Belihuloya is a climatically transitional area, which links the dry and wet zones at an altitude of less than 1500m. As a result, the vegetation it consists is moist semi-evergreen forests, tropical savanna forests, dry patana grasslands and montane temperate forests. The vegetation in this environment has made this location an exciting one for the serious as well as the casual nature lover. The surrounding mountains, rivers, reservoirs make Belihuloya an adventure capital for adventure lovers.

The nature trail leads to a village called Kinchigune, which has engaged in the ancient steel industry where people have made steel weapons for the Army of the Great Sinhala King Dutugemunu (2nd Century BC). During this diverse nature trail, we will walk through paddy fields, across rivers and past local village houses with their extensive vegetable plots. It is an ideal opportunity to learn a bit about the local agricultural systems and simple way of village living. Witness some beautiful birds, butterflies and a couple of small but charming waterfalls along the way.

The Samanalawewa reservoir is named after the Sinhalese word ‘samanala’, meaning ‘butterfly’, hinting not only at the terrific number of butterflies in the area but also the actual shape of the reservoir. The word ‘wewa’ literally means ‘tank’. The still and calm waters of the reservoir offer a great location for canoeing. You can take your time and go for a leisurely paddle for a couple of hours.