This was a hike we did sometime back. Our main objective is to climb the Saptha Kanya mountain range and explore the area.
| Year and Month | May 2004 |
| Number of Days | Two days |
| Crew |
8 (between 15-25 years of age)
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| Accommodation | Camping at top of Saptha Kanya mountain |
| Transport | Colombo to Ginigathhena by bus and then by hiring van |
| Activities | Hiking, Wildlife, Photography |
| Weather | Misty in the morning and rain in evening |
| Route | Colombo -> Awissawella -> Kithulgala -> Ginigathhena -> Koththellana -> Norton Bridge -> Dikoya -> Hatton -> Ginigathhena -> Kithulgala -> Awissawella -> Colombo |
| Tips, Notes and Special remark |
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| Related Resources |
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| Author | Sanketha |
| Comments | Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread |
In the morning we got into a Hatton bus at around 9AM and reached Ginigathhena around 11:30AM. From there we haired a van to Koththellana. We had our lunch and started to climb from Koththellana area. First you have to go through tea plantation and then pine trees. After that there’s no clear path, you have to go by making a path trough the bushes. And that is the difficult part since the way is very steep. Some times you need ropes to climb. But on the way we saw some elephant dung.
 Where we started climb |
 Climbing up |
 Making the way through Bushes |
 Elephant dung |
We accompanied a person from that area as a trekker. That is the best way to do since there’s no clear path to the top. We started to climb around 2PM and able to reach the mountain top around 6PM. We harried to put our tent because it’s getting dark. There was no level surface for the tent. We put some grass under the tent sheet to make it somewhat comfortable.
 Way to go |
 Our tent |
On the following day morning the view from top of the mountain is fantastic. After having some noodles for breakfast we stared to move on to adjoining mountains. There is a foot path, but seems like not used much. On the way between 2nd and 3rd peak we saw the place where plane crashed. We stared around 10AM and able to reach 6th peak around 1PM.
 View from the top |
 Where the Martin Air DC8 crashed in Seven Hills in 1974 |
 More pictures from top of mountain |
 More pictures from top of mountain |
Between the 6th peak and 7th peak there’s a water steam. Apart from that there are no water steams. And also I’m not sure that’s there in dry seasons (we went in a rainy season).
But after reaching the water stream we were unable to find foot path. We searched everywhere and unable to find. Our plan was to climb down from other side (the tracker said there’s a farm). But we had to change our plan and walk back the same way we climbed.
 Sri Paada can be seen in the middle |
 View of other peaks from 6th peak |
About 5PM we were able to come to the place where we camped. And then rain stared. But around 7PM we were able to reach the road where we stared the climb. We were heavily attacked by the leaches. Our foots were covered with blood. Even we had nothing after breakfast except some biscuits. We called our friend in Dikoya and arranged a van.
