Hortan Plains

Situated in Central Hilands of Srilanka about 6900-7500ft High. It is also a popular tourist destination and is situated 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Ohiya, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the world-famous Ohiya Gap/Dondra Watch and 32 kilometres (20 mi) from Nuwara Eliya.The Horton Plains are the headwaters of three major Sri Lankan rivers, the Mahaweli, Kelani, and Walawe. Stone tools dating back to Balangoda culture have been found here. The plains' vegetation is grasslands interspersed with montane forest and includes many endemic woody plants. Large herds of Sri Lankan sambar deer feature as typical mammals and the park is also an Important Bird Area with many species not only endemic to Sri Lanka but restricted to the Horton Plains. Forest dieback is one of the major threats to the park and some studies suggest that it is caused by a natural phenomenon.

The mean annual rainfall is greater than 2,000 millimetres (79 in). Frequent cloud cover limits the amount of sunlight that is available to plants. the Plain is with a Hihg Biodiversity consist with flora and fauna, nearly 700 species of plants being recorded of which 27 are endemic to Sri Lanka. 24 species of mammals, 87 species of birds, nine species of reptiles and eight species of amphibians are found in the park and since the Sri Lankan elephant was last seen here in the 1940s, the largest, most commonly seen mammal at present is the sambar deer. Leopards, wild boars, mongooses and giant squirrels are a few among the many species that can be spotted here. Horton Plains forms an Important Bird Area (IBA) together with Ohiya, Pattipola and Ambewela, and contains 21 endemic bird species with four endemic to Horton Plains alone (Sri Lankan blue magpie, Sri Lankan white-eye, Sri Lankan wood pigeon and dull-blue flycatcher).

The original name of the area was Maha Eliya Thenna (මහ එළිය තැන්න - "great open plain"). But in the British period the plains were renamed after Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton, the British governor of Ceylon from 1831 to 1837, who travelled to the area to meet the Ratemahatmaya of Sabaragamuwa in 1836,[4] in 1834 by Lt William Fisher of the 78th Regiment and Lt. Albert Watson of the 58th Regiment, who 'discovered' the plateau.[7] Stone tools dating back to Balangoda culture have been found here. There are few water falls also. such as bakers fall. it consist with a grate natural diversity on a tributary of the Belihul Oya.The height of the Baker's waterfalls is 20 metres (66 ft). The falls were named after British explorer and big game hunter, Sir Samuel Baker. Many Rhododendron and Fern bushes can be seen around the waterfall.

The Major Feature in the plains is the worlds end and mini worlds end.

It is a sheer cliff, with a drop of about 4,000 feet (1,200 m). It is one of the most visited parts of the Park, and a key tourist attraction in the Nuwara Eliya District and the country at large. 1 km away from the main cliff is a smaller cliff with a 1,000 feet (300 m) drop, colloquially known as Mini World's End.The Indian Ocean, 81 km to the south, can be observed on clear days. DONT FORGET TO TRAVEL IN HORTAIN PLAINS IF YOU TRAVEL TO SRILANKA. I ALSO TRAVELLED