Horton Plains

About Horton Plains

Horton Plains National Park is a protected highland plateau at 2,100–2,300 metres, featuring a unique ecosystem of montane cloud forest, wind-swept grasslands, and waterfalls - a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka. The 9km circular trail takes you to World's End, a sheer cliff that drops 870 metres to the tea country below, and on to the pretty cascade of Baker's Falls. On clear mornings the view from World's End stretches all the way to the south coast. Sambar deer graze the misty grasslands at dawn, and the plains are one of the last strongholds of the elusive highland leopard. It is the only national park in Sri Lanka where visitors are allowed to walk the trails unguided.

Top Activities

• ✓World's End cliff walk
• ✓Baker's Falls hike
• ✓Sambar deer spotting
• ✓Bird watching
• ✓Cloud forest photography

Nearby Attractions

Closest Places in This Guide

Straight-line distances; allow considerably longer by road, especially in the hills.

• Adam's PeakAdventure · Nature · Heritage4 km
• WangedigalaAdventure · Nature4 km
• Thotupola KandaNature · Adventure4 km
• KirigalpottaAdventure · Nature4 km
• Bambarakanda FallsNature · Adventure5 km
• Pattipola Railway StationHeritage · Nature6 km

Travel Tips

Travel Guides That Cover Horton Plains

• Sri Lanka Itinerary: 7, 10 and 14-Day Routes That Actually WorkThree routes for a first trip, built around realistic travel times, the current state of the hill-country railway and the coast that is in season.
• Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka: A Month-by-Month GuideTwo monsoons take turns on opposite coasts, so somewhere is always in season. Where the weather is good in each month, and the festivals and wildlife worth timing a trip around.
• A 10-Day Sri Lanka Honeymoon: Route, Stays and TimingAncient cities, a tea-country bungalow, a safari and a slow finish by the sea - a realistic ten-day honeymoon route, with where to splurge and where to save.