When showing my Sri Lanka pictures to friends & family, Sinharaja tends to impress the most, especially for kids. While we didn't venture too deep into the jungle, we still saw plenty of amazing wildlife. A chameleon, flesh eating fish, a poisonous snake, a centipede, ... Sinharaja, even on its outskirts, is full of life.

We entered from the South (Lankagama) and hiked up a set of cascades. After a few meters, the trail turned pretty rough. We were happy to have a ranger accompany us to show us the wildlife and help with the hike.

There is a price to pay though: leeches. It was my first encounter, and I did not know what to expect. I assumed thick socks would shield me. They don't. These suckers are surprisingly competent at getting under multiple layers of clothing for a snack. They also felt like going for a road trip as I removed two of them after we were already back in the car.

Seeing it's been more than 10 years since the last review was written, some comments on past reviews:

• Betty: The ticket booth at Lankagama was staffed. We had no issues paying and getting a ranger. Personally, I don't think it makes sense to enter the jungle without a ranger to guide you. Skipping the ticket booth is rarely popular with locals, so maybe wait next time.

• Allison: You must have entered at the other Southern entry. In Lankagama, you park directly at the ticket booth and trailhead. The road from Galle has improved since your visit, supposedly the president's brother has a hotel nearby and the street was refurbished.

• Prabodha: Prices have increased, but discriminatory pricing for foreigners remains. Still, it's not an expensive visit, especially compared to the sites of the cultural triangle.

• Solivagant: Not just for Sri Lankans, also for medium seasoned WHS travellers like me Sinhajara is a treat. It didn't take much effort to experience the wildlife. The logistics aren't as complicated today as they seem to have been during your visit. We easily managed to do this as a stopover from Galle to Udawalawe. Others go as daytrip from Galle.

Getting There

In total, there are four entries to the Forest Reserve. The most relevant are Lankagama (South) and Kudawa (North). If you are doing a daytrip from Galle or a loop between Galle and Kandy/Nuwara Eliya/Ella, Lankagama is the best stop. You will likely need a driver to get there.

We arrived with our driver from Galle in the morning and left for Udawalawa in the evening. Along the way we stopped at Neluwa Doowili Ella Falls and I think that's already in the Forest Reserve. The road to Udawalawa runs along the Forest Reserve borders and we got great view of the changing scenery and the mountain peaks in the back. I even think we saw Adam's peak in the distance.

Getting In

You will need to pay and take a ranger. There is too much, potentially dangerous, wildlife that you would otherwise miss. And the trails are really rough and need experience. Last but not least, they know how to handle leeches and they have salt water on hand.