Kingdom Secret Excursions
Gem mining - Ratnapura
The island of Sri Lanka (aka Ceylon or Serendib) has a heritage for gem mining and trading that dates back 2000 years. Sri Lanka is a tropical island situated in the Indian Ocean, off the southern tip of India. Sri Lanka has earned its namesake as the ‘Gem Island’ or ‘Island of Gems’ (Ratna Dweepa), with its abundance of corundum gems, chrysoberyl and alexandrite, garnet, moonstone, peridot, spinel, topaz,tourmaline, and zircon.
Adam’s Peak - Lanka’s Holy Mountain
Adam’s Peak (also Adam’s Mount; Sinhalese Samanalakanda – “butterfly mountain”, Tamil Sivanolipatha Malai, is a 2,243 metres (7,359ft) tall conical mountain located in central Sri Lanka. It is well-known for the Sri Pada “sacred footprint”, a 1.8 m rock formation near the summit, in Buddhist tradition held to be the footprint of the Buddha, in Hindu tradition that of Shiva, in Christian tradition
that of St. Thomas, and in Muslim tradition that of Adam.
Pothgul Rajamaha Viharaya - Ratnapura
Delgamuwa Rajamaha Viharaya is a important place of worship for all Buddhists of Sri Lanka as the sacred tooth relic of Buddha was protected inside this temple from the Portuguese for over 40 years. The ancient Kurahan grinding stone in which the holy tooth relic was hidden safely can be seen in this Delgamuwa temple even today.
SINHARAJA - UNESCO Heritage Rain Forest
Sinharaja Rainforest has been designated as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and also a Biodiversity Hotspot by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). All these titles are highlighting the importance of the forest reserve in terms of its exceptional biodiversity as well as its fragility. Birding in Sinharaja is particularly interesting since it is home to 95% of the endemic birds of Sri Lanka!
Delgamuwa Rajamaha Viharaya - Kuruwita
Delgamuwa Rajamaha Viharaya is a important place of worship for all Buddhists of Sri Lanka as the sacred tooth relic of Buddha was protected inside this temple from the Portuguese for over 40 years. The ancient Kurahan grinding stone in which the holy tooth relic was hidden safely can be seen in this Delgamuwa temple even today. The King Dharmapala of Kotte who is well known for his incompetency embraced Catholicism in 1557 to safeguard his throne.
Maha Saman Devalaya - Ratnapura
The Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devalaya is considered the main Devalaya of deity Saman except for the Shrine at top of Sri Pada. The history speaks of a temple at Ratnapura area since the time of king Dutugemunu of Anuradhapura Kingdom, But the recent history starts from Dambadeniya period. A court Minister called Aryakamadeva had come over to Ratnapura to make a vow for gemming, and if lucky to build a Devalaya to keep God Sumana Saman’s statue.
Kiriella Falls - Kiriella
Kiri Ella Falls is 18m tall and 4m wide and cascades down from the Kabaragala Mountain (Alligator Mountain). It white water is said to resemble milk when viewed from a distance, hence its name. Kabaragala Mountain is itself so named as it looks like an alligator’s back. According to folklore, a king called Rajasinhe visited the fall and sculpted a horse from stone, which is said to signify that treasure is hidden in the area.
Marvel of Mahausakande - Tropical Rain Forest
Mahausakande, twelve years ago, an abandoned rubber estate never would have dreamt of being at the centre stage of a unique and ambitious project that had been nurtured with infinite devotion in the hearts of two beautiful people. It is indeed very interesting to go into the beginning of the saga of Mahausakande, to appreciate the deep rooted motivation and the complete dedication to the process of regenerating a tropical rain forest of the present Trustees.
Tea production - Ratnapura
The humidity, cool temperatures, and rainfall of the country’s central highlands provide a climate that favors the production of high-quality tea. On the other hand, tea produced in low-elevation areas such as Matara, Galle and Ratanapura districts with high rainfall and warm temperature has high level of as tringent properties.
Natural rubber - Ratnapura
The traditional rubber growing areas of Sri Lanka is located mainly in the wet zone in a land extent of 127,500 hectares. The country’s traditional rubber growing districts include Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Matale, Galle, Matara, Kurunegala, Rathnapura, and Kegalle. Rubber trees are grown systematically and re-planting programmes are carried out continuously in keeping with the recommendations of RRI.
Cinnamon cultivation - Ratnapura
Cinnamon is the dried bark of the perennial tree of C.zeylanicum of the Lauraceae family. True cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka. Cinnamon is originally grown wild in central hill country of Sri Lanka.
The history of cinnamon dates back to about 2800 B.C where it can be found referenced as ”kwai” in Chinese writings. Cinnamon is even mentioned in the Bible when Moses used it as an ingredient for his anointing oil in ancient Rome.
Ratnapura National Museum - Ratnapura
The Ratnapura National Museum is set up at the renovated building called “Ehelepola Walauwa” which once belonged to a minister by the name of “Ehelepola” of the last king of Sri Lanka. The beautiful building located along the Ratnapura – Colombo road was opened for the public as a museum in 1988.
Among the exhibits are prehistoric archaeological inventions, geological, anthropological and zoological artefacts and models related to the Sabaragamuwa Province.
Katugas Ella Waterfall - Ratnapura
Katugas Ella Falls is 6 meters high according the Eberhard Kautzsch (A guide to the waterfalls of Sri Lanka) but Dr H.A.P. Abhayavardhana in his book Heritage of Sabaragamuwa places the height to about 70 feet which is 21.7 meters. This waterfall lies on the Katugas Ela with its sources in the monsoon forests of the southern slopes of the Minuwangala mountain. Katugas Ela falls eventually falls on to the Kalu Ganga.
