The Devil's Staircase, as it is also known, is another dream destination for travellers. This beautiful route, which is one of the most difficult and highest-situated in Sri Lanka, leads all the way to Horton Plains. Many people have a desire to travel this path, even if only for a day. This route, which runs from Kalupahana through the Udaweriya Estate, can be used to reach Horton Plains, covering a total distance of $26 \text{ km}$. Today, we are heading to see the highest waterfall in Sri Lanka, which is encountered along this route.
We started our journey from the Kalupahana side. If you are travelling from the Balangoda side, the Kalupahana junction is encountered just before Haldummulla. About a kilometre after turning into Kalupahana, you can see the first S-bend of this journey. One of the special features of this trip is having to navigate numerous hairpin bends like this. We had to reverse our vehicle to negotiate the first two bends that we encountered, which shows how close the bends are on this road.
As we descended the slope after the two bends, we saw a very beautiful stream and some terraced paddy fields. This area is called Weerakoon-gama. After passing Weerakoon-gama and travelling another four kilometres, there is no further Sinhalese-populated village to be seen along this road. Beyond that lies the Udaweriya Estate. As everyone knows, Tamil people reside in the estates.
Suddenly, we came across another four hairpin bends grouped together. Although we tried to take the bend and drive up in one go, it was unsuccessful because the road was too narrow to turn the vehicle. So, we had to reverse again to climb this set of bends, just like before.
As we ascended the bends, a truly marvellous sight caught our eye: the Bambarakanda Waterfall, the tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka. The waterfall first becomes visible from the road after climbing these bends. A little further on, we could see the access point to Bambarakanda Falls. However, we drove past without stopping, intending to have our morning meal.
From the hotel where we ate breakfast, we were looking directly at Bambarakanda Falls. The monsoon rains had just ended in January, but there wasn't a great volume of water in the falls. As I gazed at the falls for a while, a fascinating sight caught my attention: a young couple on the left side of the rock face where the waterfall cascades. It was a giant rock carving that appeared as if they were embracing each other. Over a long period, nature has created this beautiful sculpture through the natural processes of sun, rain, wind, and lightning. If you ever visit Bambarakanda Falls, look closely; you too may be able to spot this wonderful creation.
Talking and travelling, we finally arrived at the turn-off for the falls. You need to purchase an entrance ticket here to visit the waterfall. The entrance itself is captivating. Compared to other waterfalls in Sri Lanka, the Divisional Council has made a great effort to protect and maintain the beauty of this place. Therefore, those of you visiting the falls also have a big responsibility to protect this environment.
We proceeded along the concrete-paved path and crossed the stream flowing from Bambarakanda via a small iron bridge. As soon as we crossed the bridge, we entered a pine forest. This is a plantation managed by the Department of Forest Conservation. After climbing another three to four hundred metres through the pine forest, we reached the base of Bambarakanda Falls.
We are now standing at the base of the highest waterfall in Sri Lanka. Its height is $241 \text{ metres}$. However, despite such a large volume of water cascading from this height, the pool at the base of the fall is quite shallow. Therefore, anyone can safely bathe in the pool at the base of Bambarakanda Falls without any problem. A concrete viewing platform has been constructed right at the base of the falls, making it very convenient for tourists to enjoy the beauty of the cascade.
In the past, this waterfall was known as Bambara Gala Ella, Bambarakale Ella, and also Bambara Ella. Due to the presence of wasps (Bambara in Sinhala) near the falls, it later became known as Bambarakanda. Bambarakanda Falls is the tallest waterfall flowing into the Walawe River. The Weli Oya is a tributary that feeds the Walawe River, and it is the Weli Oya that creates the Bambarakanda Falls. Although it is the highest waterfall in Sri Lanka, it is ranked 48th in the world. Located within an evergreen forest, the Bambarakanda Waterfall adds a unique beauty to the area.
