Deep in the island's last rainforest sanctuary, endemic birds call through misty canopy

while rare purple-faced langurs swing overhead and the air fills with the calls of Sri Lanka blue magpies and red-faced malkohas found nowhere else on earth. Sinharaja's ancient trees tower overhead, creating a cathedral of green where sunlight filters through layers of leaves and epiphytes,

while guided walks reveal medicinal plants still used in traditional ayurvedic medicine and insects that seem designed by nature's most imaginative artist. Nearby, white-water rapids tumble through jungle. The Kelani River carves through pristine forest and traditional villages cling to steep banks above the rushing water, ideal for adventurous families.