Railroad Hike to Horton Plains Borders

You will be starting your Railroad Hike at 7:30am from the Pattipola Railway Station. The station itself is special in that it is the highest railway station in Sri Lanka, lying 1891m above sea level. Your hiking guide will be giving you a brief description of the hike and route. He will explain the safety procedures as well. You will be leaving for your hike at 7:45am. The entire hike will be 14km long. You will be stopping for breaks every 1.5km to refresh yourselves with energy bars and water. You will have a qualified hiking guide and first aid professional in your team. There will also be an emergency transport vehicle following you. After hiking 3km along the railroads, you will be coming upon the ‘tunnel of importance’, Tunnel 18. Tunnel 18 is the third-longest railway tunnel in Sri Lanka at 321.95 m. It is also highest from sea level, and the darkest as one end is quite narrow.

However, the special feature about the tunnel and its secret lies in its location. Tunnel 18 is perfectly placed to bridge the border between the wet zone and dry zone of Sri Lanka. This means that you enter the tunnel during comparatively dry and clear weather and exit the tunnel into mist and rain. In Sri Lanka, the only place this magical experience occurs is at Tunnel 18. The views from the tunnel mouths are also spectacular. After passing through Tunnel 18 you will be walking a few kilometers further along the railroad before reaching the Ohiya Railway Station. You will be getting there by approximately 1:00pm and will be having a picnic lunch at the station. Lunch will consist of spaghetti or macaroni, a boiled egg, fried sausages and tropical fruits.

After lunch, you will start your trek to Horton Plains National Park. You will be first climbing through the jungle for the first 2km. This part of the hike will be somewhat strenuous. After exiting the jungle you will be hiking through Ohiya area which lies next to Horton Plains National Park. The area sports some of the best scenic views in Sri Lanka. You will be stopping along the way for some evening refreshments, such as chocolate slabs, dates and etc. After the break and possibly a few photographs, you will be continuing on to Horton Plains National Park borders. You will reach your final destination at 5:00 pm, completing your hike.