World's End (Horton Plains)

World's End is a cliff at the southern edge of Horton Plains National Park in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, in Nuwara Eliya District. The plateau sits at 2,100 to 2,300 metres above sea level, and at World's End the land falls away steeply, with a drop of about 870 metres toward the tea estates and villages below.

Horton Plains was named after Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton, a British governor of Ceylon, and was declared a national park in 1988. It covers about 31 square kilometres of montane grassland and cloud forest and is part of the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka World Heritage Site.

Visitors reach World's End on a loop trail of about 9 kilometres that starts at the Farr Inn visitor centre. The path crosses open grassland, passes Mini World's End, a smaller cliff, and reaches the main viewpoint before continuing to Baker's Falls, a waterfall named after the explorer Samuel Baker. Along the way sambar deer, endemic birds and the purple-faced langur may be seen.

On a clear morning the view stretches far to the south, sometimes as far as the coast. Mist usually rises from the valleys by mid morning and can cover the view completely, so walkers start as early as possible.

The park opens early in the morning and charges an entry fee. Plastic is restricted, and bags may be checked at the gate. The walk takes about three hours, and warm clothing is needed for the cold early hours.

Views are clearest from roughly January to March, and the best time is before 9 am. Walk the loop clockwise to reach World's End before the mist arrives, and wear proper shoes, as the trail is uneven.

What is the climate like on Horton Plains? The plateau is one of the coldest and wettest places in Sri Lanka. Mean annual temperature is about 13°C, daytime highs reach about 27°C, and nights fall to around 5°C, with frost on some winter mornings. Rainfall exceeds 2,000 mm a year. Two of the island's highest peaks, Kirigalpoththa at 2,389 metres and Thotupola Kanda at 2,357 metres, rise from the edge of the plains.

The plains feed three of Sri Lanka's major rivers, the Mahaweli, the Kelani and the Walawe. About half of the woody plant species recorded here are endemic to Sri Lanka, and the park and the neighbouring Peak Wilderness Sanctuary hold 21 of the country's endemic bird species. Baker's Falls drops about 20 metres. The area became a nature reserve in 1969, a national park in 1988, and part of the Central Highlands World Heritage Site in 2010.

Fees and rules. Recent guides put the foreign adult fee at about USD 25 to 30, plus a vehicle charge and tax, and the Department of Wildlife Conservation sets the current rate. Polythene is banned after sambar deer died from eating plastic litter, and wrappers may be removed at the gate.