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Horton Plains National Park. Author Prasadtharanga.

Top 10 Intriguing Facts about Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka

Horton Plains National Park is a famous national park located in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. The national park was designated in 1988.

It is located at an elevation of around two thousand one hundred to two thousand three hundred metres. Horton Plains National Park entails montane grassland and cloud forest.

This park is rich in biodiversity and many species found here are endemic to the region where it is located. Horton Plains National Park is a popular tourist destination.

It is situated around eight kilometres from Ohiya and six kilometres away from the world-famous Ohiya Gap/Dondra Watch. Horton was not the original name for this national park.

It was originally known as Maha Eliya Thenna. However, it was later on changed during the British period as they were named after Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton.

The British governor of Ceylon from 1831 to 1837 had visited the area then it was later on renamed after him. Horton Plains National Park is rich in history as several other historic artefacts were found in this region.

The park is rich in fauna that attracts tourists who come to this area. But there were threats to this park which were later on resolved.

Here are the top 10 Intriguing Facts about Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka:

1. The Park was Renamed after A British Governor

Horton Plains National Park was not the original name for this place. It was originally known as Maha Eliya Thenna which means the great open plain.

However, during the reign of the British, the plains were renamed after Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton. Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton was the British governor of Ceylon from 1831 to 1837.

The governor had travelled to the area to meet the Ratemahatmaya of Sabaragamuwa in 1836. In 1834, the plateau was discovered by Lt William Fisher and Lt Albert Watson.

2. Stone Age Tools were Found at the Park

Horton Plains National Park. Author Sameera Withanage.

Sri Lanka has a long non-written history that is interesting to learn about. Horton Plains National Park holds some history of Sri Lanka which has been preserved well.

Stone age tools were found in Horton Plains National Park. These tools dated from the Balangoda culture were found in the park.

The Balangoda culture dated back to the Balangoda man period. They refer to hominins from Sri Lanka’s late Quaternary period.

3. Local Population used to Mine Gems and Other Minerals in this Area

Horton Plains National Park has always been of great importance since it was inhabited by people. There was a local population who used to reside in this area before a national park was established.

During their time, these locals resided on the lowlands and ascended to the mountains to mine gems, extract iron ore, construct an irrigational canal and fell trees for timber.

4. There are Unique Rocks and Soil in the Park

Every national park has unique structures and features. Horton Plains National Park is unique with its terrain and soil.

There are unique rocks and soil found in the park. The rocks at the park belong to the Archaean age and belong to the high series of the Precambrian era.

These rocks are made of Khondalites, Charnockites and granite gneisses. The soil in the park is of the red-yellow podsolic group. The surface layer is largely covered with decayed organic matter.

5. Horton Park has a Sheer Drop known as World’s End

Horton Plains National Park has several other unique features which do attract thousands of tourists yearly. There are several cliffs that tourists like passing their time at by watching the beauty of the scenes.

The famous cliff drop is the World’s End. World’s End is a sheer precipice with an eight hundred and seventy drop.

The precipice is situated at the southern boundary of Horton Plains National Park. Another unique cliff is known as the Lesser World’s End. This is a two hundred and seventy metres drop located not far from the World’s End.

6. A Waterfall Named after a Famous Explorer is at the Park

Horton Plains National Park waterfall. Author Tharaka13705.

There are more scenic views at Horton Plains National Park other than the drops. There is a waterfall formed by Belihul Oya which is a tributary of the Walawe River.

This waterfall is known as Baker’s Falls named after Sir Samuel Baker. Sir Samuel Baker was a hunter and explorer who attempted to establish a European agricultural settlement at Nuwara Eliya.

The waterfall is twenty metres high. There are other waterfalls too at the Horton Plains National Park.

The Slab Rock Falls is another waterfall in the plains. It can be reached by walking on one of the main trails.

7. Horton Plains National Park is a Popular Tourist Destination

There are several tourist attraction sites in Sri Lanka. Horton Plains National Park is among the popular tourist destination in Sri Lanka.

At the park, World’s End drop is the key attraction site that thousands of tourists spend more time at. Being a major tourist attraction site, more revenue has been collected here. In August 2009, the park earned a total revenue of US$0.17 million.

8. There are Nearly 750 Species of Flora in the Park

Horton. Plains National Park. Author Kalindu Kaveeshwara.

Horton Plains National Park comprises various types of Flora and Fauna. The Flora of Horton Plains National Park is amazing.

There are nearly seven hundred and fifty species of plants belonging to twenty families. The canopy of the forest reaches about a height of twenty metres. It features Calophyllum walkeri and other communities of Flora.

9. The Park has a Wide Range of Fauna with the Sambar Deer being a Popular

Horton Plains National Park is renowned for its fauna. The vertebrate fauna in the park includes twenty-four species of mammals, eighty-seven species of birds, nine species of reptiles and eight species of amphibians.

The most common mammal found in the park is the Sambar deer. There is no population of elephants in this park as they disappeared in the region in the 1940s.

10. Horton Park is the Headwater of Three Major Rivers

Belihul Oya River is seen from Campsite No. 2 at Horton Plains National Park. Author Suneendra A.

Other than being an important tourist attraction site, Horton Plains National Park is also important to the environment. The Plains are the headwaters of three major Sri Lankan rivers.

These rivers include Mahaweli, Kelani and Walawe. The rivers provide water for the flora and fauna within the national park.