Kadugannawa
A hill town on the old Colombo road marked by the Dawson Tower and a national railway museum, at the pass where the British first drove a road into the Kandyan kingdom.
Along the old Colombo Kandy road, right at Kadugannawa Pass, there's a tall white column that pretty much every traveller on this route has spotted at least once without knowing quite what it was. Dawson Tower was built in 1832, honoring Captain William Francis Dawson, the Royal Engineer who designed and built the Colombo Kandy road under Governor Edward Barnes, only to die in Colombo in 1829, three years before his own memorial went up. There's a nice bit of local legend tied to the road itself too, King Rajasinghe had apparently once remarked that conquering the hill country would mean cutting straight through the rock, and the British, seemingly just to spite him, went ahead and did exactly that, carving the Kadugannawa Rock Tunnel rather than routing the road above it, which would honestly have been easier.
That tunnel still sits right nearby, over 175 years old now, once the only way any vehicle could reach Kandy until longer vehicles started struggling with its tight hairpin bend and a bypass eventually opened above it. Between the tower and the tunnel, this whole stretch of road quietly holds a huge chunk of colonial era engineering history, condensed into a short walkable section most people would otherwise just drive straight past.
The tower itself stands 171 feet tall, reached by 110 narrow wooden stairs spiralling up in near total darkness, no electricity inside at all, so you'll need your own light if you want to attempt the climb. That's a fairly big if though, access has been restricted for years now, originally over pandemic health guidance, and reviewers consistently mention finding it closed or under caretaker only supervision rather than open for climbing. It's maintained, loosely, by the Department of Archaeology, and there's usually someone stationed nearby who can share details even when the doors themselves stay shut.
Even without climbing it, the tower makes for a solid photo stop and a genuinely interesting bit of roadside history, especially paired with the nearby National Railway Museum and the Kadugannawa Ambalama, a Kandyan era rest shelter dating back to King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe's reign. Together they turn what's often just a passing stretch of highway into a worthwhile little detour for anyone curious about how this road actually got built.
At a glance
- Entry fee: No official fee, though visitors have long suggested a small nominal charge.
- Opening hours: Site generally accessible, tower climb access frequently restricted or closed.
- Time needed: About 20 to 30 minutes covers the tower and viewpoint area.
- Best time: Early morning or late afternoon for softer light and views.
Getting there
Located on the Colombo Kandy A1 road at Kadugannawa Pass, roughly 15 to 20 minutes by tuk-tuk or bus from central Kandy, around 25 to 30 km away.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to visit Kadugannawa?
- No official fee, though visitors have long suggested a small nominal charge.
- What are the opening hours at Kadugannawa?
- Site generally accessible, tower climb access frequently restricted or closed.
- How long should I spend at Kadugannawa?
- Plan for about 20 to 30 minutes covers the tower and viewpoint area.
- When is the best time to visit Kadugannawa?
- Early morning or late afternoon for softer light and views.
- How do I get to Kadugannawa?
- Located on the Colombo Kandy A1 road at Kadugannawa Pass, roughly 15 to 20 minutes by tuk-tuk or bus from central Kandy, around 25 to 30 km away.