Hidden Charms
Knuckles Villages
Knuckles Architecture
Knuckles Mountain Wilderness
The name of this mountain range is derived from the similarity of its ridges to the Knuckles of a closed fist when viewed from a distance. Knuckles range lies in the Kandy and Matale districts of central Sri Lanka. It is separated from the central highlands by the deeply incised valley of Sri Lanka's longest river Mahaweli commonly known as ``Dumbara Valley``. This extremely rugged landscape has at least 35 peaks rising above 900m with highest (Knuckles Peak) being 1863m and this aggregation of so many spectacular peaks is a unique feature of the Knuckles Wilderness Area.
The entrance to the Dumbanagala peak is within the Chalet premise itself and it is a paved way at the entrance. The path towards the peak is bit risky as it is filled with moss and moist surroundings. Once you reach the top a scenic vast area consisting of Mahiyanaganaya, Lakegala, Meemure and Riverston can be seen. It takes about 2hours to reach the top of the peak.
Gerandiella is a picturesque fall that cascades in 7 sections but won’t be qualified as one of the tallest waterfalls in the country due to the segmentation. The hike to Gerandiella starts through a countryside village in and takes about 4 hours to reach to the top. The route consists of an absolutely stunning view which is also adventurous and slightly dangerous for a first timer.
Diyakerella is one of the many scenic falls situated in the Meemure region with its entrance located through the ancient Meemure village. To reach the waterfall a considerable distance should be travelled through the jungle as it is situated in an untrodden area. This spectacular fall starts from a mountain valley cascading to lower levels like white misty veils. The average time taken for the diyakerella hike is about 2 hours.
Weather in the Knuckles Mountain Range is unpredictable and could transform within few minutes and the entire range can disappear right as you watch under thick mist in a matter of a minutes. Don’t be fooled by the bright sun. Rain could come down any minute. The average rainfall at Knuckles range lies between 180-300 inches while the temperature ranges between 5.5 degrees and 35 degrees Celsius. The Northwest monsoon brings heavy rain to the range from September to November. Knuckles experiences the strongest winds from June to September.
The residents are descendants from the original settlers in these villages and their livelihood is farming up to this date. They mainly cultivate paddy as well as other crop plantations. They live a simple life in cool traditional clay houses with minimum resources for them to utilize.
Witness the beauty in one of the ancient villages of Sri Lanka
Meemure a village that has preserved the authenticity and simplicity of rural Sri Lanka for centuries are one of the main sights to see when you visit Dumbangala. You can witness the less complicated and innocence of the rural beauty as the village folks go about their daily tasks. The breathtaking Meemure peak overlooking the village gives it a majestic yet mesmerizing look.
Mesmerizing landscape that has the best views in Hill country
Meemure situated in one the most scenic areas of the central hill country is one of the main tourist attractions that you get to experience. Nestled in the diverse knuckles region is the home to many endemic flora, fauna and animals. The simple lifestyles of the people living in this region reminds us that the life can be enjoyed to its fullest when you disconnect yourself unnecessary materialistic possessions.
Enjoy the tranquility of candid village life in Knuckles
Sri Lanka having one of the rich histories in the Asian region have a very prosperous self sufficient system in villages. Since the beginning the locals in these villages has been rich in culture and skills. They have always been living a healthy and active life with minimum to low attachment to worldly material. Surrounded by breathtaking sceneries make us realize that the buzzling city life is far from the inner peace we are seeking for.
Dumbanagala Chalet is situated at the vicinity of multiple rural villages which still preserves the village authenticity. A unique bio-cultural landscape is found in the 40 or so self-sustained villages that are located deep within the Knuckles Forest region. Life here exhibits a simple and harmonious coexistence of man and nature. Among theses villages exist Meemure one of the oldest villages of the country which still have descendants from its original residents.
Weather in the Knuckles Mountain Range is unpredictable and could transform within few minutes and the entire range can disappear right as you watch under thick mist in a matter of a minutes. Don’t be fooled by the bright sun. Rain could come down any minute. The average rainfall at Knuckles range lies between 180-300 inches while the temperature ranges between 5.5 degrees and 35 degrees Celsius. The Northwest monsoon brings heavy rain to the range from September to November. Knuckles experiences the strongest winds from June to September.
Majority of the villagers are subsistence farmers who cultivate rice in their beautifully terraced paddy fields, supplemented with home gardens of vegetables, fruits, spices and herbs. They also gather medicinal plants, nuts, seeds, honey, Kitul (Sweet sap from the Kitul tree) and other products from the surrounding forests. The general village landscape consists of traditional open courtyard mud homes, surrounded by home garden with 3-4 feet high stonewalls unique to these villages.
