Ritigala

Ritigala is a steep massif of crystalline rock rising from the dry plains of north central Sri Lanka, reaching about 766 meters, roughly 600 meters above the surrounding lowland, and is the highest point in the northern part of the island. Formed from the ancient gneiss and granulite basement that makes up much of Sri Lanka's Precambrian Highland Complex, the massif comprises four peaks separated by a gorge, and its height creates its own wetter microclimate, catching monsoon rain that leaves the surrounding dry-zone plains far drier. Its forested slopes have long sheltered a Buddhist monastic settlement, whose ruins remain scattered across the massif.