Namunukula: Hiking the Nine Peaks
Moderate · 3-4 hours · Badulla District · Uva Province
Namunukula means "nine peaks", and its highest summit reaches 2,036 m, making it the tallest mountain in Uva outside the central massif. It stands so clear of the land around it that Zheng He's fleet used it as a landmark in the fifteenth century: the first sight of Sri Lanka on the voyage from Sumatra.
What you’ll walk through
Several routes lead up. The most direct leaves the Spring Valley-Passara road (B97) near the pass. A longer route starts at Memale village and takes about four hours up. The routes climb through tea estates before reaching wilder ground on the upper slopes, and camping on the range is popular.
Trailheads here are not signposted. Walk with a guide or a GPS track.
Access & permits
We found no permit requirement or fee.
On the map
Pin 1 is Namunukula. The others are the nearest places in our trail directory.
- Namunukula: The nine peaks, 2,036 m at the top.
- Nine Arch Bridge: The railway viaduct near Ella. About 9 km away.
- Little Adam's Peak: Trail guide: the gentle climb. About 9 km away.
- Dunhinda Falls: The 64 m falls near Badulla. About 11 km away.
Key landmarks & features
- Spring Valley - The tea-estate village on the B97 approach.
- Spring Valley-Passara pass - The most direct trailhead.
- Memale village - The start of the longer route.
- Tea estates - The lower half of every route.
- The nine summits - The peaks the range is named for.
When to go
Start early; cloud often covers the summit by midday.
Walk it with Hike Lanka
You can take this as a guided day trip, link it with nearby destinations into a multi-day trek, or build it into a custom Sri Lanka hiking itinerary. We handle transport, permits and the logistics; you walk.
Nearby in the directory
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