Ambuluwawa, also spelt Ambuluvava, is the backyard mountain of Gampola in Sri Lanka’s highlands. At an elevation of 1087 above sea level and 700 m above Gampola town in the Mahaweli river valley, the Ambuluwawa mountain hosts a new tourist spot including a biodiversity complex and Sri Lanka’s first multi-religious sanctuary, with a Hindu Kovil, a Muslim Mosque and a Christian Chapel, besides several Buddhist shrines. The landmark of the Ambuluawa temple complex is a large winding tower resembling a stylized Buddhist stupa. A sapling of the Anuradhapura Bo-tree is tended here, too.
Ambuluwawa is in 5.5 km distance from Gampola’s town centre by road. A winding and partly very steep access road to the Ambuluwawa peak, 1.5 km long, branches off from Hemmathagama road (B279).
The Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Center was inaugurated by Sri Lanka’s former Prime Minister, Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Jayaratne, popularly known as “Di Mu”, who was born near Gampola . The sanctuary is maintained by the Ambuluwawa Development and Conservation Authority.
