Kitulgala is a small town in the west of Sri Lanka. It is in the wet zone rain forest, which gets two monsoons each year, and is one of the wettest places in the country. Nevertheless, it comes alive in the first three months of the year, especially in February, the driest month. The Academy Award-winning The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed on the Kelani River near Kitulgala, although nothing remains now except the concrete foundations for the bridge (and, supposedly, the submerged train cars that plunged into the river in the climactic scene). Kitulgala is also a base for white-water rafting, which starts a few kilometres upstream.
White water rafting is the hot favourite sports in Kitugala. The rafting adventure on the Kelani is divided into three sections. The middle section rapid is a hot favorite among adventure seekers. This is because it consists of 10 level two rapids which is enthralling in itself. The lower rapid section is very calm and sordid while the upper section is said to be the most dangerous and taken up by only the most versatile.