Knuckles Range — Wilderness in the Highlands

The Knuckles Mountain Range is Sri Lanka’s untamed highland frontier, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where rugged peaks rise through swirling mist and ancient forests cloak the valleys below. Named for its resemblance to a clenched fist, this dramatic landscape is a sanctuary of biodiversity, home to rare orchids, endemic birds, and hidden waterfalls that tumble through emerald ravines. Its mosaic of cloud forests, grasslands, and montane woodland creates one of the island’s most diverse ecological zones.

Adventurers are drawn to its winding trails, which lead through terraced fields, remote villages, and cloud-kissed forests alive with the calls of wildlife. Trekking here reveals panoramic vistas of rolling hills, shimmering rivers, and distant horizons that seem untouched by time. The range is also rich in cultural heritage, with ancient footpaths once used by Kandyan kings and farming communities that still preserve traditional ways of life. Every journey through Knuckles is both a natural and cultural exploration.