What went wrong for us in Horton Plains

I’ve been thirsty to travel from the day I went my first school trip. Always want to visit some place I’ve never been before and want to put a star on my Google map. This post is also about one of those tours, But the one fulfilled the thirsty and specially what went wrong.

Horton plains campsite 01

01. Know the right time to visit

The very first thing went wrong for us was we picked the off season. Its 19th October 2018. We knew its the rainy season. But, Young, brash, cocky — we are, we knew everything.

December to February: Temperatures are fairly low. Less chance of rain. Good time to visit Horton Plains.
March to May: Not too cold. Flowers bloom all over the plains. Less chance of rain. Best time to visit Horton Plains.
June to September: Strong winds. Less chance of Rain.
September to November: High possibility of Rain.

02. Know the things to carry

If you are planning to camp get a hiking bag and pack every thing from tooth brush. but if you just want to walk around the park get a small light bag and pack water, snacks, shades and some thing to cover your skin.

Remember these things are prohibited inside the park: Open fire, Make noise, Walk off trail, Harm animals, Swim, Consume alcohol, Smoke, Carry polythene, Carry plastics

So don’t carry anything that breaks the law in the park, Let the wildlife officers to check your backpacks for our own good. In our case we planed to stay one night so here are the list of things we carried.

Hiking bag, Tent, Kerosene stove, Cooking pan, 4 Long cloths, Rain coat, Power bank, Towel, Socks, Gloves, Cap, Shoes, Slippers, Tooth brush and soap, Torch, Bed sheet, Plate, Denim and bottom, Waterproof poly tarp covers , Cup, Mega water bottles, Sunglasses, Card pack, Reusable shopping bags, News Paper, , Knife, Spoons, Sidhdhalepa, Paracetamol, Selfie stick, National flag

Chicken sausages, tomato sauce, Chilli paste, Tuna cane, Noodles, burger buns, Bread, milk packets, Anamalu, Apple, Margarine, Kerosene, tea bags, Sugar, Salt

My backpack was a 10 Liter one. But it felt like 20Kg after I packed it fully. What went wrong here for us is we had only two waterproof poly tarp covers and Rain coat. which wasn’t enough. Its too heavy to carry and walk 10Km :D

03. Reserve your camping site and public transportation

There are 3 camp sites. Each site can stay max 10 people and will cost 2570/= per night for 10 pax. Day start at noon and end next day noon. You have to visit Department of Wildlife Conservation, Baththaramulla for all sight bookings. In the traveling season you have to book at least month before. But all three sites were available for us for whole the week since its the off season.

All 5 of us are Software engineers working in Colombo so we started our journey at Fort Railway station 7.00 PM. What went wrong for us is, even though we had 2nd class tickets we couldn’t find more than one seat. CGR says we cannot get on to Badulla Night mail train from Maradana. But when the train reach Fort, all seats were already taken. This happens specially on Fridays. So we had to settle in the foot-board. The train took 8 hours to reach Ohiya railway station. Meanwhile we had little naps and dinner in the train. We had few hours to rest and prepare our self cause the road to National park was closed by the time we reach Ohiya. Ohiya is a one platform nice little station. But had facilities to freshened up and rest.

04. Arrange transportation from Ohiya to Park office

This is the horrible decision we made to spoil all our plans. By the time we decided to start walking, there were no three wheelers, vans or any kind of transportation. So we start rambling and climbing hoping we could find something later. We knew it was 10.4 Km uphill footslog. Never intend to walk all the way. but sadly, all the vehicles we found had people in it and found absolutely no one walking this road except us. I guess they are not crazy like us. First 5 Km all uphill and with heavy bags we took 3 hours to reach entrance gate. From there it was another 5 Km through the plain. Which wasn’t that hard but our legs wanted to rest quite a while so it took another 2 hours. We laid our tarp on the road, had some snacks and rest quite a while. It was 11 AM when we reach Park office. We should have sleep another 2 hours in the station and get a vehicle and come in 30 minutes.

05. Park office Check-In

Here the officers will validate your camping receipt which you reserved from Wildlife department. They will take names and NIC numbers of all campers and then check your bags. If there is prohibited items they will keep them until you come back. In our case we had no issues there. The officers gave us instructions to find the campsite since its our first time. Then we went to the canteen and had some short eats.

06. Find the camp site

The whole plain was covered in fog. We couldn’t see a thing. Its amazing how the fog come down to the feet and cover the whole area in such quick period of time. I couldn’t even see the guy walking next to me. So its absolutely impossible to find the path to Camp site. Officer said it will be to our right. But we couldn’t see a thing and there was no signs, arrows or boards. So we had to wait a little. The quicker it come down even faster it goes off. The route to Camp site 01 start just after we pass the red bridge. Its another small mountain and once we get to the top it was a spectacular view of Belihul oya and Camp site 01. Our fatigued bodies filled with joy knowing this is were we going to camp. We ran in to the camp site, dropped our bags here and there and sat on the ground near the small water stream.

It had a squat toilet with few baskets, garbage disposal area, few wood branches used by previous campers and the clean and cold water stream. Its prohibited to make open fire in the park, But we could surely see few burn marks on the ground and burned wood branches. We found the best place to set up our tent and it took only two minutes. Then we lighted up the Kerosene stove and put the cooking pan with water to boil. One of my friend had lose motion so he had to use the toilet few times while we took a little nap inside the tent. Then rain wanted to show its presence. So we laid poly covers and rain covers. Only I had a fully covered rain coat so I had to go out side and cook in the rain. We found wasted half of an iron oil barrel, so we used it as cover for the Kerosene stove. Then we cut one plastic bottle to use as a cup and made tea. Our lunch was Maggie noodles with chilli paste and tomato sauce

07. Walk around the park

This is the devastating mistake we made in the whole journey. After the lunch I wanted to visit Worlds end and Baker’s falls. This is my first time. Probably the last. So I wanted to cover all the land marks. Its already 4pm and bit of a heavy rain. Shashi and Thara had the same idea so we started the walk. We left everything at camp due to the Rain but took one umbrella, Biscuit, Raincoat and of course Thara took his mobile. Malith had a knee injury so he refused to join. Lasi staid with him. After an hour we met some people finishing their journey on our side. For what ever reason they laughed at us. Then one person said “don’t start from here. It’ll get late and you’ll be in the jungle”. But the route he suggested was bit of climb, since we had daylight by the time, and we were so arrogant, We kept walking. To be honest our tired legs didn’t want to climb any more. First we found chimney pool. Even though its pouring by the time, we took few minutes to enjoy the view. After two hours down the route towards Bakers falls we met another two people. They said “Its 6pm already. Too late to complete the journey. Best if you can turn back from Bakers falls.” Then we visit Bakers falls. But it wasn’t a good time to stay and enjoy the view. Guess what, we ignored their words too. But by the time we didn’t know that they are the last human strangers we met that night.

Then we ascended another few meters and had some biscuits and drinks. The sun crashed its last light. Now only we started to realize that things are going sideways. It was a small route so we went one after another. I was the one leading the line and Suddenly a huge wild boar went across our route. It was lightning quick but all three of us saw it very clearly and stunned. This is where the fear creeps in to our minds. Even though it was very close. We felt no fear at the wild boar. By that pace it should be long gone. but if something came after it (If that’s the reason it ran that fast) we will have to face it. Now its no time to stay and think. We decide to go forward. More like run in fright. We could see our path leads to a jungle. Every step we took we felt we should’ve staid at camp and walk in the morning. I tried to encourage and calm others. Shashi already looked grim. Around 7.30 we reached Great World’s end. It was gloomy and foggy. We could see no view not even our path to camp. There were no signs but our gut feeling was to go left. But to make sure I went few steps alone towards the right side. Suddenly one memory came to my mind and I turned back immediately and join the others. It was one story I read about Worlds end. It wasn’t in my mind until I see the fog in World’s End.

3 boys came to World’s end in a misty evening. One went for a pee another one had a leg injury so other two sat on a bench, Suddenly a thick fog came in and covered the whole area. Then the two boys heard a loud scream of a boy asking for help. injured boy couldn’t walk, the other boy staid with the injured boy decided to go towards the scream alone. kneeling due to the thick fog. Then he saw the friend who went for a pee is hanging on the edge of the world’s end. He gave his hand at once but the friend couldn’t grab it and fallen off screaming. The boy cried looking at the edge few minutes until he feels some one touches his shoulder. He turned back and stunned seeing the boy who fallen off the cliff few minutes ago. He told the story to the friend, then the friend replied he couldn’t see a thing due to the fog. So he had to stay put. Any how both of them were happy seeing each others. Then they went back to tell the story to the injured boy. But they couldn’t find him. They screamed his name and look for every edge for hours. But they couldn’t find any sign of him from that day. According to the friends the injured boy must have heard the scream after the two boys left him and he decided to follow the noise. They say its not good to visit world’s end odd number of people.

This is the story that came to my mind by that time. I do not get scared very often. I’m not afraid to walk alone in dark. But to be honest I haven’t been this type of a situation before. I couldn’t tell what came to my mind to others because they were already startled. There were no time to waste so we kept walking. Tara said he will take the lead now so I had no choice but be the last because Shashi’s face was filled with dread. Later revealed Thara also didn’t want to be the guy at the end cause we had only one phone to use as light. There were no phone signal so we put airplane mode to save battery. After few more steps we found “Little worlds end” Actually we didn’t no that by the time all we could see was few concrete steps and benches and that’s also dark and gloomy.

Suddenly shashi hit his leg on one concrete step, lost control and went towards the gloomy edge of little worlds end. I saw it very clearly and I wasn’t too far away from him either. I quickly jumped towards him and grabbed his arm. He was in control by that time but he knew how dangerous it could be. We didn’t waste a second to see what happen. We kept walking. Then again we entered a dark route filled with huge trees. Suddenly we felt a smell of a wild animal. We couldn’t identify what it was but it was definitely some thing. Its crazy how the exact stories come in to our minds when we are in some sort of a situation as all of us reminded the videos we watched about Leopard sighting @ Horton Plains. We knew the best thing we could do is keep walking and be loud as we can. Then Shashi started to tell a story about him with a shivering mouth even though I’ve heard the story before I wanted to keep my focus and ask questions once in a while. Thara used to be the slowest while we climb but now we couldn’t keep up with him as he climb and jump over rocks like its nothing. It was raining, muddy, dark and tired but we kept walking at a reasonable pace. Thunders enlightens the path ahead us. only then we realize how large the trees around us. Shashi finished his story and we stopped walking for a second to catch a breath but again we felt that same smell. I picked up a thin branch of a tree and started walking again. Another bad news as thara’s phone battery is coming to an end also now its his time to tell a story.

After few more steps we could see a light like we are approaching towards an open area. Is this the end of the jungle? It gave us comfort after been in the dark for some time. But not for long as we entered the open area a thunder hits enlightening the whole area. Now another bad news, we know how dangerous it could be to stand in an open area while thundering. But to be honest, seeing the end of the jungle cheered us up to walk even faster instead of waiting till the rains stops. Finally we came to the land mark where the two routes in the park divides. Good news guys we made it, all we have to do now is find our tent. hmm guess what we can’t find the path. I wonder why park officers don’t even put a bored or some land mark to find the path to camp sites. Then again they are doing a great job to protect the park from people like Sri lankan travelers :D

We had to go up and down twice the same road but finally we found the path to our camp. Shashi started chanting a Sarpa manthra as he felt like some sort of a snake in the route. Now we can see our tent. Thara sipped over mud for the third time so is shashi. Come on guys few more steps. Then we shouted Lasi and mali’s names and received a warm welcome filled with all the bad words in Sinhala. We could see two Sambar deers neer our tents. But we knew they are harmless. It was muddy and wet inside our tent. Our friends looked immensely relieved once the see us. Then we started telling the story while we take our dinner (Tuna & bread). They were worried about us. specially about shashi. It was freezing cold. We put all of our cloths on which aren’t wet. We zipped up our tent and rain cover. Then in few hours all of us started breathing hard. We thought its because of the cold but we’ve already converted all the oxygen inside the tent to carbon dioxide. Then we open a part of the tent window and some how survived the cold wind. None of us could sleep that night.

Next day morning we made tea and breakfast. Then we started heading back home, took a trishore to get to the railway station for thousand rupees. More bad news as we heard that the train is delayed and will go up until Nanu oya due to a track damage. Some how after all the delays and troubles we manged to come back home around 8.00 pm. Here is the video of our unforgettable experience. Cheers.