Budget travel: Camping at Gartmore, Sri Lanka

I used to travel regularly over the years until 2020 but in the backdrop of several obstacles starting from the COVID outbreak to the recent fuel crisis, travelling turned out to be a luxury. As the long and treacherous year in 2022 came to an end, a few friends of mine and I decided to go camping. end it was high time I needed a break from the noisy environment and a breath of fresh air.

The choice

In Sri Lanka, there are two significant choices when it comes to travelling: Beaches and Mountains. Despite being an island with amazing beaches, I have always preferred mountains which are more adventurous and invigorating. So, we decided to pack the tents and take a bus to the hills.

We focused on two things. Firstly, we decided to be stingy and spend as little as possible. Secondly, since we didn’t want to tire ourselves much, we decided to take a modest trek rather than a challenging hike.

We chose Gartmore.

The journey

Gartmore is a village situated on the outskirts of Central province, about fifteen kilometers away from Maskeliya. It was surrounded by Mausakelle Reservoir and in the backdrop, lies the majestic Adam’s Peak. The highland is full of waterfalls, the popular ones being the Gartmore Falls and Moray Falls.

Having camped on the base of the Gartmore Falls in 2016, it was worth a revisit. Camping right by the waterfall and the rumblings of the flowing water illuminated by the shining moon and staring at the sky filled with millions of stars was a surreal experience. This time the plan was to camp at the top of the waterfall.

We took the bus from Fort at around 6.30am and reached Hatton. After a chaotic shopping for the night which included chicken, eggs, and other essentials, we were able to catch a bus which went straight to Gartmore. We reached our destination by 2.00pm.

The destination

The trek to the falls was hardly even a walk. It was right through the village and tea plantations. The villagers were friendly and assisted on return bus timings and weather forecasts.

As we walked, we spotted a small cascade flowing calmly and stretching into a glorious waterfall. The infinity pool was the highlight with the view of the reservoir completing the scenery. The climate was tailormade for camping.

The slow rumbling of the water was so calming and therapeutic. We instantly forgot all our worries and lived in the moment, which was the whole point of the trip. We had enough time to set up the camps and get some dry wood for the night. We had to keep an eye on the monkeys trying to steal chicken.

The best thing about hikes and camping is the company of a guard dog. We had one, who was very relaxed and unflustered. She was more like a silent observer quietly monitoring the surroundings. I called her ‘Raani’, which translates to Queen.

The night

We had a quick dip in the pool before it started to get cold. The water was so freezing, as expected. As the sun set down, we took a stroll in the woods. The cooking took some time, but the food turned out alright. The atmosphere turned cooler, but we had accounted for it. Slowly, the music came in and we were relaxing. All of a sudden, 2022 was wee bit tolerable. For the first time in so many days, we slept like babies under the stars, not worrying what tomorrow held for us.

We didn’t spend much time the next morning since we needed to catch the bus at 9.00am. It was the last day of the year. We had a tea, another dip in the clean waters, cleaned the entire place, and returned.

Before we headed back, we were able to relish the serenity of the place one last time.

The resolution

I badly needed that getaway. It was like rebirth, a reset for 2023. I felt content, I felt live. It was a humbling experience. There was a sense of belonging which cannot be put into words. I felt myself.

Most importantly, the whole journey costed less than five thousand rupees per person, and for a Sri Lankan like me, it mattered a lot. A stay in the fancy hotel would have been more comfortable but it doesn’t serve the purpose of travelling, at least for me. After all, cheap is not a bad word.

Travelling is a therapy and nature is the ultimate healer and what better way to enjoy it by being a part of it. This was the best way I could have started the new year.

I made a promise to myself, that in 2023, I’d be ‘cheap travelling’ more. Cheers to more travelling in 2023!

*You can take buses straight to Maskeliya from Colombo which consumes less time, but the buses are not frequent.

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