| Year and Month | 2019 November 30th and December 1st |
| Number of Days | Two Days |
| Crew | 06-Dimal, Kasun Shanaka, Chamara, Vinoda, Nileeka and Myself |
| Accommodation | Camping at Kelebokka 360 view point |
| Transport | By bus, hiking and three wheeler |
| Activities | Hiking, Camping and Photography |
| Weather | Rainy but morning was clear |
| Route | Colombo->Kandy->Waththegama->Panwila->Kelebokka->Sembuwatta Lake->Elkaduwa->Kandy->Colombo |
| Tips, Notes and Special remark |
3. Entry fees to Kelebokka view point is Rs 100 per person. Ticket is issued at gate. 4. The road condition is extremely bad from Kelebokka turning point, only can be overcome by three wheeler and four wheel. Public transport operates from Waththegama to Kabaragala, can get down at Kelebokka turning point. Or you can reach from Matale via Kandenuwara. 5. Distance from turning point to view point is 3.1km. (shortest, this can be checked in Google map)There is another road about 6km distance from turning point. Shortest path is not good for vehicles. 6. Kelebokka camp site can be reserved from head office of Sri Lanka estate cooperation limited by over the phone. Contact Mr. Manjula: 0115653033 7. Charges for camp site booking is Rs 3500. They make reservation only for one group for one day for camp site. Though they mention like that, unofficially will allow some other groups to stay at camp site even with official booking. We have faced such unfortunate incidence. Therefore I am not happy with the process of booking of Kelebokka camping site. 8. There is a concrete top for pitching tents at camp site. The toilet is situated on a side but no water. This is the only facility available at camp site. Morning they have carried three gallons of water for consumption. The amount of facilities they provide for campers are not satisfactory. 9. A toilet and a water point is under construction. 10. There is a foot pathway from Kelebokka to Sembuwatta. It is about 20-30minutes journey but again you have to buy a ticket from entrance of Sembuwatta. Then you have to walk down another 700m and come back. 11. Entrance tickets for Sembuwatta is Rs 200. You can reach Sembuwatta Lake from Elkaduwa (Elkaduwa can be reached from either Kandy or Matale). The road condition is good till ticket counter / Sembuwatta tea factory. There are three-wheelers from Tea factory to Sembuwatta Lake, it costs Rs 200. I felt they are intentionally not repair the road to give some hires to three wheelers. You are not allowed to get into the lake. There is a swimming pool for bathing. Alcohols are not permitted within lake premises. 12. There are at different activities you can engage at Sembuwatta Lake. Coming from Kelebokka to Sembuwatta is easy but you have to go to ticket counter to buy tickets. |
| Related Resources | |
| Author | Niroshan |
| Comments | Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread
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Kelebokka (කැලෑබොක්ක) is a trending camping place and 360 view point situated at Matale District. It became popular among travelers after travel with Chathura programme. Kelebokka view point is the highest point of Kelebokka tea estate which is the largest tea estate of Sri Lanka managed by Sri Lanka estate cooperation limited.
I have booked the camp site at Kelebokka two weeks ago from head office of Sri Lanka estate cooperation limited. Here we used public transport to reach the place as road condition was not good in last few kilometers. Unfortunately we were late (it was around 6.30pm) when we reached at turning point (this is situated at Madulkelle-Kabaragala-Kandenuwara road-B257) and rain has started since few hours ago. Dimal, Kasun and Vinoda were drenched by rain due to their waterfall hunt of the day time. We expected Chamara to join with us but he was late. Then we five started the walk from Kelebokka turning point along the gravel road. Nothing we could see other than mist and dark when we reached the camp site.
Here I must emphasis there are two roads to reach the camp site from this turning point. We followed the short cut which is good for walking and other road is good if you are coming by vehicle. (Later Chamara reached the camp site by three whleer following second road).
Unfortunately there was another group of campers at camp site when we reached there. We didn’t have a place to pitch our tent on the concrete. People have built a Kovil at this highest point but it is still under construction. We were able to pitch our tents at the veranda of Kovil as we didn’t have a proper place to stay. Later we knew the management has reserved the camp site for two people simultaneously. But I saw a good side of this incidence as we had less effects by rain, because we pitched the tents under concrete slabs.
Later rain was stopped and mean while Chamara also joined with us. We were managed to prepare dinner and had a nice chat till late night.
 Matale town at night. The sky was clear after heavy rain. |
Morning was clear as we expected and we have enjoyed the 360 view from there. There were a lot of known mountains: Ambokka , Manikdena, Karagahathenna, Gammaduwa, Maussakanda, Riverstone, Pathangala, Knuckles-Kirigalpoththa, Gombaniya, Yakkunge Hela, Knuckles five peaks, Kandasamigala, Hunnasgiriya, Sri Pada, ?? Alagalla etc..
The immediate below view from summer hut was Sembuwatta Lake and factory. Matale town was visible beyond that. On the other side we have noted Madolkele-Kandenuwara road. First couple of hours of the morning was crystal clear and mist arise later to make the view more beautiful.
 Camp site of Kelebokka |
 Three tops with towers: Karagahathenna (left), Gammaduwa (middle) and Maussakanda (right). Pathangala is the most right hand side peak. Riverstone is situated in between Pathangala and Maussakanda. You can’t see in this picture. |
 Three tops with towers: Karagahathenna (left), Gammaduwa (middle) and Maussakanda (right) |
 Pathangala and Riverstone towers |
 Knuckles-Kirigalpoththa |
 Pointed peak is Yakkunge Hela |
 Ambokka |
 Manikdena is seen |
 Knuckles five peaks |
 Two peaks of Kandasamigala |
 Road to Kelebokka view point. Actually the highest point of upper division is the one situated in front of view point. (Seen in photo) |
 Summer hut and towards Sembuwatta |
 Sembuwatta Lake |
 Sembuwatta area and tea factory |
 Other side of Kelebokka estate |
 Madulkelle-Kabaragala-Kandenuwara road |
 Kabaragala tea factory |
 ?? Alagalla through clouds |
 Rest of Knuckles range |
 Hunnasgiriya and Sri Pada |
 Sembuwatta area |
 Matale town. We saw lights of the town last night. |
 Rest of Kelebokka estate and Hunnasgiriya peak. |
 Mist is coming up…. |
 Capturing moments… |
 Through the mist |
 Through the mist |
 Path to heaven |
 Enjoying the view |
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 Time to relax |
 Broken huts at other side…. |
 Mist coming up…. |
 Photographers |
 Time for breakfast |
 Kelebokka estate. Last night we followed this estate road. |
 Where we pitched tents last night….. |
 Top of the Kovil |
 Inside the Kovil |
 Summer hut…. |
 View from summer hut |
 The team… |
 Aerial view of Kelebokka view point with estate road |
 Bird’s eye view |
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 Closer view of 360 view point |
 Estate road ends here |
Actual highest point of Kelebokka upper division
Actual highest point of Kelebokka upper division is situated right in front of Kelebokka 360 view point. This place has a narrow view towards Kelebokka estate.
It is just a 10minutes hike from the estate road.
 Along the foot pathway of actual highest point of Kelebokka |
 How Kelebokka view point is seen to actual highest point |
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 View towards Gombaniya side |
 Highest point of Kelebokka upper division |
 Newly built houses |
 Couple goals achieved |
 Framed view of Kelebokka |
 Kelebokka 360 view point |
 Another place with 360 view situated closer to Elkaduwa |
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There is a short cut from Kelebokka to Sembuwatta Lake (සෙම්බුවත්ත වැව) through Pinus forest. It is just a 20-30minutes walk. We left Kelebokka around 10.30 am following breakfast. This foot pathway starts closer to a Kovil situated on your way to Kelebokka from turning point.
Sembuwatta Lake belongs to a different management: Elkaduwa plantation. This lake is situated at 1100m attitude at higher level of the tea estate called Hapuwida (හපුවිද).
History of Sembuwatta Lake goes back to 1949. This land was a Polo ground during colonial ages and later became a small reservoir to generate hydro power for the tea factory. Later the tea factory was closed and this small reservoir was forested.
Mr. Radley Disage was became the manager of Elkaduwa plantation in 2005 and he rebuilt the current Sembuwatta Lake at the place of old reservoir with support of estate workers. Initially it was used to give hydropower to 89 estate houses. The name Sembuwatta (based on folklore) is also an idea of Mr. Radley and later management decided to convert the area as tourist attractive place.
There are different activities you can involve at Sembuwatta Lake: Boating, zip line, Swimming pool, Air rifle etc. Night camping facilities also available at Sembuwatta Lake.
As rain started again we were not able to go around the lake.
 Back to estate road…. |
 The kovil where foot path to Sembuwatta starts |
 Entering to Pinus patch |
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 Descend to Sembuwatta Lake |
 Misty Pinus patch… |
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 Reaching Sembuwatta Lake |
 Sembuwatta Lake |
 Swan boats at Lake |
 Zip line across the lake. This is about 50-75m long. |
 Sembuwatta Lake |
We didn’t have much time to stay at Sembuwatta Lake as rain started again by 1.30pm. Here we hired couple of three wheelers to reach the Hunugala junction (it costs Rs 600 from Sembuwatta Lake to this junction) to get the bus to Elkaduwa.
 Kelebokka 360 view point and Sembuwatta Lake in Google map |
Thanks for reading