Adventure Place in Sri Lanka
Author : Lavanya
Table of Contents
An Adventure Place in Sri Lanka
Walking fuels the brain. Ask William Wordsworth, who walked a total of 180,000 kilometers during his life and wrote poetry that we still read and teach to this day. Or other great thinkers and writers like Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain, and Rebecca Solnit, who attest to walking’s magically creative and healing powers. Walking can also be various other things, like an experience to notice the small things around us, an adventure through an exciting landscape, and a gateway into a local culture’s lifestyle. But wait, what if it could be all of those things at once? Let’s find out about a special adventure place in Sri Lanka.
The Pekoe Trails
Too good to be true? Not if you ask TIME magazine, which just declared The Pekoe Trails, an adventure place in Sri Lanka (in the heart of Sri Lanka), as one of the Greatest Places in the World anyone can visit in 2025. Long before we know, it will start getting featured in travel listicles about the best places to visit in Sri Lanka. And we can already attest that it is an absolute once-in-a-lifetime experience. Read on to know more about the trail, why it’s a remarkable adventure place in Sri Lanka, and everything you need to know about planning the greatest walking trip of your life.
Stages of The Pekoe Trails
According to the trail organiser’s website, this adventure place in Sri Lanka (The Pekoe Trails), “is a 300-kilometer, meticulously curated long-distance walking trail that winds its way through the enchanting Central Highlands of Sri Lanka—often regarded as one of Asia’s best-kept secrets.” The trail is further divided into 22 walkable stages. They are listed here:
Trail | Start and end points | Distance | Difficulty |
Stage 1 | Hanthana to Galaha | 12.84 km (7.98 mi) | Easy |
Stage 2 | Galaha to Loolkandura | 14.70 km (9.13 mi) | Difficult |
Stage 3 | Loolkandura to Tawalantanne | 18.11 km (11.25 mi) | Difficult |
Stage 4 | Tawalantanne to Pundaluoya | 15.53 km (9.65 mi) | Difficult |
Stage 5* | Pundaluoya to Watagoda | 14.31 km (8.89 mi) | Moderate |
Stage 6* | Watagoda to Kotagala | 14.97 km (9.3 mi) | Easy |
Stage 7* | Kotagala to Norwood | 6.48 km (10.24 mi) | Moderate |
Stage 8* | Norwood to Bogawantalawa | 15.93 km (9.89 mi) | Moderate |
Stage 9 | Bogawantalawa to Dayagama | 17.13 km (10.64 mi) | Hard |
Stage 10* | Dayagama to Horton Plains | 15.88 km (9.86 mi) | Difficult |
Stage 11* | Horton Plains to Udaweriya | 14.30 km (8.88 mi) | Moderate |
Stage 12 | Udaweriya to Haputale | 19.68 km (12.22 mi) | Difficult |
Stage 13 | Haputale to St. Catherine’s | 14.60 km (9.07 mi) | Hard |
Stage 14 | St Catherine’s to Makulella | 9.36 km (5.81 mi) | Moderate |
Stage 15 | Makulella to Ella | 9.61 km (5.97 mi) | Moderate |
Stage 16 | Ella to Demodara | 9.50 km (5.90 mi) | Easy |
Stage 17 | Demodara to Hali Ela | 13.15 km (8.17 mi) | Moderate |
Stage 18 | Hali Ela to Etampitiya | 14.68 km (9.12 mi) | Hard |
Stage 19 | Etampitiya to Loonuwatte | 21 km (13.04 mi) | Difficult |
Stage 20 | Loonuwatte to Udapussellawa | 13.63 km (8.46 mi) | Moderate |
Stage 21 | Udapussellawa to Kandapola | 16.90 km (10.50 mi) | Difficult |
Stage 22 | Kandapola to St Pedro | 11.30 km (7.02 mi) | Moderate |
* = Stage with Specific Walking Hours. As the trail passes through protected areas such as the Horton Plains, the corresponding stages are open only for particular hours of the day. It’s best to check with the trail organisers to get more details and plan ahead before exploring this adventure place in Sri Lanka.
How much does it cost?
Walking through the trail comes with a nominal fee of $10 per stage. This contribution helps in giving back to the community and maintaining the trail so that walkers don’t come across any issues. That means, the least you’d end up spending is $10, if you chose to walk through any one of the stages. And if you’re brave enough to go through all 22 of them, the most you’d spend is $220 at this adventure place in Sri Lanka.
Different difficulty levels
The stages have been divided to suit all sorts of travellers. If you’re a hardcore adventure seeker, we already know you’ll be walking the entirety of the trail. But if you’re a newbie who wants to just walk an easy stage, we urge you to take a step and walk through Stage 1 or 22 – a couple of the easiest stages in the trail at this adventure place in Sri Lanka. Some people say that Stages 10 and 11 are the hardest but equally rewarding ones as they pass through protected areas that are relatively undisturbed and offer some spectacular sights too. So, if you’re someone who has a limited amount of time but still wants to experience the best of one of the greatest places in the world, you can walk through those stages.
Reaching Kandy and beyond
The first stage of the trail begins almost 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) away from Kandy bus stand. To truly experience the country’s culture and interact with locals with ease, we suggest renting a tuktuk from Colombo to reach Kandy, resting for a night, and then heading over to Hanthana, where the trails begin.
But if you only want to walk through one or two stages of the trail, you can rent a tuktuk to reach the starting points of those specific stages from Kandy (or even Colombo). This way, you’ll also get to experience the immense beauty of the area at your own pace, driving your own tuktuk, adding an extra touch of adventure while exploring this adventure place in Sri Lanka.
An alternative to walking
First, being unable to walk far shouldn’t stop anyone from enjoying this adventure place in sri lanka. Moreover, many walking trails run beside roads or pass through towns, so you can still soak up the scenery without long treks. However, if walking isn’t ideal for you or your dependents, follow the Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Ella route to experience the hillside beauty of this adventure place in sri lanka from the road.
Next, renting a tuktuk from us keeps the adventure place in sri lanka accessible at your own pace. Therefore, you can pull over for photos, plan flexible stops, and connect with locals rather than rushing past in a taxi. Finally, this approach helps you create memories that last while staying comfortable and in control.
After the walk
First of all, congratulations on completing the walk at this adventure place in Sri Lanka! (Or driving through the hilly terrain!) Now it’s time to unwind. And what’s the best place to relax after exploring this adventure place in Sri Lanka? The beach, duh! And do you know which place has the most spectacular beaches? The southern coast of Sri Lanka, of course.
So, if you have a few days after you’ve walked through one of the greatest places in the world, we suggest you head south to places like Mirissa, Weligama, and Matara. If you have some more adventure spirit left in you – wow, what’s your secret, buddy? – We suggest you visit Arugam Bay – the surf capital of Sri Lanka. You can pair either of these trips with a yoga retreat, an ayurveda retreat, or simply, some healing meditation
But how exactly do you reach those places?
Rent a tuktuk
With rates as low as $15 per day, renting a tuktuk fits almost every budget, whether you’re a solo backpacker, or travelling with friends or family. And it remains the best way to explore the country’s hidden charms. Don’t trust us, but the BBC did call us a unique travel experience to have in Sri Lanka just a couple of months ago. Trust them.
Additional Help
First, if you’re planning your trip, you may visit the trail organiser’s website: The Pekoe Trails. Additionally, you may join the Pekoe Trail Hikers Facebook group, which—at the time of writing—has over 17,000 active members. There, people regularly answer questions, share tips, and, moreover, post their completed journeys. Consequently, you’ll find plenty of encouragement to step away from your desk and explore this adventure place in sri lanka.
However, do stay alert. Importantly, be cautious of scammers and, therefore, only book your travel, walking, and renting-a-tuktuk plans through official channels (like us!). Likewise, confirm details in writing; furthermore, double-check payment pages before you proceed.
Next, consider your approach. If long walks aren’t ideal, you can still, nevertheless, enjoy the scenery by driving the Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Ella route. Meanwhile, a self-drive tuktuk lets you stop often, plan flexibly, and, consequently, meet locals more naturally. In this way, you keep the adventure place in sri lanka accessible while preserving comfort and control.
To deepen the mood, consider Solnit’s words: “Walking itself is the intentional act closest to the unwilled rhythms of the body, to breathing and the beating of the heart.” Therefore, whether you trek, drive, or mix both, you can still arrive ready to experience this adventure place in sri lanka—fully and joyfully.
Finally, if you have any doubts about renting a tuktuk or need help planning your itinerary, contact us; we’re, indeed, just a call away. In short, choose your route, book your permits, and, then, set out.
PS: as a treat, here’s a great New Yorker piece about why walking makes us think. We hope it inspires you to walk a bit more.
FAQs
The Pekoe Trails adventure place in Sri Lanka starts near Sri Lanka’s cultural capital Kandy, and ends near Nuwara Eliya. It spans two districts and three provinces.
The Pekoe trail is 324 kilometers long. It covers 22 stages that go through five areas: Kandy, Hatton, Haputale, Ella, and Nuwara Eliya.
Only if you want to! Otherwise, you can walk as little as one stretch too. We enjoy watching people enjoy even the smallest of their wins.
The trail is strictly walking only. But you can drive the tuktuk through most of the areas through which the trail also passes, which makes renting a tuktuk a more accessible option.
Anywhere in Sri Lanka! You can go to the beaches in the south or south-east, or north towards the tip of the country.
You might also consider downloading the Tuktukrental Travel App. It features offline maps, offbeat recommendations and even helps fellow tuktuk-ers on the road connect for information or just a few post drive beers – or the local Sri Lankan arrack if you are feeling adventurous!
