Stunning Hiking Trails in Haputale

Haputale is a charming town in the Badulla district with stunning destinations. At about 1,4930 metres, the hill town offers beautiful vistas and plenty of adventure. One of the best things to do in Haputale is to venture outdoors and take advantage of the fresh air. To do that, here are some of the stunning hiking trails in Haputale you can enjoy!

Stage 13 of the Pekoe Trail

The Pekoe Trail is a 300-kilometre long-distance hiking trail in Sri Lanka. It breaks down the network of tea trails winding through the Central Hills into 22 stages. Stage 13 takes hikers from Haputale to St Catherine. You might know the latter destination better if I mention Lipton’s Seat – one of the best scenic viewpoints in the hill country. The moderately difficult 13.48-kilometre trail happens to be extremely scenic. However, since parts of the Pekoe Trail still lacks signposts to indicate its presence, it is advisable to seek a professional mountain guide’s services.

That said, it’s a scenic hike you can complete in about two hours and 40 minutes. It ends at St Catherine – a beautiful village whose residents are mostly tea plantation workers.

Lipton’s Seat, however, is another three kilometres away by foot. During the hike, you can catch glimpses of this famous landmark, so if you are up to it, you should visit it!

Stage 12 of the Pekoe Trail

Technically, Stage 12 of the Pekoe Trail should rank first in this list. However, the starting point of this stage is not Haputale – it’s in Udaweriya.

Haputale marks the completion of Stage 12.

At 14.8 kilometres, it’s a challenging hike. In total, it takes about five hours to complete the hike, and you are hardly likely to run into a lot of hikers. But that’s not what makes this part of the Pekoe Trail challenging.

While you can see the rough trail and therefore not in danger of getting lost, numerous bushes/vines/plants tend to get in your way. Most of these flora also tend to have thorns, so it is best that you wear trousers or pants. During the rainy season, the ground is slippery, so you have to be careful. A hiking pole would surely come in handy.

Despite all the difficulties, this is one of the most scenic stages of the trail. You encounter a surprisingly small amount of tea estates. However, there are plenty of gorgeous landmarks, such as a bird reserve and a stately bungalow.

World's End Trail

Horton Plains is about one and a half hours away from Haputale. So again, technically, including a hike within the national park as one of the stunning hikes in Haputale seems dubious at best.

However, if you completed Stage 12 of the Pekoe Trail and decided agianst beginning Stage 13 immediately, that frees up your schedule. Take some time to explore the attractions in Haputale and head to the Horton Plains National Park for this moderate hike.

World’s End is a steep cliff edge with a drop of about 1219 metres and is one of many attractions within the park. However, since the leisurely three-hour trek froms a loop around the park, with World’s End at about the midway point, you can take in many additional sights.

The weather around Horton’s Plains is fickle, with clouds beginning to cover the landscape around midday. So arrive at the park bright and early. Once you pay for entrance, you can start the hike. There’s no need to bring a guide since the trail is easy and there are signposts.

Doing the trek anti-clockwise takes you away from the crowds and you can enjoy the park in relative peace.

Diyaluma Falls

The second-highest waterfall in Sri Lanka is about an hour’s drive away from Haputale. That said, there’s a short hike of about 10-15 mintues to get to the base of the waterfall once you park the vehicle. You do have to scamble over boulders and rocks on the way to the pool. Yet, it’s all worth the indignity, since you get an amazing view of the cascade. However, the best hike is the one that takes you to Upper Diyaluma, that is, the upper portion of the falls. It’s a moderate hike of about an hour to make it to the top, making this one of the stunning hikes in Haputale.

Along the way, you pass through tea estates and scenice viewpoints giving you great glimpses of the landscape. The best awaits you at the end of the trail since it takes you to the cliff’s edge that forms the waterfall. During the dry season, there are many natural pools forming among the huge boulders lying on the river bed. The cliff edge even has a natural barrier that creates an infinity pool right before the water plunges down 220 metres to the ground.

Other attractions near Haputale

Haputale is a town in the Badulla District with access to many scenic locations. You don’t necessarily need to hike to reach some of these great destinations. Sometimes just a drive or a train ride is enough.

Want to explore the different hiking trails in Sri Lanka?

Join our Sri Lanka Hill Country & Tea Trail to explore the wonders of the hill country, or take the Epic Sri Lanka Train Journey to combine hiking with a scenic train ride.