Buluthota Pass

The A17 highway is a road that connects the town of Madampe with the city of Galle. Winding its way through the Sabaragamuwa mountain range and skirting the Sinharaja forest reserve this a very scenic drive with plenty of photo opportunities.

While the central hills are well known for scenic panoramas, a lesser known fact is that similar vistas can be enjoyed in the Sabaragamuwa hills and the A17 highway is an easy way to experience this. The word highway is a bit of a misnomer since for the most part this is a single lane road winding its way through hills and forest stretches.

The Buluthota Pass is a winding stretch of road with 10 hairpin bends that climbs through the mountains between the towns of Rakwana and Suriyakanda. While the 18 hairpin bends at Mahiyangana are better known, the Buluthota pass offers equally beautiful scenery with the added benefit of having it all to your self - very few vehicles use the stretch between the towns of Rakwana and Deniyaya.

(Image taken from Google Maps)

Rakwana town with the Galdola waterfall in the background

The A17 highway - a single lane road with hardly any vehicles

Roadside beauty

Estates and plantations are found along the road interrupted by forest patches and waterfalls

Each of the 10 hair pin bends are sign posted

One of the hairpin bends on the Buluthota pass

Another roadside beauty

Small waterfalls like this one are abundant on this road

Another hairpin bend

No this is not the central hills, this is in Sabragamuwa

Scenic roadway

Entering Sooriyakanda

Nature rules!