Devil’s Staircase

Devil’s Staircase is small trail that starts from Kalupahana to Ohiya. To the nature and the difficulty of this tail it’s given the name of Devil’s Staircase.

You can either start your journey in Ohiya and end in Kalupahana or vice versa, the only difference would be if going uphill or downhill. The highlight on the trail is the Bambarakanda Falls, the cascade is a kilometre before Kalupahana. Bambarakanda Falls is the country’s tallest waterfall with a height of 863ft! The Devil’s Staircase passes the tributary that creates the waterfall, which looks especially beautiful when the first rays of sunlight reflect off the cascade. Even though you may not be able to swim beneath the waterfall, it is quite lovely to sit here for a moment and enjoy Bambarakanda Falls as well as the surrounding pine forest.

Starting your Adventure

You can choose to ride uphill or downhill. Each has its pros and cons. The route is quite steep; so going on a continuous uphill in the mountainous region of Central Sri Lanka can be hard on the lungs; whilst the downhill is hard on the legs as you need muscle strength to balance. However, these two starting points have their own thrills and challenges. The description here takes the uphill option and starts from one of the most popular spots, Bambarakanda Rest near the beautiful waterfalls of Bambarakanda.

If you are starting your hike or ride by Kalupahana end, it’s better to be start in the afternoon hours, There will be only 8km from the Kalupahana junction to camping area(known as “weli wanguwa”). And for the Ohiya end it is good to be start in the morning hours since you will have quite distance to cover. The terrain will be quite rough so it is suggested that you wear good hiking or riding gear, and fairly warm clothing as the temperature can drop suddenly. It is also important that you bring a raincoat or other protective clothing to be ready for the sudden rainfalls of Ohiya. A good hiking guide will be necessary as it is quite easy to be misdirected on the trail.

Camping on Devil’s Staircase Trail

There are multiple places you can camp and the experience will be second to none. Most famous camping spot is camp ground near the Bambarakanda Falls. It’s located just on the tail and few hundred meters before the stream that crates the fall. The water from the stream may not be suitable for drinking but you can wash your self after tough hike and water itself quite cold and refreshing. This place also have extremely beautiful sun rise. 

Overview of the tail

The Devil’s Staircase passes by the stream that creates Bambarakanda Falls and along dangerously narrow ridges before widening. The trail remains quite uneven throughout; but often opens up to beautiful vistas of the valleys to the South or the mountains to the North.
You will pass by many challenging areas where you will have to traverse carefully, which will make you recall the name of the trail. You will also be able to visit a natural pool fed by a clear spring and a Hindu/Buddhist temple along the way.

As you get towards the end of the Devil’s Staircase, the trail will pass through beautiful green tea estates. You will also pass through the ’V Cut’, a popular attraction of the route. Here a ‘V’ shaped channel has been carved into a hill in a time long past, to allow the Devil’s Staircase to pass through. You pass through a harsh section before coming out on the Ohiya Road, not far from Horton Plains. This will mark the end of your hike.

If you chose to take a 4WD; the Devil’s Staircase takes 4 hours to travel due to the bumpy route.

 

Hotels Nearby

There are several hotels and resorts nearby this trail. You can learn about more by checking Trip Adviser official website.

 

Other Attractions

• Surathali Ella falls
• Pahanthudawa Ella falls
• Horton Plains National Park
• Idalgashinna Railway Station
• Adisham Bungalow