The Ritigala Nature Reserve is a beautiful unexplored thick forest situated right in the midst of the dry zone found just off the Anuradhapura-Habarana road. Rising 600m above the surrounding plains, Ritigala is the highest peak in the entire area and enjoys it’s own micro-climate with relatively more rainfall and a cooler climate than the rest of north central part of Sri Lanka. The area rich in unusual plants and herbs is associated with the Ramayana story in which Hanuman dropped a section of herb covered Himalaya here. Wildlife includes elephants, sloth bear, leopard and varied bird life like the Sri Lanka spurfowl, Sri Lanka junglefowl, malabar hornbills and the spot-winged thrush. Deep inside the reserve you will find partially excavated ruins of an extensive Buddhist monastery which is a popular archaeological site. There are many natural caves on the mountain slopes, some quite large in which priests would meditate. Brahmi inscriptions here date the site from the second and third centuries BC. This mysterious and exciting remote site in the jungle is definitely worth visiting, especially for those who like to venture off-the-beaten path.

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