Besides the popularity Ambuluwawa Tower has acquired in recent times, the unique experience it gives makes it a very appealing travel destination. A trip to Ambuluwawa is quite a different experience than what one would usually get from a trip. You will be able to have the taste of hiking, pilgrimage, and road trips combined.

Thus, the experience is the epitome of adventure, thrill, and relaxation. A bright day, or at least rain-free weather is essential to get the best out of one’s trip to Ambuluwawa.

Weather In Ambuluwawa Premises In General

While a tropical climate is experienced at the Ambuluwawa, you should not expect to see a clear sky throughout the year in Ambuluwawa. Gampola generally has a warm climate, but rain can also be experienced for most of the year.  The weather is generally overcast, meaning that the skies can be cloudy and the setting gloomy.

Hence, if you expect to have a relatively easy climb to the top of the Ambuluwawa Tower avoiding rain and mist, and capturing the most picturesque views, it is necessary to be extra cautious of the period one visits Ambuluwawa.

It would be ideal to visit Ambuluwawa from mid-December to mid-March, as the climate would be warm and rain-free, making it easy to climb the tower and capture the breathtaking views from the top, with ideal natural lighting.

Although generally the weather is cloudy, a clearer sky can be experienced from December to early April. It would be ideal to visit Ambuluwawa in February when the skies are clearest and to avoid May to July when heavy rains and the cloudiest and gloomiest days of the year are experienced.

Since rainfall makes it hard to climb the tower and to capture the beauty of the view from up, it is best to avoid the rainy season, especially in May and November.

Tourists prefer the period from mid-December to mid-March, and again from mid-June to mid-September.

The windier period in Gampola is from May to October, the windiest month being June. It is less windy from October to May. While wind would not necessarily affect one’s trip, it may be wise to avoid periods of heavy wind since the road may be blocked by fallen trees. However, it would be a thrilling experience to climb the tower during a windy period although caution should be exercised.

Even during rainy periods, it is possible to visit the location although rain may be experienced from time to time throughout the day. (Consequently, the climb may be slightly more difficult). There are periods when rain is not heavy, such as from mid-March to mid-April and from mid-September to mid-October.

It should be noted that it is not possible to carry an umbrella when climbing the tower, as the steps keep narrowing in size as one reaches the top. Further, extreme caution is to be exercised if one expects to climb the tower when it is raining as the steps would get slippery.

Things To Do In Ambuluwawa

Hike to the top of the hill

Even if one has a fear of heights and does not wish to climb the tower when one reaches the location, there are other activities that one can engage in. Firstly, climbing the hill to reach Ambuluwawa Tower in itself is an enjoyable hike. It is not a dangerous hike even for starters as the road is well paved and carpeted. One can always get back down and get a taxi to go up if one gets tired halfway and does not want to climb up the hill on foot. The full journey uphill, if one walks, would take only about an hour.

More info ( Is Ambuluwawa Tower Worth Visiting? ): https://ambuluwawa.com/is-ambuluwawa-tower-worth-visiting/

Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex

Ambuluwawa biodiversity complex is home to a sundry of plants and is considered the fourth botanical garden in Sri Lanka.

The climb uphill from the entrance gives an amazing view, and one can observe diverse flora on the way, on either side of the path, and also on the slope running down. It is said that many plants endemic to the island are found in Ambuluwawa. Climbing up and observing plants and habitats can truly be a memorable experience for a nature lover.

Going Up The Tower

Once the top of the hill is reached, the tower can be found. Climbing the tower is challenging as the staircase is spiral and gets narrower towards the top. There is barely enough space for the movement of two passers-by towards the top of the tower. The top of the tower gives an amazing view since the tower is located at the top of the mountain peak, and there are no mountains in the vicinity obstructing the view. The tower has several viewing platforms for the climbers to enjoy a breathtaking view as they climb up. A 360-degree view can be enjoyed on a clear day.

Multi-religious Centre

You can see a Buddhist Temple, a Hindu Temple, a Church, and a Mosque at the location. Devotees of all these main religions of the island can visit the religious places as they visit Ambuluwawa.

‘Siri pathula’ (the imprint of the foot of Lord Buddha) and moonstones are significant religion-related signs that can be watched at the location.

A special tree branch from Sri Maha Bodhi (sacred Bo tree) which is situated in Anuradhapura has been planted in Ambuluwawa premises. It has first been taken to Myanmar, then to Thailand, and back to Sri Lanka. The branch was then kept at the Temple Of The Tooth Relic for one week for religious processions and then planted in Ambuluwawa. The tree not only adds a religious value to the location but also creates a tranquil air.

One can also find a Samadhi Buddha Statue within the premises. As Ambuluwawa was a temple formerly before being developed by the then Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne to promote tourism and multi-religious co-existence, many of the religious symbols are those that relate to Buddhist Temples.

Other Attractions of the Place

Besides the main attractions of the location, several other structures have been built as attractions at the place. Ambuluwawa Wewa (reservoir tank), Jaya Wewa (reservoir tank) and twin ponds manifest the richness of natural resources surrounding the area.

Several other structures have been built in the garden area such as summer huts, children’s park, viewing platforms, and Thaarakaa Mandiraya (a structure shaped like a star onto which one can climb and get a view of the surroundings).

Moving further from Ambuluwawa

One should not be disheartened even if one’s visit to Ambuluwawa becomes a complete flop. Gampola town is less than an hour’s drive to Kandy where one would find ample places to visit. The famous Temple of the Tooth and the Kandy Lake are in the vicinity. Or else, you can visit Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, or the new Prisons Complex for relaxation. If you feel like having a shopping spree as a mood booster, you can easily visit Kandy City Centre (KCC Shopping Complex).