Ritigala: Walking the Forest Monastery
Easy · Anuradhapura District · North Central Province
Ritigala is the highest mountain in northern Sri Lanka, 766 m, rising about 600 m out of the dry-zone plains. On its eastern slope lie the ruins of a forest monastery dating from the first century BCE, reached by an ancient stone path through the jungle. The rest of the mountain, including the summit, is a Strict Nature Reserve and is closed to the public.
What you’ll walk through
Visitors walk a stone path about 1.5 m wide that winds uphill through the forest, with three circular rest platforms along the way. It passes about fifty raised double platforms joined by stone bridges, the monastery hospital with its grinding stones and medicinal bath, and the ancient Banda Pokuna reservoir near the entrance. The monastery was expanded under King Sena I in the ninth century.
Stay on the archaeological path: the forest beyond it is a Strict Nature Reserve. Wild elephants live in the area.
Access & permits
The monastery ruins are open to visitors under the Department of Archaeology. The rest of the mountain is the Ritigala Strict Nature Reserve (declared 1941), managed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and needs prior permission. We could not confirm the current entry fee from an official source.
On the map
Pin 1 is Ritigala. The others are the nearest places in our trail directory.
- Ritigala: Summit reserve; the monastery ruins are on the eastern slope.
- Pidurangala Rock: Trail guide: the view of Sigiriya. About 20 km away.
- Sigiriya: The Lion Rock fortress. About 20 km away.
- Dambulla Cave Temple: The five painted caves. About 28 km away.
Key landmarks & features
- Banda Pokuna - The ancient reservoir near the entrance.
- The stone path - About 1.5 m wide, with three circular rest platforms.
- Double platforms - About fifty raised twin platforms joined by stone bridges.
- Monastery hospital - Ruins with grinding stones and a stone medicinal bath.
When to go
Mornings, before the dry-zone heat.
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