Peak Wilderness Sanctuary

The Peak Wilderness Sanctuary expands across 22,379 hectares in the wet zone of Sri Lanka and is home to a large extent of mostly intact forests. Declared as a sanctuary in 1940, this eco system provides refuge to a large amount of endemic biodiversity making it one of Sri Lanka’s most important conservation areas. It is also significant as the sanctuary that supports the last remnant wet zone elephant population in the country following its separation from the lowland forests. This separation caused by deforestation has isolated an estimated number of 30 – 50 elephants, a population size that allows the viability of the species, in the mountainous high elevations of the peak wilderness forests.

The sanctuary also holds a spiritual and cultural value as all the foot paths to Adams Peak falls across the forests. The journey to Adams Peak is one of the most revered pilgrimages in Sri Lanka and is graced by thousands annually. This strenuous climb begins in the wet evergreen habitat of the sanctuary and ends amidst the montane forests in the region providing a perfect opportunity to observe some of the most unique high altitudinal birds in the bioregion.