Yulia Saf 
Sri Lanka is a great country for doing all types of hikes with amazing jaw-dropping views, World’s End being one of them!
I have done almost all of the hikes there – Adam’s Peak, Sigiriya, Little Adam’s Peak, Duliyama Waterfalls, Lipton Seat etc.
When it came to Horton plains (also known as The World’s End), I hesitated and wondered if I should go.
First, I was a solo traveler and going to Horton Plains National Park would mean I needed to find somebody to share a van with me (the only way to get to the national park).
Second, even if I did find a companion, it is still not that cheap (I will give you the price breakdown below).
I tried to ask people I met on the way in other locations in Sri Lanka, but everybody was either going another direction, or had already done it.
UPDATE: Check out the new article about the Best 10 Days Itinerary in Sri Lanka!
So, in the end I decided I would go to the closest city (Nuwara Eliya), explore it for a day, and if I didn’t find anybody, would move on.
And you can’t imagine how surprised I was, when after just an hour in the city, a Swiss couple approached me on the street and asked me if I would like to go to Horton Plains and share the cost of hiring a van with them. That was a sign! The next morning we were visiting the only national park in Sri Lanka, where you are allowed to walk, around instead of being inside a jeep.
If you are planning your trip to Sri Lanka or are just curious how it all works there, read on. I am going to share some useful tips with you in this post!
Where to stay
A good choice would be to stay in Nuwara Eliya, like I did. The distance between Nuwara Eliya to the world’s end is 32 km. Accommodation prices vary. For example, a nice brand new hotel with a great mountain view was 2000 rupees per room. It is called “Chez Allen” if interested.
Other choices to stay in Nuwara Eliya:
- Luxury – Stafford Bungalow is great for those searching for a secluded luxury experience. Along with outstanding 5 star service and beautiful decor, you will also get bicycles and a tea plantation excursion included for all guests of the hotel.
- Middle budget – Holiday home Lemon Court offers a terrace, views of the mountains and has great room décor but book in advance! In the very heart of the city, at Villa Cassandra you will find a garden, barbecue facilities, a terrace and hospitable staff.
- Budget accommodation – Mount Mary Inn is located in Nuwara Eliya, 2 km from Gregory Lake. Mount Mary Inn features free WiFi access and free private parking. The Fern Inn is even cheaper, has amazing reviews and clean rooms, but it is a bit farther from the center.
You can also stay in Ohiya. It is closer to the park (just 8 km), but not as nice as Nuwara Eliya in my opinion.
Please remember, that when in Sri Lanka, the prices for hotels are never fixed. Unless you have a booking, you should always bargain. They give you a high price just to see, maybe you will agree, who knows? But you have to be insistent and not give up. 🙂 🙂
How to get to Horton Plains
If there are two of you, you can get to Horton plains from Nuwara Elia by tuk-tuk (from 3000 rupees). If you are 3 or more it is more convenient to go with a van (from 3500 rupees).
When to go there
My Swiss friends and I started at 5:30 in the morning from Nuwara Eliya. With all the stops we got to the entrance in 2 hours, so by 7:30 a.m.
Note: It is really important to get to The World’s End before 10:oo a.m. After that time it will be cloudy and you will not see anything.
We were quite lucky, only one cloud blocked the view for a while, and then it was clear. Here are the pictures for the comparison, so that you can see and understand how important it is to wake up early!
Prices
The van cost us 4500 rupees. In this case, it was impossible to negotiate; they all have the same prices. The minimum is 3500, and then it goes up depending on the number of people (we were 5).
The entrance fee is very complicated to calculate, here is a picture of the information they provide.
But in fact, you never actually calculate that. Your van driver just tells you the approximate price. For us 5 the entrance was 3000 rupees per person. It was probably more than we had to pay, but well, whatever…
My final price was around 4000 rupees everything included. That is around $30 or 25€.
When inside the national park
Beyond an outstanding view, you will also the chance to enjoy the local flora and fauna. All the important info is written in English, so you can get to know information without needing a local guide.
There are many bird species and our driver said there are leopards, too. I don’t know about that, but I definitely saw this cute deer; it was such a nice experience!
You should also know that the staff cares about the environment. Thus, you won’t be allowed inside with plastic bags. But don’t worry, they will give you a paper substitute instead.
The trail itself is very easy, it can be done with close to no physical effort. When you begin, you will have a choice of 2 directions- right and left. The trail is circular, so it actually doesn’t really matter which one you choose. I’d recommend taking the right path because this way you will not follow the crowd and you will be on your own.
Whatever route you choose, don’t miss out on Baker’s Falls; it is also very beautiful.
And of course, the main point of all this- you will get to see 2 amazing viewpoints: the World’s End with a height of 870 m (2800 ft. drop), and the Little World’s end (270 m. (890 ft.). If it is clear, you will be able to see all the way to Adam’s Peak.
Additionally, people usually miss a small museum that is located right before the main entrance near the toilets. Check it out on the way out, it is nice and it is included in the price.
How long it will take
Not long, all together with all the stops around 2-2.5 hours. The walk itself is not challenging at all; it’s definitely not like hiking Adam’s peak.
| 🎟️ Entry fee: | $14 |
| 🕒 Visiting hours: | 6 am to 4 pm |
| ☀️ Best time of year: | January to March |
| 📍Closest city: | Nuwara Eliya |
| 💵 Avg hotel price: | $50 |
Where to go after
Because you alrdeay have a driver, and you are flexible, he can drop you off at the train station for you to continue your journey with the famous scenic train. In this case, you should take your luggage with you. Tell your van driver to drop you off at a train station called Pattipola (the most elevated train station in Sri Lanka!).
Whichever direction you take, the ride is extremely beautiful!
I took my train to Ella. All about it in the next post.
Is it really worth it?
Honestly, if you are traveling on budget – I would say not really.
There are so many other stunning places to visit absolutely for free! I would say. Little Adam’s Peak in Ella is amazing, and it is also not that hard to climb. Lipton Seat is called Little World’s End sometimes and free of charge…
Besides, there is no guarantee you will get to see the view at World’s End even if you wake up at 5:00 in the morning. The weather in this part of Sri Lanka is very tricky and you never know what to expect. In fact, none of my friends who went there were lucky, only me.
Nevertheless if you are ok spending $30-$40 per person, the walk itself to the World’s End in Sri Lanka is very nice and enjoyable. Almost no physical effort is required! It is definitely not as challenging as Adam’s peak!
In this case, I would say – try your luck!
Thanks for reading
Don’t forget to press “Like” and comment if you found the article useful!
Yulia
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Hey Yulia, nice article… may I add some changes and additional info?
The cost to hire a van currently (2019) is 5000 Rs. from Nuwara Eliya. If you stay in Ohiya, it’s a nice hike up the mountain.
About Horton Plains – January to April and September – October are the dry months. Usually gets pretty sunny and hot from 10 am – 3 pm. The other months can be rainy and cloudy giving the park a completely different atmosphere. In my opinion, they are both damn gorgeous.
During the season (dry months) you should try to get to the park gate by 5.30 am! Leave Nuwara Eliya by 4.30 am… trust me its worth it. Beat the queue to be first in line to get your tickets. The ticket office opens at 6.am. The wildlife (Especially birds) are active from sunrise till about 8 or 9 am) Best place to spot the birds is in the cloud forest (LEFT at the fork) Yes, take the left…. that way you get to see the birds when they are active… and do the trek slow.. enjoy the view and the flora and fauna.. no not do it in 2.5 hours, it’s just a waste of money. Look for the endemic Black Cheeked Lizard in the cloud forest and grass (sunny areas). Look for the endemic Rhino-horned lizard and Pygmy Lizzard in the forest patch near Bakers falls (shady or dappled sunlight areas.) There are about 15 – 20 Leopards in Horton Plains NP but you gotta be super lucky and super early to see them (I saw one once right outside the ticket counter at 5 am) The whole circuit is about 8 km…
Calculating Ticket price. Foreign Adult ticket is 15 US + Service charge 8 USD (per group) + about 500 Rs (3 USD) for driver and car + 12% tax on total amount.So if you are just 1 person going there, MAX ticket price is 30 USD! It should never be more than that! If you are 2 people in the group you divide the service charge and tax amoung you so per person should be about 24 USD. If you are 3 people in the group per person amount should be about 20 USD. Also children’s tickets are much cheaper (around 8 USD I think) Don’t let your driver buy the tickets. Walk up to the ticket counter and buy it yourself. That way you will know the exact ticket price for your group. Make sure to pay the car and driver ticket as well (around 3 USD). This calculation system works for all national parks in SL (Yala, Wilpattu, Udawalawe, Horton Plains 15 USD ticket, all the other parks 10 USD ticket, service charge and tax are the same)
Hope that was helpful
Hi Damian and thank you very much for the very useful information! 🙂 I will update the article with recent info and prices very soon!
Thank you for such detailed info. The pictures look beautiful, but i must say that the view from Spiti Valley and the Chadar trek in India, was the best, that i have ever seen. A must visit!
You’re welcome, I’m glad you enjoyed the post! 🙂 India is, indeed, a very beautiful country!
Great Blog! super Information about Sri Lanka, sadly we got the wrong info from another Blog so we ended up at worlds end instead of Adams peak! But thanks to you at least we now know what to do after worlds end trail. Keep it up! Cheers J
Oh, thats weird! Did you do the Adams peak after all? I remember it was not easy 🙂
This is not exact correct. Day by day US Dollar rates changing and the prices also changing and don’t mislead people with your useless web site. Because you are bargained the price with in the off season and put here. Please do the correct things. And you are spoiling Sri Lanka name also. See you have published 2009.07.31 printed details and search how many times US Dollar changed up to now.
Hello Amila, sorry that I spoiled Sri Lanka’s name in your eyes, it was completely not my intention 🙂
The post has been publish in about 2015 and surely many things has changed since then. The exchange rate changes more often than we d like and I am unfortunately unable to monitor it on all my posts here on the site.
P.S. I was there during a high season and I do recommend to bargain when in Sri Lanka, this is just how things work there – the seller gives you the price that is 3 times more than he thinks to receive because he expects you to negotiate. 🙂
Hope you had a great time in this amazing country!
Nice read. Thanks.
Welcome! 🙂
I’m proud to say that I’m a sri Lankan…it’s nice to hear that you’ve spent a good time in sri lanka..
Hi Yulia,
Thanks for the details. They are very specific and helpful to plan. However, my question is regarding my baby. He is little over 1.5 yrs old – is it possible to take a baby stroller to the world end point? If no is the walk easy for a little baby to make or for us to carry him? In short is this place worth taking the pain of going with a baby?
Tnx,
Shikha
i am not sure to be honest, I have been such a long time ago and I did not pay attention to the pavement, so it is hard to say now.
Maybe someone else here can comment?
I remember the walk being very easy though, not uphill or anything like that.
Thank you, I’m in Sri Lanka right now and enjoying the breathtaking view. Thanks for sharing this info, it was quite helpful.
You are most welcome!
Wonderful info! Planning to visit SL in September! Hopefully, it doesn’t rain too much! 🙂
I hope so too! Have a great time!
Hey
I’mfrom Sri Lanka. I accidentally came across your blog. There are more interesting hikes in Horton plains. The ” kirigalpoththa ” is the second highest mountain peak in SL and it’s bit tough but totally worth it. Then there’s the “thotupala “kanda hike which is relatively easy.
Great post, I’ve been searching around for info and you covered everything I’ve been trying to sort out thank you!!!
Welcome! <3
thanks for sharing…
Thanks Yulia for detailed report, we are planning to go there in February
Welcome! 🙂
love the detailed report as i will be there in March.
In all your travels have you ever been to Palawan
yes, I have!
eh-hee 🙂 Privet Yulia!
was looking information about World’s End and found it here, havent checked your other posts yet, but going to! Our journey will be on February 2018
Greetings from Estonia to Russia!
Andres
Have fun! 🙂
Many thanks for your informative narrative on this attraction. Much appreciated. We are traveling there in July and looking forward to doing this trek. Hope the weather gods will be kind to us.
Thanks a lot Dear very useful for me
Thanks Yulia.Your blog was informative and helpful to me and we all love your page.Keep going.Good Luck!
Hello! Great post. Thanks! Question: How many nights did you stay in Nuwara Eliya for? Do you need more than 1?
Thank you!
I think I stayed just 1 night there
Thank you, very useful
very informative, good read for travelers coming to Sri Lanka
Added on my FB
Thank You Juliya!
Hi Yulia, great to find your blog. I am planning for Sri Lanka in a few weeks. How many days you recommend for Kandy-Adam’s Peak-Nuwara Ellia-Horton ? Could you suggest me an itinerary for these places? Does Ella worth visiting? Many thanks 🙂
Good blog and I agree with every thing in here. If you came sri Lanka again try nakals mountain too. It best for hike. But I recommend use local guide or a person with experience. Don’t go alone. Go with team. If not use local guild informed your hotel before you go. Get emergency numbers from them stay on path. safety 1st. …
Thank you for the info!
I was traveling alone (met other travelers on the way) and it went great!
Thanks a million for this. I didn’t realise you had to get up so early!! Hopefully we will have our own transport as we are driving our own tuk tuk!
Thanks Yulia, your blog was informative and helpful to me
Welcome! 😉
I really enjoyed the Worlds End hike, especially after doing Adams Peak a couple of days before, it was a nice change of pace. I agree the price is definitely steep, but the budget soon gets corrected in other cheaper places.
Agree! 🙂
Great post! Do you think it’s okay to do the walk alone? I am currently in Nuwara Eliya and can’t find anyone who wants to do it. Also was it safe to leave your luggage in the car?
Yes, it was safe to leave the luggage in the car, dont worry about that!
If you cant find people to join (you can always just ask around in your hotel, on the street), you can go alone, just that it will be more expensive because you will not share the cost of the jeep.
I have personally been to Horton Plains 5 times now as I use to live in Colombo. I was last there in 2013 before you visited and found the trail quite different. It was a tough trek at times probably because it had just rained and the erosion was quite bad. Some of the tourists had also gotten lost as the trail was not well marked. Good to see this has changed!
Wow, interesting!
No, when I have been, it was quite a relaxed hike with clear indicated paths. 🙂
We are going to Sri Lanka in January and think about visiting Horton Plains. Thanks for your informative post on hiking there.
I would like to add some information to the post.
If you are looking a cheap way to go to the place take nightmail train from colombo (http://www.eservices.railway.gov.lk/schedule/homeAction.action?lang=en) (for comfortable ride book sleeprette 2nd class – LKR400 3rd class – LKR 600) and get off from Ohiya station. You can refreshed from the Ohiya station and start your journey from there around 4.30 A.M.
There is a shop in front of the station (Gamini’s shop) and don’t forget to drink a hot tea or coffee before the journey. And there is a dog called Bindu and she will accompany you upto the entrance of Horton plains.
BTW name of the waterfall in the 2nd line should be corrected as Diyaluma 🙂
Nice post, really informative!! Sri Lanka is amazing but the weather is unpredictable and tourist prices are crazy haha!
Spent many a time in in Ella ,Nuwara Eliya and Horton PLains …..my mother was once the manageress of the small guesthouse in the horton plains
A very good read . The best hiking places would be the Adams Peak , Little Adams Peak in Ella and Liption seat .
been there, done that, they are all marvelous, agree! 🙂
Very very informative post! Sri Lanka wasn’t anywhere on my radar but I love hiking. I’m adding this to my next destination count right now! Thank you!
oh, then Sri Lanka is definitely a country for you! I did so many hikes there!
will be posting more about some great hikes over there, keep updated! 🙂