Udawattakele Forest Reserve loop, Kandy

From the main entrance of the Royal Forest Park, as OpenStreetMap names the gate, the line climbs the 'Old Road' path into the forest and follows the 'Kodimale Trail' past Kodimale Peak (635 m on OpenStreetMap), about 0.9 km from the start. It then follows the wide forest track north along the reserve, turns at its northern end and comes back by the track OpenStreetMap names 'south railroad' to the entrance. Udawattakele, 'the garden above the royal palace', was a pleasure garden of the Kandyan kings and covers about 104 hectares (Wikipedia).

It is 4.3 km round with 139 m of ascent; allow about 1½ hours, longer to watch the birds and monkeys. The grade is Easy: three quarters of the line is wide track and the rest forest path.

Stay on the paths in the forest. Wikipedia counts about 80 bird species, toque macaques and several snakes including the spectacled cobra, and the FCDO warns of venomous snakes and insects in many parts of the country; do not feed the monkeys. The paths are slippery after rain. The other gates on the reserve's edge carry signs, transcribed on OpenStreetMap, that say 'No entrance. Exit only.'

OpenStreetMap maps a car park at the main entrance, tagged as free, and Asgiriya railway station 600 m away. We found no official page giving the Forest Department's entry charge or opening hours, so ask at the entrance.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.