Mar 19, 2025
Great tour and beautiful hike! - I was looking for a hike to do in Sri Lanka that was enough of a challenge that I felt like I was actually exercising and got to enjoy beautiful views and scenery and this was perfect!
Lamal is a very knowledgeable guide with a very calming energy. I think he knows absolutely everything about the nature in knuckles mountain range. He made me feel very comfortable the entire time and was very patient when the hike was a bit more challenging.
First day is more challenging than second but doable and very worth it. The itinerary takes you through many different landscapes which makes the whole two days feel very diverse in views.
Only negative are the leeches but that is unavoidable and they provide you with leech socks which is very helpful!
Cannot recommend Nature Paradise Tours enough!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Feb 3, 2025
A Beautiful and Unique Trek - A really unique experience. The whole tour was very well organised, and Lakmal is an excellent guide. Be aware though, it can be a tough trek! Make sure you've got the appropriate clothing with you. The weather can also be really unpredictable, but the scenery is beautiful. And definitely the kind of thing you need an experienced guide for.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Feb 1, 2025
Thank you Lakmal - I highly recommend Lakmal as a guide. He is kind, considerate and very knowledgeable about the local plants. He would regularly jump into the bushes to pick something for us to taste, smell or just enjoy with our eyes. He also knows about the fauna and people of the area. He provided us with leech socks and a special repellent to cover them with so we wouldn’t get bit. Good times!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dec 21, 2024
I'd come back. - Two days and one night in the middle of nature. Running away from Kandy's stress. Superb experience and care of Lackmal.
Experienced guide of the area. With knowledge of flora and fauna, it has been able to adapt to the rhythm and my tastes.
I'd have enlarged one more day. Thanks!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 9, 2024
Top - Piwi - We did the trek 2 days - 1 night with Lakmal, it is a unique experience. We came back delighted: walking, landscapes, explanations, swimming, everything is there. And the meals offered were very very good 😊
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 7, 2024
Lakmal is a very experienced guide with a deep understanding of plants! Intermediate 2-day hike - 53 things we saw/did/ate during our 2-day hike led by the incredible Lakmal:
1. Knuckles 1&2 summits
2. Leeches
3. Leopard poo
4. Green, yellow, pink coconuts
5. Green Vanilla beans
6. Sweet Cinnamon tree
7. Itching mongoose
8. Flower exchange w local child
9. No electricity cabin
10. Cold water showers
11. Cardamom seeds
12. Tamarind
13. Jackfruit
14. Starfruit
15. Breadfruit
16. Rice seedlings
17. Irrigation canal
18. Coffee beans/cherries
19. Cacao beans
20. One of 25 banana varietals
21. Avocado tree
22. Guava
23. Kingfisher
24. Lemongrass
25. Peppercorn (green/red)
26. Tea villages, factories, fields
27. Bamboo (shoots and stalks)
28. Betel nut tree
29. Hibiscus flower
30. Wild raspberry
31. Pomegranate
32. Trumpet flower
33. Bird of paradise flower
34. Chameleon
35. Skin eating fish
36. Koi pond
37. Waterfalls
38. Sugarcane
39. Pineapple tree
40. Clove leaf
41. Doggos
42. Cassava
43. Mango
44. Red and orange papaya
45. Elephant
46. Water buffalo
47. Monkeys
48. Chickens
49. 2-story leaning house built on a truck
50. Village road being poured
51. Curry rice lunch box wrapped in plastic
52. Arrack coconut rum cocktails
53. Ginger biscuits
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jul 29, 2024
Fantastic 2 day hike in knuckles mountains - My partner and I did the one night camping, two day hike in the knuckles mountains with Lakmal from Nature Paradise tours, and it was fantastic! Lakmal is an excellent guide, he has great knowledge of the local animals, flowers, and vegetation, regularly pointing out and giving us fruits and spices to taste and smell!
The hike was very rewarding, on the first day we hiked to the top of the knuckles, and the ascent and descent was quite challenging in places. We had great weather and had amazing views from the top.
On the second day we hiked to waterfalls, had a lovely swim and then continued down to a village, which was amazing.
The food on the hike was excellent, especially the lunch on the second day in the village!
We were very lucky and got an upgrade on our accommodation to a posh tent / glamping (as all the standard tents were in use), but we would have been very happy with the standard tents.
There are leeches on the trail but Lakmal has leech socks that help protect you.
Overall, I highly recommend a trip with Lakmal, he is an amazing guide and the knuckles mountains are such a beautiful and slightly less touristy place to go!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Apr 14, 2024
Amazing and unique wilderness adventure! - An absolutely amazing adventure. The first day of the hike (~20km) was tough but went deep into the park including the highest point of the Knuckles. Very few other operators actually go into the wilderness, which was a special treat. We also hiked through tea plantations, paddy, Tamil and Sinhalese villages, and swam in two amazing natural swimming holes. The campsite and meals were also great. 100% recommend without hesitation - worth every penny!
Review provided by Viator
Apr 6, 2024
Two day one night hike Knuckles - I did the ‘two days one night hike’ in Knuckles Forest as a solo traveler. Lakmal is a really good guide. He has a good eye for spotting small animals. Also I learned a lot about plants what I really liked and tasted wild growing fruit and spices. Also the meals were really good and in the evening we had good conversation! He even bought glue to fix my shoe sole which got loose and helped me with my fear of leeches :). He did really his best to make it a good experience!
The hike itself was really beautiful, but it was hard! I am beginner with some (shorter) hike experience! But I managed and wil do again :). The next day hike was easier. Also took swims in waterfall and natural pool. With free foot spa from the fish haha.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mar 9, 2025
Good but too expensive - cut out the middleman! - Enjoyable hike, led by a friendly and informative guide, but this was not value for money. We booked the hike before starting our holiday; had we waited until we were in Sri Lanka we would have realised the cost was extremely excessive. The accommodation was rudimentary , and probably worth £10 per person per night. The food was delicious and plentiful, especially the final lunch, but again it would have been cheap by local standards. So in conclusion the company running this hike has made excessive profit. If you are visiting Sri Lanka looking to hike the KMR, we recommend waiting until you are on the ground before hiking , and cutting out the middle man
Review provided by Tripadvisor
