The Kudawa main entrance of the Sinharaja World Heritage rainforest will remain closed to visitors for six days from April 10 to April 15, the Sinharaja Forest Reserve Management Office announced on Thursday.
The closure covers the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holiday period. The entrance will reopen on Wednesday, April 16.
During the closure window, visitors will not be able to access the forest through the Kudawa gate, which is the primary access point for guided walks into the UNESCO-listed reserve from the Ratnapura side.
Sinharaja is Sri Lanka’s last substantial stretch of primary lowland rainforest and one of the most biodiverse protected areas in South Asia. The reserve is typically a popular day-trip destination during the long Avurudu weekend, making the closure notable for domestic travellers planning nature-focused holidays.
Visitors should factor the closure into broader Avurudu plans alongside other holiday logistics: the Transport Ministry has launched a special Colombo–Kandy bus service starting April 10, and the SLTB is adding 1,500 extra intercity buses across the April 9–21 travel window.
