Located within a strict nature reserve just 10km away form the picturesque Nuwara Eliya town, the Hakgala botanical garden was once a Cinchona plantation. The name Hakgala or “Jaw Rock” comes from the story in the epic Ramayana in which the Monkey God takes back a part of the mountainside in his jaw when asked by Rama to seek out a special herb! This delightful garden is now famous for its roses. There are monkeys here which are quite used to visitors. The different sections covering the hillside include a plant house, Japanese garden, wild orchid collection, old tea trails, arboretum, fruit garden, and oaks. Also famous for the interesting birdlife, Hakgala Gardens is home to birds like the Sri Lanka woodpigeon, bar-winged flycatcher-shrike, black bulbul, Sri Lanka whistling thrush, Sri Lanka bush warbler, dull-blue flycatcher and the Sri Lanka white-eye.

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