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The Kelani river flowing between forested hills at Kitulgala

Hill country

Kitulgala

A rainforest village on the Kelani river, the centre for white-water rafting in Sri Lanka, with forest walks, a prehistoric cave and the film site of The Bridge on the River Kwai.

Plan a trip with Kitulgala
Time to spend
1 night, or a stop on the way to the hills
Best months
December to April. Rafting depends on water levels, which are released from the dams upstream.
Getting around
Most rafting companies pick up from your hotel. Kitulgala is about 2.5 hours from Colombo by road.
Good to know
Raft with a company that gives a safety briefing and provides helmets and life jackets. Trips are cancelled if the river is too high.

Kitulgala lies in a steep, forested valley on the road from Colombo to Hatton and Nuwara Eliya. The Kelani river runs fast here, and rafting companies run trips on a stretch of grade 2 to 3 rapids.

The surrounding forest is good for birds, and guided walks go into the Makandawa forest across the river. Belilena cave nearby is an important prehistoric site.

David Lean filmed The Bridge on the River Kwai here in the 1950s. The bridge was blown up for the film, but you can still walk to the site by the river.

What to see and do

  • White-water rafting on the Kelani

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    A rafting trip of about two hours over a series of grade 2 to 3 rapids on the Kelani river, ending with a swim in calm water.

    2 hr 30 min · MorningLKR 5,000 to LKR 10,000estimate

    Per person; prices vary by company and group size.

  • Makandawa forest walk

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    A guided walk in the lowland rainforest across the river, reached by a small boat, with endemic birds and butterflies.

    2 hr 30 min · MorningLKR 2,000 to LKR 5,000estimate

    Guide fee; arrange through your hotel.

Also consider

Worth the trip if you have time. The planner leaves these out unless you add them.

  • Belilena cave

    A large rock shelter where archaeologists found tools and remains of the prehistoric Balangoda people, reached by a short forest path above the village.

    1 hrAdd to a tripMaps

Nearby places to stay

Photos

A raft running the rapids of the Kelani river near Kitulgala
A raft running the rapids of the Kelani river near Kitulgala
People wading across the Kelani river at Kitulgala
People wading across the Kelani river at Kitulgala
Mist over the forest along the Kelani river
Mist over the forest along the Kelani river