Bambarakanda Falls
The tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka at around 263 metres, dropping down a rock face near Kalupahana.
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Bambarakanda drops around two hundred and sixty-three metres down a cliff in the Uva highlands, which makes it the tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka, falling in a thin ribbon rather than a mass of water. It is fed by a stream off the Horton Plains escarpment and its volume varies a great deal with the season, running strongly after the monsoons and thinning to a thread in dry months. A pine plantation covers the slopes around the base.
What you actually see
- The fall - around 263 metres, the tallest in the country.
- The pine plantation - planted slopes around the base of the cliff.
- The base pool - the plunge pool reached on a short walk.
- The escarpment - the Horton Plains edge the water comes off.
When to go
April to June and October to December, after the monsoons, give the strongest flow. In the dry months it thins to a thread. Mornings are clearest before cloud builds.
Honest expectations
In dry periods the fall is a thin trickle and disappointing. The access road is narrow and rough. Swimming at the base is dangerous when the flow is up.
Nearby
Haputale is east, and Horton Plains is north above the escarpment.
What to pack for Bambarakanda Falls
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
