This is Sri Lanka’s second tallest waterfall, Diyaluma Falls is so impressive that you absolutely do need to chase waterfalls here.
Cascading from high in the Sri Lanka mountains, Diyaluma may be a little off the beaten track, but the epic views and natural infinity pools make the 1.5-2-hour journey more than worth the effort. To get to Diyaluma, we jumped in a tuk tuk from Ella to Poonagala, through quintessentially Sri Lankan tea plantations. Once we’d arrived in the small village of Poonagala, we set off hiking downhill through long, dry grass for around 30mins before getting our first glimpse of the upper Diyaluma falls. A short walk further and there we were, standing above a sheer 220m rush of water to the valley floor below.
At this point we need to warn you that safety barriers do not exist, so if you’re adrenaline junkie (like Mark), and like to stand on the edge of just about anything, please be careful.
During the summer months when the water levels have dropped, you can enjoy a refreshing swim at the falls’ various natural pools, including right on the edge of the main waterfall. Alternatively, there are larger, safer pools at the upper Diyaluma falls, but again, take precautions before diving in.
There are two ways to get to the top of Diyaluma falls – either hiking from the bottom, which is rather strenuous and hard to follow, or from Poonagala village, which is far shorter yet less popular.
