might disappoint you.

  • Don’t buy gems from the mines. They might not be original. Buy from authentic stores only.

  • While visiting Kegalle, do a complete study of the other nearby tourist destinations. Don’t miss out any of them.

Drinking laws

The minimum age for alcohol consumption in Sri Lanka is 21 years. If you are younger, you are not allowed to buy and consume liquor.


Our Recommendations: What you can’t afford to miss?

Pinnawla Elephant Orphanage

This is the main attraction of Kegalle. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a nursery for the Asian elephants. It has a record of having the largest herd of elephants in the world. Adjacent to the nursery there is the Maha Oya River, mainly used to bathe the elephants. Unfortunately, you cannot have a ride on the elephants in this park.


Elephant Freedom Project

This project is aimed to give the wild Asian Elephants a better life through freeing them from chains. If you are a wildlife lover, do visit this fascinating place in Kegalle to see the beautiful giants enjoy in their world. You can spend some happy time with them. You can also contribute for the welfare of the elephants.


Millennium Elephant Foundation

This is a beautiful park for elephants in a place called Samaragiri. This foundation was initiated by a family known as Samarasinghe. In 1979, this park was opened for the tourists. Here, you can ride on elephants and spend some good time. From this park, you can even adopt an elephant. Apart from this, you can donate and volunteer.

Asupini Ella Waterfall

The Asupini Ella waterfall originates from the Rarsawa Mountains and meets the Maha River. This is a beautiful waterfall with clear and cold water. It forms a pool at the below where it falls on a rocky surface. Bathing and swimming is not advised in this pool. Locals believe, the crevasses of this waterfall have hidden treasures.  It is also said that the waterfall roars at times which has a special significance.


Alagalla Mountain Range

These mountains are also known as the Potato Range. With beautiful scenic beauty, this mountain range acts as a view point for other surrounding mountains. You can trek up to the mountain peak.


Kitulgala

It is one of the places in Sri Lanka that receives the most amount of rainfall with two monsoons every year. The Kelani River near Katulgala is an extremely beautiful and picturesque place. You can do river rafting and kayaking in this river.  Apart from the Kelani River, there are Mahaweli and Kalu Rivers which offers water rafting, kayaking and canoeing. The jungle camps in the Kitulgala forests are such a trilling experience.


What will like you like there?

Wildlife

Kegalle is mainly known for the elephant parks working for their better life. You will enjoy visiting these parks and see the humble elephants live freely. You can enjoy a whole day with the elephants.


Culture

Many tourists visit the town of Kegalle making it a tourist- friendly place. There are a lot of agencies to help you make your trip worth remembering.


Serenity

The tourist spots of Kegalle do not have much rush, giving it a serene environment. The mountains, the waterfalls, the elephant parks, all have a calm and quiet ambience. If you are tired of visiting the fun-filled beach cities of Sri Lanka, visit Kegalle for a whole new experience.


Adventure

For the adventure seekers, the Kelani River offers great white water rafting and kayaking experiences. There are nine big and small rapids at a stretch of five km that will increase our adrenaline rush for sure. The whole ambience is very alluring. Not only the Kelani river, but there are another two rivers that offer great adventure activities like canoeing, kayaking and river rafting.

You can also go jungle camping in the forests of Kitulgala along with river rafting and bird-watching. There are also historic caves in the jungle which are thrilling to watch.

You will also get great crayoning experiences in Kitulgala. The confidence falls into the water is such a thrilling activity.


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