Manigala Rock

"One of the best place i have ever been. Path for the peak is pleasure to the eyes.
You need to go to Etanwala village 1st and then you need to get a ticket for entering. for locals it's (125LKR - 08/08/2025).
Then you can start the climb. That path fully cover from trees and thats one of the most beautiful thing you can see. hike is about 1.5h. then you can reach to the top. heavy wind was there at the top. for the entire journey i dont see a single plastic any thing that harm to the nature. Please help to keep that clean and leave only the footprints.
❤️🥰"

Rajitha Lakshan

"Manigala: The Natural Clock of Dumbara 🌿🍃🍁

🗻 There’s no need to emphasize the scenic beauty of the Knuckles mountain range – it's already well known. Almost everyone who travels to Matale for a holiday ends up visiting Riverston. But amidst this popular route, a hidden gem often goes unnoticed – Manigala.

🗻 Anyone who's been to Riverston has likely seen this massive mountain from afar, known as Manigala. It’s that giant rocky mountain you see when you look back towards the entrance from Pitawala Pathana. To reach Manigala, you must first travel by vehicle from Mahalakotuwa to Etanwala village. On the way, don’t forget to stop by the beautiful Veddha Pini Ella waterfall.

🗻 Etanwala is the last inhabited village before reaching Manigala. Beyond that, it’s all wilderness. Interestingly, there used to be one more small village within the forest called Walpolamulla. However, due to frequent conflicts with wild elephants that roam in search of food during dry seasons (coming from Wasgamuwa National Park), Walpolamulla is now only a name – abandoned and forgotten.

🗻 There are two routes to Etanwala. If you’re coming from Matale, you can either take the southern route after Pitawala Pathana or continue past Pitawala and head toward Laggal via the Mahalakotuwa road. Once you reach Etanwala, ask a local for directions to the trailhead of the hike. You can leave your vehicle at one of the nearby houses and start the hike on foot.

Along the trail, you'll pass a Forest Department office, where you need to buy a ticket. The ticket allows access to both Walpolamulla and Manigala. It costs around Rs. 125 per person, and you’re advised to return before evening. Camping is not allowed on Manigala. After passing the office, a bit further along you’ll reach a junction – turn left for Manigala and right for Walpolamulla. At the next fork on the Manigala trail, take the left path again. It takes about an hour to reach the summit.

🗻 The summit is mostly rocky with only a thin layer of soil, which makes it hard for large trees to grow. You’ll find smaller plants like karamba, heenbovitiya, and dumbara danga scattered around.

🗻 Though it’s called a mountain, Manigala is more of a ridge. Once you climb one peak, another appears ahead – like Ath Ollu Kanda, a neighboring peak. The summit of Manigala is flat, and as you continue along the ridge, a path through the forest takes you to Ath Ollu Kanda, which offers a panoramic view of the entire Manigala ridge.

🗻 The name “Manigala” also comes with a fascinating legend. Long ago, Tamil laborers working in the Riverston estates used this rock to tell the time. At exactly 4:30 PM, sunlight hits a natural rectangular opening in the rock, casting a distinct shadow. The workers would use this shadow to know the time. In Tamil, the word for time is “mani”, and the rock used to tell time was called “mani-gala” (gala = rock in Sinhala). Over time, the name evolved into Manigala.

🗻 From the summit, you can see Patanegala, Bata Anduwa Kapolla (Riverston), Kirimetiyawa Kanda, Yakunnugala, and all the way through Gombaniya and the main Knuckles range towards Ududumbara. Looking north, you can see the flatlands of Dambulla and Sigiriya, and to the northwest, the Karagahathenna area. To the south, you’ll spot Gombaniya, Knuckles, and Kirigalpoththa. To the east, the stunning Thunhisgala mountain stands out, surrounded by Wannimana, Lakegala, and Labulessapathana. Below, you’ll see the lush paddy fields of Etanwala and Rathninda.

🗻 Truly, Manigala is a breathtaking place – not just for the views, but to immerse yourself in the beauty of unspoiled nature. So next time you plan a trip to Riverston, don’t forget to visit Manigala!"

harendra meththasinghe

"amazing place to hike.there is no any risk.but lots of leeches are on the top and also in trekking path.remember to take plenty of water in your backpack"

Saminda Peiris