Day 4 - Kandy to Dalhouise

Next day the same TT driver came and picked up. All I wanted is a good breakfast and he directed me a srilankan healthy cuisine which has a reasonable price & its close by lake. Packed few stuffs for the train journey, a must try place if you are in kandy. As kandy station is crowded departed to peredeniya station to buy the tickets & its very less crowded.  Was early to the station and it’s the oldest station which has its own charm

Met up with a Japanese family and hanging around till 11.30 as the train was late by 30 minutes. Spending time at the peredeniya station for 2 hours was fun in the rain. As soon as we got into the train, checked for people who are about to get down at next station (kandy), found the window seats on the right side and happily boarded. As i was engrossed with the nature scenic, suddenly saw hatton board which reached in 2.5 hours and had to jump out of the train quickly while bidding quick bye to the Japanese girls.

Train journey

One of the best train journey with complete exotic & scenic locations and can’t stop tapping your camera, the train glides through various tea plantations, tunnels and a long ending valleys to view, misty fog and tall trees. An visual treat which can never be missed if you are srilanka. Find a seat by right side of the train as best scenic are toward right side till hatton.

How to reach Kandy to Dalhousie

From hatton station the bus stop is around 800 mts and there are no direct buses to dalhousie, so take bus to masakaliya(1.30) and then to nallathaniya/dalhousie(45 min). The route till dalhousie was again a scenic journey as the bus penetrating through the tea plantations on both the sides. Several shades of green would capture your eyes.

Stay at Dalhousie was just in front of tea plantations and the dining hall view was amazing with tea plantations, lake and black roads. Met another solo traveler Bart from Netherlands, all through journey we were discussing about what we had done so far in srilanka. Heavy showers while we reached dalhouise and we decided to do the climb together at 2.0 AM either rain or shine. Had dinner and refreshed and retired to bed.

Places visited

           

Adams peak:

Woke up at 1.0 am & had a glimpse of heavy showers and TT picked me up at 2.0 am, was ready with my hiking gears. If no one was starting the hike, was planning to return back and go again at 6.0 am. While we reached the base camp in 15 minutes, someone flashed at us & it was Bart who was waiting. Started the hike and other fellow people joined us, by another 1 hour met around 15 people. Hike was full of steps (5200+),with heavy rains the water was gushing through the steps forcibly to reach its destinations. In the dark all I could imagine the scene was a mountain which was pumping out its soul in the form of water and roaring loudly. Apart from these the cold wind was trying to stir through 360 degrees.

There were no sign of sun. Reached the top at 5.15 am and it was too cold to be there, somehow i had inherited coldness this year, embraced the cold wind rather than shivering. Met 3 Indians on top and everyone came down with a disappointment of no sun rise and the entrance to see the peaks was closed.

A life time experience to hike at mid night with rain and cold wind, absolute darkness prevailing with water sound gushing through. For few moments switched off the flash lights and walk in darkness to pump some adrenaline rush for self-entertainment.

While getting down, one could understand where the water sound was coming from. With day light there are several falls around comes to visibility. There were 2 tea stalls and toilets available, the number of climbers was around 20-23 for that day. After reaching the stay, found that my legs were bleeding heavily with a leech bite, badly turned the bed spread with stains. B positive leech! Downhill was tuff because of my floaters & the climb was definitely a toll for your calf and knees.

Stay at dalhousie
https://www.booking.com/hotel/lk/ayos-hill-adamspeak.en-gb.html?

Expenses

Stay at Kandy – 830 LKR

Auto from hostel - breakfast - perendendiya - 800 LKR

Train ticket from kandy to hatton - 110 LKR

Food : breakfast - 200/lunch – 220/Dinner - 200LKR

Bus from hatton to masakilya - 40 LKR

Masakaliya to nallathaniya/dalhousie - 45LKR

Total : 2445 LKR

Photos for the day

Best Srilankan food

Oldest Peredeniya

All time seat during train ride

Pathway to heaven

Best Train ride

dalhousie

Way to Adams peak

Falls enroute adams Peak