An UNESCO declared World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, Sinharaja Forest is a national park situated in the heart of the island’s wet zone. The reserve spreads over an area of 18,899 hectares. Also it is a distance of 7 km from its north to south and 21 km from east to west. This great forest consists scores of endemic species such as insects, reptiles, mammals and amphibians. The forest borders are as follows: the Napola creek and Koskulana Ganga River on the north, the Maha Creek and Gin Ganga River on the south and south west, Kalukandawa Creek and Kudawa River on the west and Denuwa Mountain and an ancient footpath near Beverly tea estate on east.
Unlike the other dry zone parks in Sri Lanka, Sinharaja reserve consist of dense vegetation, comparatively higher than wildlife. However, you can find the highest amount of endemic mammals of Sri Lanka within this region. Those such as the Purple faced Langur, giant squirrel, stripped jungle squirrel and torque macaque can be seen most frequently, along with some elephants and leopards. Over 95% of the indigenous birds of Sri Lanka are in the Sinharaja forest. These include green billed caucel, blue magpie and Sri Lankan spurfloe.
Sinharaja forest is a multi layer rain forest, ranging from 90 to 1,170 meters high from the sea level. It is home for more than 60 percent of endemic plant species. Dipteracarpus and Mesua Shorea are two of the prominent vegetation that you can see in the reserve. Also you can find epiphytes, lianas and a variety of rare orchids as well.