(6 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading...
| Height : | 63 meters |
| District : | Badulla |
Dunhinda is considered to be one of the most enchanting falls in Sri Lanka and is in close proximity to Badulla town. The water resembles a thin cloud as it cascades 63m downwards into a large pool. The backdrop to the fall is known as ‘Dunhinda Adaviya’. ‘Dunhinda’ translates to ‘spraying/vapour waterfall’ – the word ‘dun’ means ‘gave/was given’, while ‘hinda’ means ‘evaporate’.
This fall is steeped in history. The area was once inhabited by indigenous people – the Veddha tribe. During the time of King Rajasinhe, a giant fern got stuck at the top of the fall, between two mountains. This acted as a dam, which resulted in the flooding of Badulla town.
Seeing the gravity of the situation, the king entrusted the task of clearing the sluice to a person named ‘Ranhavadidaraya’. After toiling for three months he managed to clear the water and the town re-emerged.
The fern was swept away but got stuck again at a place now known as Pussellawa (‘pus’ meaning fern). It was the first fall on the island where a fee was introduced to view it. This applies to both local and foreign visitors.
Dunhinda Falls is 5km from Badulla town and the fall lies on the Badulu Oya which falls on to Mahaweli River. From the main highway it is a tortuous but enjoyable 1km walk to the waterfall. This access path to the waterfall is open from 7 AM to 5 PM. To enter a nominal fee of LKR 20 is charged from locals and LKR 200 is charged from foreigners. Halfway down the walking path, you will come across another waterfall below the main waterfall. This called Kuda Dunhinda Falls (Lesser Dunhinda Falls) – see photos below. Both these waterfalls have viewing platforms to enjoy the view.
The Ella rest-house is 29km away.
Also See
- Waterfalls of Sri Lanka
- Other Places of Interest Within Close Proximity
Map of Dunhinda Ella Falls
The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites
Zoom out the map to see more surrounding locations using the mouse scroll wheel or map controls.
Travel Directions to Dunhinda Ella Falls
Badulla town lies 3.5 km further down the Mahiyangana-Badulla Road. From the last point you need to walk approximately 1.2 km’s through a mountainous track to reach the waterfall. This is a safe and frequently used path due to the popularity of the fall.
Route 1 from Colombo Dunhinda Falls | Route 2 from Colombo to Dunhinda Falls |
| Through : Ratnapura – Balangoda – Haputale – Bandarawela Distance : 225 km Travel time : 5 hours Driving directions : see on google map | Through : Kandy – Tannekumbura – Mahaweli Raja Mawatha – Mahiyangana/Badulla Road Distance : 225 km Travel time : 5 hours Driving directions : see on google map |
