Horton Plains National Park & World’s End Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Local transport

Taxi

If you don’t feel like walking up the road to the park entrance, there is often a taxi waiting at the Ohiya train station. From there, getting to Farr Inn (40 minutes one way) should cost about Rs 1000 return, including waiting time.

It takes about 1½ hours to get from Haputale to Farr Inn by road (Rs 1800 return). From Ohiya the road rises in twists and turns through forest before emerging on the open plains. It’s a pleasant journey and on the way through the forest you may catch sight of monkeys.

You can also drive to Farr Inn from Nuwara Eliya, a trip taking about 1½ hours one way (around Rs 1800 by taxi).

There is a 4WD road that goes past the Bambarakanda Falls (the road signposted on the main road between Haputale and Belihul Oya) and emerges near Ohiya train station. It’s pretty rough and would probably be impassable in wet weather.

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Land

Train & foot

Given that the mist comes down at World’s End at around 10am, you’ll want to get there by at least 9.30am. You can walk to World’s End, but it’s a 30kmround trip from Ohiya with some steep ascents – it’s for serious hikers only. Theoretically it would be possible to catch a night train to Ohiya and start the walk in the early hours, but as the trains are often delayed you risk walking 15km up to World’s End only to find the clouds have rolled in. It would be better to arrive in Ohiya the day before if you really want to do the walk. The walk from Ohiya to Farr Inn is 11.2km, or 2½ to 3½ hours, along the road – you’ll need a torch if you do it at night. Then you’ve got another 1½ hours to World’s End. It’s a slog but it is doable. You’ll need about two hours for the walk back down towards Ohiya. You’ll sleep well after you’ve finished the walk.

You could also catch a taxi from Ohiya train station to Farr Inn.

The trip up the main road is a pretty walk with great views and you can be sure you won’t get lost. Near the 27km post you’ll find a toilet block.

Keen walkers can also strike out for Farr Inn from Pattipola, the next train station north of Ohiya (a walk of about 10km along a 4WD track), or from Bambarakanda Falls, about four hours downhill from the plains. To make this a longer two-day hike, start from Haputale.

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