Accommodation

We were based in a rented house in Matale, a town which otherwise has virtually no tourist accommodation. However a large new hotel is currently being built. Matale is quite convenient for Riverston and the Elkaduwa area, as it’s quite quick and easy to get out of the town and start gaining height into the hills.

These are some other possibilities by area. I’ve mainly listed places that I’ve actually seen while I’ve been exploring, though I haven’t visited most of them (I didn’t have the time and money to eat or stay everywhere in the Knuckles!).

Riverston

There are a number of small guest houses about halfway between Rattota and the top of the climb to Riverston. There seems to be a fair amount of building going on here, so the options are expanding. I saw two groups of walkers on the road, so people are starting to explore.

Over the top of the Riverston climb and actually in the Knuckles conservation area is Sir John’s Bungalow. This is a well-established place to stay, which used to be the holiday home of Sri Lanka’s third Prime Minister. He had good taste.

Elkaduwa

The only big hotel in the whole Knuckles area is Hunas Falls, not far from Elkaduwa. We had lunch there one day (I wasn’t in sweaty cycling kit, we went by tuk-tuk from Matale). It’s quiet and secluded and looks good.

Not far away is a boutique style tea estate bungalow on the Ashburnham Estate. Between Wattegama and Elkaduwa there are a few small guesthouses.

Huluganga Valley

A place I actually stayed at was the Knuckles Plantation Bungalow, almost literally in the shadow of Knuckles peak. There are a couple of other bungalows nearby, but they seem to be self-catering, so you’d need to turn up with food and maybe a cook.

A few km South is Rangala House, which seems well recommended on Trip Advisor and would be a good base for a cyclist. They also claim to have bikes available to borrow so this is an option for one or two shorter rides.

On the other side of the valley (and quite some distance by road) is Madulkelle Tea and Eco Lodge, perched on a steep hillside. Further South and much lower down is the Kandy Samadhi Centre.

South and East

Options are more limited here. There’s the Victoria Golf and Country Resort near Digana, which is on the banks of the Victoria Reservoir. It’s a nice area - even if you don’t play golf - but it’s a bit of a distance to get into the hills. They do have some basic mountain bikes for hire and have tried to develop some sign-posted cycling trails around the outskirts of the golf course, but these are a bit limited in distance. And the signs seem to be falling down.

I don’t know anywhere to stay near to Hunnasgiriya or up towards Corbets Gap and Meemure, but Google Maps indicates that there are some options.