Being Lost on Hawagala

Map 1 – Click to enlarge

Google Earth Map 1 – Click to enlarge

Google Earth Map 2 – Click to enlarge

Elevation Profile – Click to Enlarge

This is my 2nd Trip report. I had good feedbacks for my 1 trip report. When I’m reading trip reports of Havagala, I thought I will do this hike one day. When I’m doing Adarakanda Hike I planned my next camping trip. It was Havagala. I planned to do this hike on 2nd and 3rd of May. There was a long weekend so I came home and prepared for the upcoming Adventure.

2nd of May my brother and I went belihul oya. We took bus to reach Belihul oya and we get off from the bus near the Belihul Oya Guest House. The road near the Guest house takes you to the Landuyaya Village. So we started our hike from there. It was around 9.30 am. We continued walking until getting lift from friendly trishaw driver. After get off the tuk tuk we stated walk again. It was about 10.00 am. Sun was bright and weather seems good for now. We passed few paddy field when we reaching the Ihala galagama School. We had mini break. It was 10.20 am. Around 11.00 am we reached the Landuyaya Village.

Landuyaya Road 1

Landuyaya Road 1

Our Last Hike (Adara Kanda)

Mountains

Nice Surroundings

Road towards to Ihala galagama

Summit of Havagala

More to go

Havagala

Having little break

Few meters to go

Galagama falls falling from horton plains

We passed the village and came few meters ahead until we realized that we got the wrong way. So we came back to village and asked directions to the mountain. The path towards to the mountain starts just after passed the grocery. It is concreted for few meters. Then there was left side bend and we took foot path on the right side. It took us to a small bridge. It was about 11.30 am. After crossing the bridge we came few meters and found another small bridge and after crossing the 2nd bridge the trail continues to ascending and took us to the tea estate.

Path nearby the grocery

Trail starts from here

.	Crossing the 1st stream

Selfie! Brother and me

Crossing the 2nd bridge

It Took us to the Tea estate

Start to ascend

There were many footpaths in tea estate. We didn’t know what the correct path is and we took one of these paths. For the 2nd time we took the wrong path. It was dead end. Then we came back and took another and it took us to the entrance of the mana patch beside tea estate.

The Tea Estate

Misty‬ Mountains

Nice View

A Hut

Entering the mana patch

We had to cross the forest patch and a stream to enter mana patch. We continued our hike until 12.15 pm. We had a break near a stream. We filled our bottles from the icy cold stream and took some pictures. We started hike again. Climbing through the mana patch wasn’t easy. We climbed in a zig zag manner while having few breaks. We climbed until around 1.30 pm. Then we had lunch. We didn’t spend more time after the lunch. Because weather didn’t seems ok. So we climbed fast as we can until we came to the end of the mana patch. There was only one option left. Going through the forest was the option. I planned to go around the forest. Because I thought it will difficult for us and will be get lost. But we had to take that option. It was the only one left. Luckily we had compass. Then we did set up it and entered the forest. It was dark and silence. We followed the compass. Some time I thought “are we got lost?”. We knew we got the wrong path to enter the forest. We went to the direction that compasses showed us. So finally we found foot path that described in other reports. It took us to the summit.

Water Stream

Drinking water wasn’t a problem during the hike

Paddy fields of the village

Pano toward to Galagama area

Still Climbing

Wow !! Nice

A friend

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.	Finally we found the foot path

.	Walking through the forest

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Shade

Finally

Forest patch that we came through

To the summit

Around 2.45 pm we reached to the summit. WOW. It’s amazing 360° view. We can see Rathnapura, Balangoda, Rakwana, Haldummulla, beragala, horton plains and Udawalawa area. Then we pitched our tent and collected more firewood quickly because of unpredictable weather condition. It was about 3.45 pm. Then I started to clicking. We walk around on the summit and took few snaps of the gloomy surroundings. Then the thick mist covered us in a second. So we decided to go camp site. Around 6.30 pm we lit up our campfire. Around 8 pm we had dinner and went for sleep.

Mist	On the summit

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our home

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Our Camp Site

It’s going to rain

On the summit

samanalawewa reservoir

Toward to Pambahinna area

Searching mobile reception

Water collection of the summit. Not for Drink

Mist and the tent

It’s me

Campfire lighting up with Bear Grylls style

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Campfire Lit up

Trying to post some images

On the next day we woke up about 5.30 am. It was cold and little bit dark but it’s nice. I love it. Then I walked to the east side edge of the mountain and watched sun rises. I’m really enjoyed that morning weather condition and surroundings. What a feeling. I can’t explain how it’s felt. We had bread and Milo for the breakfast. It was about 8.30. After having breakfast we cleaned up campsite and we said goodbye to the mountain. It was around 9.00 am.

Morning Sky towards to horton plains

It was about 5.45 am

Blue sky

Pano

We were there

Non perial

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Nice

Morning Sky

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Morning Sky

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.	Sun is about to Rise

Waiting

There is she

Paint work of nature

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Almost done

Best pano

Boiling water

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.	Pettiyagala kanda

Nice view

Pano towards to Pettiyagala kanda

Cleaning up the Camp Site

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Bye bye Havagala

Last pano

leeches country

We entered the forest patch and followed the path. We got the wrong path again. So we got lost again. So we used compass to find the way out from the woods. Around 1 hr walk in forest we finally managed to get out from the woods. It was difficult journey to climb down in a thick forest and with leeches. Then we came to the village and had break nearby icy cold stream. We washed our tiredness from the stream. It was about 11.30 am. We managed to climb down within 2.5 hours.

Setting up the compass

Inside the forest

Entrance of the 2nd forest patch

Finding the way out

The path

leech attack

.	Foot Path that took us to the village

Finally back to civilization

Luckily we had Landuyaya – Balngoda bus to reach main road. It was a strenuous experience for both of us as beginners. Sadly we didn’t see any rabbits on the mountain. I think we manage things very well while we got lost also I think I felt little bit of real feeling of being LOST. That is also good experience for both of us.

The End.

Thank you for reading My Trip report.