14 BEST WATERFALLS IN SRI LANKA – The Ultimate Guide
With over 400 waterfalls in Sri Lanka recored, the island has a lot of beautiful waterfalls to offer. Because of the hilly inlands, most waterfalls can be found in the central highlands of the island. Some have natural pools to bathe in, while others are more tucked away and can only be seen from a distance. But if you have a drone, you can fly closer to them. There is even a waterfall in Sri Lanka where you can bath in at the top! It’s almost impossible to visit all the Sri Lanka waterfalls, so that’s why you can find in this blogpost the best 14 waterfalls in Sri Lanka!
Best Sri Lanka waterfall tours
If you want to explore the best waterfalls in Sri Lanka, then these are the best guided tours. All of these tours include air conditioned transport with hotel pick up and drop off, certified guides and sometimes also lunch and the entrance fees. You can reserve now and pay later, with cancellation up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund.
- From Ella: Bambarakanda & Lanka Ella Falls Hike with Lunch. Hike to Bambarakanda and Lanka Ella Falls on this day trip from Bandarawela or Ella. Stop at Lanka Ella Falls for a picnic lunch with a chilled beer and take a refreshing swim.
- Diyaluma Falls Full-Day Tour with Lunch from Ella. Take a trip to Sri Lanka’s second-highest water fall and experience the natural beauty of Diyaluma falls, enjoying a small hike, lunch, and a refreshing dip in pristine waters along your journey.
- Belihuloya: 2-Day Tour with Waterfall Walk and Rock Pool. Explore Belihuloya with an overnight stay in this remote village. Enjoy nature walks with your guide to see waterfalls, rice fields, and tomato fields, and take a dip in a natural rock pool.
- Waterfalls Trek via Devil’s Staircase to Bambarakanda Falls with Picnic. Embark on a private guided trek to Sri Lanka’s highest waterfalls through an area called the Devil’s Staircase. Swim, enjoy a picnic, and explore a tea plantation village.
- Horton Plains and Bakers Fall tour. Visit Baker’s Falls, World’s End, and experience the diverse landscapes and a wide variety of wildlife in Horton Plains National Park.
- Kitulgala: White Water Rafting & Waterfall Rappel with Lunch. Indulge in an all-inclusive experience in Kitulgala, well-known for its adventure activities. Feel the thrill of river rafting, rappel down a waterfall, and enjoy a delicious lunch buffet and snacks.
- From Ella/Haputale: Plantations and Diyaluma Waterfall with Picnic. Ride in a tuk tuk to see the the tea, rubber, cocoa, and black pepper plantations with this private tour from Ella or Haputale. Visit the Millenium and Pilkington viewpoints and Diyaluma Falls.
14 BEST SRI LANKA WATERFALLS
Laxapana Falls
Laxapana waterfall is a beautiful picturesque waterfall situated nearby the town of Hatton in the Nuwara Eliya district. With a height of 126 meter, Laxapana Falls is the eighth highest waterfall in Sri Lanka and ranks as the 625th highest waterfall in the world! With a stunning natural plunge pool at the bottom of the falls, you can dip in the pool to cool off after the hike down on the well maintained stairs. The power with which the water thunders down is impressive and results in silvery foam which makes the waterfall super photogenic! Definitely some of our most favorite waterfalls in Sri Lanka.
Read our complete guide about Laxapana Falls here
Read in our complete guide 10 tips to improve waterfall photography
Ravana Falls
The Ravana Falls are located in the misty mountains of Ella, Sri Lanka along the road. The water gushes down a height of 25 meters fallen from an oval concave rock. Ravana Falls is a 3-tier cascading waterfall, creating rock pools along its way down. During the wet season Ravana Falls takes the form of a drooping areca flower, but its wide size is reduced dramatically during the dry season. Although it is always worth it to check this waterfall when you’re Ella, especially because of the easy access.
Read our complete guide about Ravana Falls here
Aberdeen Falls
The Aberdeen Falls are located in the Nuwara Eliya district and take approximately 2 hours to get there from Nuwara Eliya town. Tucked away in the jungle, it takes about 20 minutes along a beautiful jungle path to get to the base of the Aberdeen Falls. With it’s hight from 98 meter and beautiful surroundings, this is one of the must visit waterfalls in Sri Lanka for nature and waterfall lovers!
Read our complete guide about Aberdeen Falls here
Bakers Falls
Baker’s Falls is one of the widest waterfalls in Sri Lanka, consisting of many little streams rushing down the rocks. Only a bit of a hike through the Horton Plains national park, this is an easy but beautiful waterfall to visit. Beware that when it has rained the entire area becomes very slippery. So put on your best hiking shoes and you’re good to go! The Horton Plains national park is very pretty, with beautiful greenery and full of ferns and rhododendrons.
Book your guided tour to Horton Plain NP and Bakers Falls here
Lover’s Leap waterfall
Nestled amidst the lush greenery countryside of Nuwara Eliya is Lover’s Leap waterfall located. With it’s height of 30 meters it is a beautiful small but scenic waterfall which offers sweeping views of tea plantations and Nuwara Eliya. You can walk towards the top of the waterfall via Pedro Tea Factory to enjoy the sweeping views on Nuwara Eliya’s country side or you can admire the Falls from a distance. The charming Lover’s Leap waterfall in Nuwara Eliya is an attraction that absolutely deserves a visit!
Read our complete guide about Lover’s Leap waterfall here
Diyaluma Falls
Diyaluma Falls is 220 meters high and is the second highest waterfall in Sri Lanka. It is located right next to the road so you can admire the beauty of this waterfall easily. But for the real adventurers there is the possibility to hike up to the upper waterfall so you’ll have an amazing view over the surrounded hills. Because the waterfall has different levels and pools you can take a dip to cool off after the hike. A great adventure for half a day!
Book here your Diyaluma Falls Full-Day Tour with Lunch from Ella
Read our complete guide about Diyaluma Falls here
Dunhinda Falls
Formed by a diversion of Badulu Oya River, the Dunhinda Falls is best known for its smokey surrounding spray. With it’s 64 meters height it is not one of the highest waterfalls in Sri Lanka, but still absolutely worth a visit! Dunhinda Falls is 30 kilometres away located from Ella, and from the entrance gate you have to walk about 1.5km to reach to the waterfall. The hike itself is beautiful, especially for people interested in wildlife. You have the chance to see different species of birds, butterflies, monkeys and even deers! The best time to see the waterfall is from November to March during the rainy season as the waterfall will have more volume and power which results in more spray as well!
Bopath Ella
With 30 meters height, Bopath Ella is one of the smaller waterfalls in Sri Lanka, but still it is a beauty to visit because of its special form. The name Bopath means Bo leaf. The Bo tree is the sacred tree of Buddhism and is therefore very important in Sri Lanka. Bopath Ella resembles a Bo leaf with its thin short stream that opens up to a wider fall towards the bottom. Bopath Ella is quite easy to visit as it’s in a village close to the mining town of Rathnapura. It’s possible and safe to swim in the base pool of Bopath Ella waterfall.
Bambarakanda Falls
The Bambarakanda Falls is the highest waterfall in Sri Lanka with an enormous 263 meters. The waterfall is located in Kalupahana and is formed by one of Walawe rivers. There is no access to the bottom pool but the impressive tallest waterfall of Sri Lanka can be seen from a little road that climbs up the hill. Bambarakanda Falls looks at its most impressive after rain, but is even harder to get to due to the mud.
Book here your Bambarakanda & Lanka Ella Falls guided hike with lunch
St Clair’s Falls
The St Clair’s Falls is located in between the tea plantations of Nuwara Eliya and is formed by the Maha and Kuda falls. It is the widest waterfall in Sri Lanka and has a height of 80 meters. The St Clair’s Falls are also being known as ‘Little Niagara of Sri Lanka’. In rainy season I can imagine the waterfalls are very powerful, but when we went there wasn’t much water. It is a very photogenic waterfall and can be easily visited on your way from Nuwara Eliya to Hatton because the viewpoint is located right next to the road. There is also a little cafe where you can have a drink and snack. St Clair’s Falls is definitely one of the Nuwara Eliya waterfalls you have to visit.
Mohini Falls
The Mohini Falls are located right along the road on your way to Adam’s Peak, so you can’t miss them! The 30 meters high waterfall goes under the Hatton – Nallathanniya Road and joins the Maskeliya Reservoir. Just like the other waterfalls in Sri Lanka, Mohini Falls is also best visited after, or during rain season. We visited the Mohini Falls on a rainy day, so the waterfall was powerful and breathtaking to watch!
Devon Falls
The 97 meter high Devon Falls are also located right next to the road from Nuwara Eliya to Hatton, you just have to take a small road 5 minutes off the main road. Although the waterfall isn’t easy to see from the road, there is an option to hike to the base of the Devon Falls through the tea estate. Contact the locals to know the best path. You can also watch the Falls from further away if you get on a path right next to the temple. And if you have a drone, you can still admire the Devon Falls, but only from your screen!
Sri Padha and Moray Falls
These two waterfalls end up in the Maussakelle reservoir but are a bit hard to spot from the road. There is a viewpoint along the road for Sri Padha waterfall, or if you have a drone you can take some beautiful photos as well from one, or both waterfalls.
Moray Falls lies several hundreds meters away from Sri Pada Falls feeding the same Maskeliya Reservoir. Both waterfalls are around 25 metres high and are worth it to stop for on your way to, or from Adam’s Peak.
Ramboda Falls
The Ramboda falls are with 109 meters the 11th highest waterfall in Sri Lanka. Located deep in Sri Lanka’s hill country and surrounded by emerald forest, the Ramboda Falls are absolutely worth a visit. You can see the Ramboda falls’ middle section easily from the road. But if you want to absorb its full power and height, you can get to the base of the waterfall by following the path from the Ramboda Falls Hotel. Another option is to climb to the top for spectacular views over the upper section and surrounding forests. You have to pay a small fee to climb to the top op the falls.
More Sri Lanka travel inspiration
We hope you enjoyed our guide about the best waterfalls in Sri Lanka!
For more Sri Lanka inspiration, head over to these blog posts:
Best places to visit in Sri Lanka – The Ultimate Guide
Best things to do in Trincomalee
Hi Ilse, we loved reading your information about the 14 best waterfalls in Sri Lanka👍