Horagolla Nation Park
Date – 27th July 2014 (Half a day is ideal if you go with the family. It takes only 2 ½ to cover the whole park-ordinary visit).
Crew – Family
Horagolla National Park, a place I desire to visit but postponed simply because of the proximity. It is only 25km away from Ganemulla and can be reached either from Nittabuwa side on Kandy road or from Veyangoda side on Udugampola-Naiwala-Veyangoda Road.
We left home at around 1 p:
m: and bought lunch packets from famous “Pol Athu Bath Kade” in Nittabuwa. Park
is siuated at Pinnagolla Junction on Nittabuwa-Veyangoda Road. This area is
somewhat residence. Vehicles can’t be entered to the park; therefore parked in
a bare land nearby the park entrance and informed a neighbor, seem to be
friendly people.
There is a passage (Adi
Para) to enter the park and Horagolla wewa, a community built reservoir is
there to welcome you. Tickets/passes can be obtained from Wild Life
Conservation Office at the entrance; tickets are issued manually, which takes
little long time. (According to officers; other parks issue computerized
tickets/passes). If you requested, a guide is accompanied otherwise park can be
visited along. Foot paths in the park are paved with stones and clearly guided
by numbering to cover the whole area. There are about 33 acres in the whole
park area.
According to facts I
found from the web as well as from Wild Life Officers; this park was donated by
the Bandaranayake Family in 1973 and declared as wild life sanctuary. Later in
2004, this park was uplifted as a national park.
It was after long time I
entered into a jungle and I was thrilled. Everybody enjoyed the nature. As this
place called “Horagolla”, there were abundance of Hora trees scatted in the whole
park. Tall trees cover the overhead and keep the most wanted darkness in the
forest. (No or less sunlight in the ground, Netha is the happiest person among
us….)There you can find benches inside the forest, which provide accommodation to
tired visitors.
According to web articles; this place is rich of bio-diversity and thereby full of flora and fauna. Other than Hora; we saw Kithul, Godapara, Milla, Mara, Pah Kala, Kakuna, Nedun, Atamba, Ruk Attana, and Moonamal. But we’ve not seen much animals, Gollubella was the most common and noted a Butterfly, lizard and a monitor lizard in the park. However there were several bird noises were heard but not seen any of them probably due to our disturbances. A bird nest was seen with eggs inside but couldn’t recognize the owner. One end of the park is separated to grow some Mana and illuk grass and they maintain a breeding center for Stunted Deer (Olu Muwa).
At the end of walk, there is a summer hut in the Horagolla wewa to take a rest. There is Small animal museum and a center for treat injured animal near by the Wild Life office, where some Animal Skulls and a crocodile skin are seen and Animal brought for treatment can also be visited.
Special reasons to visit Horagolla National Park:-
- Smallest/lower country evergreen forest protected by Wild Life Conservation Department.
- Bio Diversity of the Park
- Proximity to Colombo and Suburbs
- Place to relax in tranquilly and enjoy greenery
- Place to get an Idea about a forest; specially for children
- Good place to study, research and photography
Here can be found more pics
about our visit:-
Horagolla National Park Video:-
