The first ever cable car service being established in Ambuluwawa linking the mountain with the Gompola town

• Amber Adventure Pvt. Ltd. invests US Dollars 13.25 million for the project
• China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH) is the contractor of the project

Ambuluwawa Bio Diversity Center or the Ambuluwawa tower, is one unique place ideal for the passionate traveller; atop the mountain Ambuluwawa rising 3,567 feet above sea level in Gampola, nearly a three-hour drive from Colombo. Ambuluwawa is not just about bio diversity – it is not just a tower either. It's a resemblance of Sri Lankan diversity, heritage and culture. The Ambuluwawa complex serves all - irrespective of age, nationality, gender, interests. It is for the traveller who sees tranquility as well as those seeking adrenaline boosting adventure – a rare combination; the best place to tone your emotions. Today, Ambuluwawa is becoming more accessible. With the upcoming state-of-the-art cable car service Ambuluwawa will soon become a destination not just for the fit and healthy traveller but it will be broadened providing equal opportunity for the young-at-heart as well as to those who wish to make a swift visit to keep the travel economical. Amber Adventure Pvt Ltd invests US dollars 13.25 million for the project. • China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH) is the contractor of the project. The upcoming cable car initiative will enable a traveller reaching the Gampola Railway station to straight away reach the Ambuluwawa complex. This service is in symbiosis of the core values of Ambuluwawa as it represents equal opportunity, tolerating diversity and compassion.

The Ambuluwawa cable car service, being the first to be established in Sri Lanka, will mark a significant change in the country’s tourism industry and environment conservation. The first phase of the cable car project being constructed at a cost of 1.5 billion rupees targets transporting travellers for 1.8 km.The cable car service will be a ground-breaking innovation for the Ambuluwawa testing its endurance. The project will be nurtured completely by Sri Lankan expertise. It resonates the strength of the Sri Lankan indigenous knowledge and expertise – a fact that remained time immemorial. The second phase of the project aims at constructing a travel between the Gampola Railway station and the Ambuluwawa tower at an estimated cost of 2.6 billion rupees. It will be a radical change not just for the Ambuluwawa Center but for the entire tourism sector. The dream of the Ambuluwawa Center is to make Gampola a tourist hotspot. It expects to attract a 10-15% portion of the entire foreign visitors arriving to the country. The first phase of the project is to be completed by the end of the year. The Ambuluwawa cable car project fast-tracks the ambition of the Center as envisioned by its founder hailing from Gampola, former prime minister, minister and veteran politician D.M. Jayaratne He was not just a politician but a genuinely passionate farmer working at the grass-roots level. His vision in constructing the Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex was to attract people to appreciate the deep rooted Sri Lankan culture, heritage, the untiring efforts of the farmer community to the national economy and biodiversity.

Being the capital of the country during the Gampola era  reigned by King Buwanekabahu IV in the mid fourteenth century, Gampola area has been famous for its history, literature and art and crafts. Gampola is located at a central place en route to the world-famous historic city Kandy and the architectural marvels – Ambekke Devalaya and the Gadaladeniya temple – making it the ideal location for the Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Center. The Ambuluwawa Center becomes a reason for a traveller to stop on the way to Kandy and other historical sites in the vicinity. The 187 feet tall Ambuluwara tower, the center piece of the Complex, has been designed to represent a traditional Sri Lankan paddy storage, a pumpkin and a cocoa fruit – the common crops grown in the locality. D.M. Jayaratne dedicated himself for the wellbeing of the farmer community as he believed they are the life line of the country and its economy. Gampola being a unique area, is the hometown for all religions, specially Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities living in harmony over a long period of time. Symbolising the unique co-existence the Ambuluwawa Center houses a multi-religious center enabling visitors to experience it at the ground level. In a severely segregated society, this would be an eye-opening experience for many. Opened for public on 3 May in 2009, the Ambuluwawa Samadhi buddha statue, the bo tree created from the plant tissues of the Sri Maha Bodhi and the entire spirituality of the center has created a deep-rooted belief among the public of its blessing. As the three decade long war was militarily defeated a few days later on 19 May, the belief is further established in the society that the Ambuluwawa is not just a blessing to individuals but to the entire country.

Ambuluwawa Center is a blessing to its locality as well. The Biodiversity Complex has been nurturing the economy of Gampola area and its people since its inception, by generating direct and indirect livelihoods. Special attention is on providing more opportunities for the youth of the area. With their flexibility to adapt to different circumstances arising in the tourism field and their energy and fresh thinking, the youth engaged has created a new phase in the Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex. Over 1000 villagers of the locality benefitted through providing services to the visitors such as tuk-tuk transport, lodgings with home-stay facilities, and many food kiosks and restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the Amubuluwawa Complex. As Ambuluwawa attracts people of different social diversities, ensuring their comforts is essential. Therefore, today Ambuluwawa houses multiple restaurants and snack bars of both international brands such as the Java Lounge and inhouse establishments serving a wide variety of foods and snacks and drinks. Nearly 1600 tour guides provide their service and all hail from the locality. All tour guides are registered with the management of the Ambuluwawa Complex making their service trustworthy and genuine. Adhering to its core aims of making Ambuluwawa a tourist hotspot, approval has been given to construct 22 accommodation units  for the visitors. This is in addition to the existing comfortable accommodation facilities within the premises. Apart from the accommodation, to facilitate tourists travelling to the top of the mountain, the management has worked out to park 50 threewheelers close to the entrance. These threewheelers – or tuktuks – are registered with the Ambuluwawa Trustee Board.For the adventure loving visitors Ambuluwawa today provides world famous activities along with its unique Find Tree Adventure, where the visitors are allowed to walk from tree to tree on a built platform close to the canopy. Despite the level of adventurous nature this would definitely be a new adrenaline booster for any visitor. Providing entertainment for the younger crowd a Bali Swing has been set up, for the romantic and the non-romantic alike.

Ambuluwawa Complex is not constructed to be limited for entertainment and hiking. Its ecosystem is a unique example of the possibility of a grassland being converted into a lush green forest decorated with water tanks and ponds. It is a point that calls the public to enjoy, value and conserve nature. The Ambuluwawa bio diversity assessment report serves as a testament for this – a significant appraisal received from the Institute of Environment Professionals Sri Lanka. The assessment report was launched on 4 October in Colombo – the first ever comprehensive study of the Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex highlighting its value as an eco-tourism destination. It is not just an appraisal of the ecosystem – it is a recognition of the design, technology and efforts made to create this new land.

The harsh grass land is now converted to a mesmerising ecosystem dotted with man-made lakes and ponds allowing the visitors with paddle boat rides as the colourful ornamental fish living in these water bodies making the visitor feel close to nature. Beautifully curated walking paths, tree shades, and the cool breeze takes a traveller on a tour close to nature’s blessings.

With immense attraction from tourists, today the Ambuluwawa Complex has become a solid foreign exchange earner. In such a background, establishing accountability and transparency in its financial transactions, Ambuluwawa comes under the purview of the Sri Lanka Penal Code and the Auditor General under Parliamentary Act 44 of 2009. Thus, the administration of the center, the Trustee Director Board, includes two ministry secretaries. Carrying the legacy forward, today his son, attorney at law Anuradha Jayaratne leads the institute as its Chairperson. Today, at the Amubuwara Biodiversity Complex, systems have been digitalised, upgrading it to be easily accessible for statistics, data and observation. The assets Ambuluwawa owned in 2019 has increased in three folds by 2024. Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex, today provides the national economy with due taxes on time – with value added taxes amounting to 18%, Social Security Contribution Levy to 2.5% (from entrance tickets) and other relevant taxations according to the government regulations. Annually, Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex contributes to the  national economy Rs. 40 million as Corporate Tax, according to the 2004 statistics. Yearly, the Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex increases in enriching the national economy. Currently, Ambuluwawa Complex has set plans to take its impact and services beyond reconciliation and culture conservation and establish it at a global level elevating its contribution to the national economy and benefits to the society. Ambuluwawa will not be remembered just for its breathtaking view where the sky meets the mountains,  but as the best and most effective creation made to benefit the Sri Lankan tourism and hospitality sector. (By Nadeeka Dissanayake)