How to get to the Knuckles from Kandy
From Kandy
The Corbett's Gap side, used for the Five Peaks and Kotaganga, leaves Kandy toward the Hunnasgiriya hills and climbs to the pass. We stop for a short breakfast once the town is behind us. The trailhead hamlets are not a place to arrive at noon and still finish the ridge in daylight.
Riverston and Pitawala Pathana are reached through Matale and Rattota, then up the escarpment. That is a different road from Corbett's Gap. You cannot see both Mini World's End and the Five Peaks properly in a single half day.
Meemure and Heeloya
Meemure sits beyond Corbett's Gap on a narrow road that is slow even when it is open. Rain closures happen. A village day still fits from Kandy if you leave early. Heeloya is a foothill village on another approach, used for the one-day village visit and as a walking finish on longer treks.
From Colombo or the airport
Sleep in Kandy the night before a ridge day. The Colombo–Kandy road is too uncertain, especially in the evening, to join a 6:30 pickup after a flight. Tell us your hotel name when you enquire so the driver is not circling the lake.
Questions
Is there a train to the Knuckles?
No. The hill-country railway serves Kandy and, much further south, the Pekoe Trail around Hatton and Haputale. The Knuckles trailheads are by road.
Can I drive my own car to Riverston?
Yes, in clear weather, if you are comfortable on a narrow mountain road. Guided trek days include our vehicle so you are not managing the drive after a long walk.