– White Water Rafting on the Kelani River

The Kelani River at Kitulgala offers Grade 2 and 3 rapids through a continuous corridor of tropical forest – a sequence of exciting drops, pools, and churning white water that delivers an experience of physical energy and natural beauty in equal measure. The rafting run is thrilling without being extreme, making it well-suited to adventurous travellers without specialist experience, while still providing enough technical challenge to be genuinely exciting throughout.

– Rainforest Trekking & Waterfall Exploration

After the rafting run, the Kitulgala rainforest offers guided trekking through lowland tropical forest of extraordinary biodiversity – endemic birds calling from the canopy, jungle streams tumbling through boulder fields, and the particular sensory richness of a rainforest environment that has remained largely undisturbed since the landscape was used as a film set in the 1950s. A swim in one of the river’s deep natural pools beneath a waterfall provides a perfect, cool conclusion to the day’s adventure.

– Bridge on the River Kwai Historic Filming Location

Kitulgala is internationally known as the location where David Lean filmed the 1957 Academy Award-winning classic The Bridge on the River Kwai – the foundations of the original film set bridge are still visible in the river, and floating past them on the rafting run provides a fascinating cinematic reference point to an already dramatic natural setting. Your guide’s storytelling about the film and the location adds a layer of cultural history to what is already a day of outstanding natural adventure.