Article by Nisal Jayasinghe, Meth Samarasinghe & Menash Welihinda (Grade 5) The day dawned bright on 11th October 2025. We, the eager members of the Grade 5 Nature Club, woke up early, ready for our long-awaited annual excursion to Kitulgala. We arrived at school by 5.30 a.m., packed our bags into the school coaster, and greeted our friends and teachers. The air was filled with excitement as we set off on our journey. On the way, we passed Gampola, Nawalapitiya, and Ginigathhena, enjoying the scenery and chatting happily on the bus. After about two hours, we arrived at Kitulgala and checked in at Rafter’s Retreat, a peaceful place surrounded by green hills and the sounds of nature. We had breakfast in the dining area and enjoyed some refreshing orange juice before setting off to explore. Our first adventure took us into the Makandawa Forest Reserve. Carrying our small string bags, we walked for about ten minutes until we reached the Kelani River. It was wide and calm, glistening in the morning light. Crossing it by ferry was both exciting and a little scary for some, but our teachers made sure we wore life jackets for safety. On the other side, we spotted some fruits called “Pini Jammbu” before climbing a set of steps leading into the forest. The forest was alive with birdsong. We saw many species, including the Pale-billed Flowerpecker, Alexandrine Parakeet, White-breasted Kingfisher, Red-vented Bulbul, Yellow-browed Bulbul, Magpie Robin, Honey Buzzard, Scimitar Babbler, and Yellow Wagtail. The highlights were spotting the Red-faced Malkoha and the Malabar Trogon—rare and colourful birds we were lucky to see. The Spot-winged Thrush sang melodiously as we passed through. After a few hours of walking and birdwatching, we stopped by a large stream to enjoy brownies baked by our teacher. When the sky began to turn grey, we returned to Rafter’s Retreat. The rooms were built with wood, and one even had a tree in the middle, just like a real treehouse. We had lunch, rested for a while, and later went on a short walk through the nearby village. That evening, we saw more birds and returned for a discussion with Dr Harsha Ariyaratne, who asked us interesting questions about the birds we had seen, such as whether they were endemic to Sri Lanka. We noted down our observations and shared what we had learnt. Dinner was delicious—rice, soup, bread, and many other dishes. Afterwards, we brushed our teeth, changed into our pyjamas, and Indu teacher made sure everyone took their medicine before bed. We fell asleep thinking about the forest, the birds, and all the fun we’d had. The next morning, we were up by 4.30 a.m. We got ready quickly, brushed our teeth, and packed our breakfast to eat on the way. Then we hopped into a truck and began our journey to the Ampana mountain area for more birdwatching. The ride was bumpy and fun, especially when we went over speed bumps! At the base, we began to climb. On the way up, we saw waterfalls, streams, and several kinds of birds. From the top, we had a breathtaking view of Adam’s Peak rising above the clouds. We sat on the rocks and enjoyed our breakfast while taking in the view. Later, we walked in the opposite direction, resting near a large fallen tree. On our way down, we found some freshwater crabs in a clear stream and crossed a bridge where Dr Ariyaratne asked us to wait quietly in hopes of spotting the Whistling Thrush (Aranga). We waited patiently for about half an hour, but the shy bird didn’t appear, so we returned to the truck and headed back to the hotel. After changing into our Trinity College shirts, we packed our bags and walked around the garden, tasting some Lovi fruits before lunch. The meal was delicious—fried rice, chicken, papadum, chutney, and jelly for dessert. Finally, it was time to say goodbye to Mr Channa Perera, the owner of Rafter’s Retreat, and his kind staff who had taken such good care of us. This overnight excursion to Kitulgala has been an annual event for the past three years, and we are deeply grateful to Mr Channa Perera, who has warmly hosted us each year at Rafter’s Retreat for a nominal fee. His generosity has made this learning experience truly special. We are also thankful to Dr Harsha Ariyaratne, the founder of the Junior School Nature Club, for sharing his knowledge of nature, especially on birds. As we boarded the bus back to school, we couldn’t stop talking about everything we had seen and learnt. We arrived at Trinity College, Kandy, around 5.00 p.m., full of wonderful memories. The trip to Kitulgala was one of the best experiences we have ever had, and we can’t wait for our next adventure with the Nature Club.
