The Best Trail in the Knuckles Mountain Range

About this activity

The Best Trail is a three-day route through the Knuckles covering about 32 kilometres, split into days of roughly 14, 6, and 12 kilometres, with around 800 metres of climbing. It is moderate to hard and finishes back in Kandy around 6 p.m. on the third day. The starting rate is 170 US dollars. The short middle day is there so the camp-to-camp link stays humane.

This is the trek for people who want three days in the conservation forest rather than a single famous viewpoint. The first day is the long walk in. The second day is shorter, about 6 km, between camps. The last day is about 12 km and takes around five hours of walking before the drive. We confirm sleeping arrangements, tent or simple shelter, when you enquire, because the permitted campsite can change.

Note: About 32 km on foot. Pickup in Kandy at 6:30 a.m. Drop-off Kandy, about 6:00 p.m. on day 3.

Highlights

• Three days and about 32 km in the range
• A shorter middle day between longer ones
• Around 800 metres of elevation change
• Private guide and Kandy transport

Itinerary

1. Day 1: The long walk in

   Leave Kandy at 6:30 a.m. Walk about 14 km into the forest and sleep at the permitted camp.

2. Day 2: The link

   A shorter day of about 6 km, used to move camps without exhausting the group before the walk out.

3. Day 3: Walk out

   About 12 km and roughly five hours on foot, then the drive to Kandy, arriving around 6 p.m.

Included / Excluded

Languages

English

Activity location

Thangappuwa, Knuckles Conservation Forest

Questions

Places and guides

• Kandy
• Corbett's Gap
• Knuckles permits and camping rules
• What to pack for a Knuckles trek
• Best time to trek the Knuckles