Kegalle

The bustling district capital set in green, hilly country between Colombo and Kandy, a handy base for rock hikes, ancient temples and the surrounding elephant attractions.

Overview

Kegalle is the capital of the Kegalle District in Sabaragamuwa Province, a busy market town spread through hills and rubber and spice country on the main Colombo-Kandy road. Overlooked by the forested Kurulu Kele reserve and a landmark clock tower, the town itself is more a working hub than a sightseeing stop, but it makes a convenient base for the surrounding attractions: the flat-topped Bible Rock, the bandit hideout of Utuwankanda, the ancient stupa at Dedigama and the elephants of nearby Pinnawala.

History

Kegalle grew as a staging post on the historic route linking the coast with the Kandyan highlands, and the surrounding district saw fierce resistance during the colonial period, most famously by the outlaw Utuwankande Sura Saradiel in the mid-19th century. Under British rule the area became an important rubber- and tea-growing region, and the town developed as the administrative centre of the district.