Wednesday, February 18 2026. Runakanda Rain Forest Conservation Reserve

Group B: Jade, Alexandria & Josh

Today, we are still recovering from jet lag! Some of us woke up very early between 4-5am and couldn’t fall back to sleep. Others had a rough time waking up. We had our last breakfast at the Morven Hotel consisting of delicious curry and pancakes. They offered instant coffee the taste of which some of us didn’t mind, but others preferred coffee straight from the coffee pot. So, Josh took one for the team and asked Steve if we could go out for coffee on the way to our first remote site in the rainforest! We packed up our things and hopped in the buses, mentally set for a 3-hour drive. We stopped at Java Lounge to fulfill Josh’s request and on the way, we picked up our Sri Lanka classmates and friends, Induja, RavinDi, and Kalindu from the University of Colombo. At Java Lounge, we ordered scrumptious frappes, iced coffees, fruit drinks, and more. Steve shared many travel stories! Before leaving the city, we stopped at a grocery store to stock up on snacks for the next few days. We were so excited to try some delicious Sri Lankan snacks! They had spicy peanuts, coconut wafers, and our class favourite, Tom Yum chips.

During our bus ride, many of us enjoyed the scenery outside. We saw the landscape change from urban to smaller communities to all rain forests. There were tea rubber and rice plantations at various different points throughout the ride, which we thought was very cool! Alex Brandt was lucky enough to see a male peacock showing his full, beautiful feathery display. Unfortunately, tight turns and ups and downs in the more remote areas near the end of the ride got some of us a little car sick. With a gravol and Pepto-Bismol, we eventually recovered and safely arrived at our site, the Runakanda Rain Forest Conservation Reserve in the Sinharaja rainforest! Upon arrival, we were stunned at the beauty of this site. Not only was the vegetation lush, but the lodge and sleeping accommodations were rustic and cozy, and a long, steep stone pathway lead us up towards the buildings. We realized during this climb that most of us would not have access to AC in our bedrooms, but only a select lucky few would have the luxury. So silly! The bedrooms don’t have full walls, meaning we get to experience the calming rainforest sounds and breeze as we sleep comfortably. The walls of the lodge are covered with images of the flora and fauna found in the surrounded rainforest. Building our excitement for the coming hikes and snorkeling trip.

After the kind Sri Lankan staff prepared lunch that included the best eggplant that we have ever had, we set off on a hike. We hopped in a pick-up truck and tuk tuk to travel 1 km to the site. Sampath introduced the history of the vegetation located on the hill and their efforts to remediate the rain forest corridors. He showed us newly planted saplings, and discussed native and invasive species, and the conservation in progress. Most interestingly, Sampath showed us a tree species that is otherwise extinct in the wild. On-going recovery efforts of this species includes taking tissue samples cultured from an individual in the Royal Botanical Garden in Sri Lanka. We are really pleased to the devotion for conservation to promote biodiversity! We heaved and hoed up the rest of the hill, trying our best to avoid leeches while rocking our fashionable leech socks. Sampath took us to a large rock that looked out upon the rain forest, which was such a special experience. We hustled back down the hill to avoid potential rain and to run away from the leeches. We came back to the lodge for teatime served with wraps of coconut, ginger, and cinnamon. As night settled, some of us went out to catch birds, while others remained behind to catch our breaths. Sampath and friends brought back a Sri Lanka frogmouth. This elusive animal was so cool and so pretty, and to add on to the awe-inspiring catch it was a male! For his research, Sampath and his students demonstrated routine measurements, blood sampling, and handling methods. Most of us held the bird for a quick moment, and finally he was set free to enjoy his life in the wild. To end the day, we are relaxing, showering, and getting ready for tomorrow!