This region covers the Horton Plains National Park and the Knuckles Conservation Forest, with rainforest growing at an altitude of over 2km above sea level. These forests are home to some extremely rare species, such as the Sri Lankan Leopard and the Horton Plains Slender Loris. The Horton Plains are the starting point for three of Sri Lanka’s largest rivers, the Mahaweli, Kelani and Walawe, sustaining the ecosystem and keeping the atmosphere cool. In the Knuckles Conservation Forest, visitors will be breath taken by the sight of the thick forest growing around misty mountains. The mountain range also houses ancient settlements built in prehistoric times.