River wild

by Malini Shankar

Kitulgala's claim to fame rests not only on the high grade rapids for rafting aficionados, but also because The Bridge on the River Kwai was shot here. The thick rainforest offers a limitless bounty for the shutterbug. The Beli-lena caves offer exhilarating trekking opportunities through lush green tea estates and virgin forests. Recent discoveries have confirmed 38 species of birds in these forests and the 28,000-year-old fossil remains of Modern Man in the caves.

The Kelani River rapids range from 2nd to 4th grade. Lush vegetation hides the gurgling waters from the amazing cabanas or log cabins, perched provocatively on the town side of the river in Rafter's Retreat.

Dried coconut palm leaves are thatched to provide privacy to the open air dining area in the neighbouring Plantation Hotel. The thick vertical canopy renders the place naturally air-conditioned and the full moon spills over the rapids lending a new meaning to coconut milk country! Jackfruit and mango trees abound and birds chirp all day and night.

The New Year holidays in Sri Lanka is a chaotic time for serious travel. After an arduous journey lasting nearly five hours to traverse 80 kilometres, with people standing literally on my toes in the bus, I choked when I saw the Rafters Retreat.

Set amidst the rainforests is a rock strewn path that leads to this log cabin - a log cabin or a tree house that is perched precariously over the River. The whole unit is made of wood, stones and other natural raw materials. Except for the toilet bowl and the switch for the lampshade, I could not see another piece of plastic.

What passes for a bathroom is a cave walled by undressed rock and herbal snails as big as my palm are cocooned on the rocks. The 'shower' is a spring of water that literally spouts out of a chiseled piece of rock.

That Kitulgala is used to foreigners, is obvious from the seductive spread of authentic Sri Lankan cuisine. They range from red rice to cabbage and coconut salads, lotus stem curry to okra dishes, all seasoned with generous amounts of grated coconut or coconut milk, coconut sauce, coconut powder, coconut this and coconut that. Sri Lankans even cook white rice in coconut milk - Kiribath is a New Year delicacy worth savouring.

The locale for the movie kept beckoning me to trek that extra kilometre to shoot one more frame of 'that' scene. Whole valleys are swathed in lush green inspiring you no end. This place is guaranteed to wash away your sins and cynicism in eight minutes flat.

As for the rafting, now this is a sinful indulgence indeed. With names like Teaser, Virgin's Breast, Butter Crunch, Killer's Fall, White Quarter, Head Chopper and Rafters' Quarter, the rapids can kill or cure. While Butter Crunch and Killer Fall can be categorised into 4th grade rapids, the rest are only 2nd grade rapids and gently transport you into a lower level of the river.

A novice like me who cannot swim to safety took a violent toss in Killer's Fall and lived to tell the tale. The rafting stretches across seven kilometres and tumbles over seven rapids, lasting about 90 minutes if it's incident free.

The profligacy of this place relies on the exhilarating experiences. After trekking through leech-infested terrain, criss-crossed by laughing brooks through a trail of 20 kilometres of virgin forests, the sight of the Beli-lena cave is overwhelming.

The last stretch of the climb is daunting, soaking you in perspiration yet reviving your spirit completely. And what makes it all worth is the view of the tea estates stretching over the horizon from inside the cave, behind the filmy curtain of a waterfall.

Exercise caution

Insist on a pilot kayak while rafting.

Listen with all concentration to the rafting navigator / commander and practise the safety instructions at least thrice on the placid waters before you set sail.

Make sure one end of the rescue rope is tied to a secure clip at the navigating end of the raft. Do not bother to take your cameras, cell phones and watches... just enjoy.

Insist on getting the resort owner / manager to counter sign the insurance papers in your presence before leaving for the rafting

Getting There

Kitulgala is around 80 Kms from Colombo and can be reached by road only. Easiest is to hire a taxi / van from Colombo. The rates for non-AC taxi ride should not exceed US $ 20. Buses are available but there is no information on regular service or otherwise.

The resorts offer varied packages, all highlight options of white water rafting, and costs range from US$ 30 to US $ 60.