Rambas Reserve

Following our day’s trekking, mostly on the road today, we discovered by chance the Rambas Reserve in Kalatuwawa. Its position is 2km deep into a forest reservation and we found it almost unbelievable how the owners had managed to get all the building materials so deep into the jungle to build the 4 lodges, perfect for those looking for a rustic yet luxurious experience. There was plenty of the outside entering our lodge – the mist drifted into the room in the morning and the bathroom was partially open to the elements. However, we still had mod-cons such as wifi, hot running water and emergency lighting.

Monkeys and frogs called to us from the wild and creatures such as the lyre-head lizard climbed the trees just outside and could’ve got in if they’d wished! Needless to say we set up the mosquito nets just in case.

We set our alarm for 5.30am to go to a spectacular viewpoint a few hundred metres away to watch the sunrise and coffee in flasks was brought out for us by the lovely owners. The view was jaw-dropping and Adam’s Peak was easily visible in the distance, yet it was a 3 hour drive away.

Adam’s Peak

We walked throughout the night, leaving our guest house in the town of Dellhousie just before 2am and arriving at the peak at 5.20am. It was quiet on the pilgrimage path and has been since Covid and it’s only recently re-opened. There was a long ascent before reaching the base of the mountain itself and when looking up it was daunting to think we had just a few hours to climb to the top. Lights beautifully glistened and weaved their way from Dellhousie to the mountain summit. 

Adam’s Peak is known locally as Sri Pada and is the third highest mountain in Sri Lanka at 2240m, and by far the country’s most famous. It’s considered a holy site by most of the main religions whose followers attempt to climb the 5500 steps of various depths to reach its summit before sunrise. It is for Buddhists a great world pilgrimage site and millions climb it each year.

As we climbed people smiled at us and elderly men and women slowly made their pilgrimage, often bent double and being helped by younger relatives. Mothers and fathers were carrying their babies, many pilgrims were walking barefoot and many were struggling but were clearly determined. We were shocked but not surprised to hear that around 10 people die when climbing Sri Pada each season (Nov-May) from physical stress and exhaustion, getting cold at the summit after sweating it out during the climb, or falling down the steps. Some are said to come ready to meet their maker! If we’d read this fact before setting off we may have been spooked!

In summary, we both felt we’d experienced a glimpse of the Sri Lankan soul by climbing the mountain but said we didn’t expect to do the climb again any time soon!

If you missed Blog 7 about the Sinharaja Rainforest and the gem mine then take a look.

Further sponsorship – If you’d like to sponsor us on this trek whilst being assured that every penny will go to those who need it, then please donate by clicking on this link Marcia Summers is fundraising for Their Future Today (justgiving.com). Don’t forget that if you’re a tax payer to declare ‘gift aid’ when doing so which will increase your donation by 25% at no cost to you. Alternatively, if you know anyone or of an organisation that may have an interest in these causes please forward this blog and above link on to them.

Next up – Leg 9 – walking with women in Hatton and a train trip to Ella.