The Sri Lanka hiking and trekking tourism market is expected to grow from USD 780 million in 2025 to USD 2.1 billion in 2035, at a CAGR of 10.5%. Sri Lanka has gradually made its way to experiential adventurer’s bucket list with its distinct topography, ranging from tropical rain forests to cloud forests and rugged highlands.
Adventure seekers globally opt for immersive routes, like the Knuckles Mountain Range for biodiversity-rich ridge walks, or Adam’s Peak for summit treks of spiritual significance on full moon nights (Source: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority).
Market Overview
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated Sri Lanka Hiking Tourism Size (2025E) | USD 780 million |
| Projected Value (2035F) | USD 2.1 billion |
| Value-based CAGR (2025 to 2035) | 10.5% |
Explore FMI!
Book a free demo
In H1 2024, the industry posted a CAGR of 9.8%, driven by increased interest in conservation-based trekking. By year-end, the growth rate rose to 10.2%, with international demand expanding due to cultural-eco hybrid treks through routes like Belihuloya to Horton Plains. The trend is expected to accelerate into 2025 and beyond, as operators refine thematic trails catering to mindful and fitness-focused tourists.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Market Value (2025) | USD 715 million |
| Asia-Pacific Share | 48%; major inbound countries include India, China, and Singapore |
| Europe Share | 38%; top contributors are Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands |
| Americas & Others | 14%; led by USA and Canadian hikers seeking tropical-altitude trails |
| Key Trails | Knuckles Range, Ella Rock, Horton Plains, Sinharaja Forest, Adam’s Peak |
| Economic Impact | Supports ~28,000 jobs across guides, homestays, porters, and rangers (Central Bank of Sri Lanka, 2024) |
| Key Trends | Spiritual moon treks, women-led expeditions, agro-forest treks, biodiversity storytelling |
| Peak Trekking Seasons | December-April (dry zone trails), July-September (wet zone highlands) |
| Metric | Domestic Tourists : International Tourists |
|---|---|
| Estimated Arrivals in 2025 | 160,000 hikers : 610,000 hikers |
| Projected Arrivals in 2035 | 250,000 hikers : 1.2 million hikers |
| CAGR (2025 to 2035) | 4.5% : 8.6% |
The hiking and trekking tourism of Sri Lanka remains highly international market, however being focused on global wellness market, there is growing interest in nature-based wellness and student adventure programs, leading towards a growing exposure for active tourism for local customers as well. In 2025, international trekkers will be almost 79% of a total 2 million hiking tourists, and their arrivals are expected to 610,000 in 2025 and 1.2 million in 2035, growing at a CAGR of 8.6%.
This jump has been driven by the promotional international campaigns aimed at eco-like travelers from Europe, North America and Southeast Asia. In one example, long-form treks through the Knuckles Range, which connects the south of the country to the tea plantations of the central highlands, is now a staple for German and Dutch hikers booking itineraries through European-based operators like Eco Team Sri Lanka, as Singaporean travel agencies add three-day cultural trekking combos through the hillsides around Dambulla and Ritigala for multigenerational family groups.
In contrast, domestic hiking demand is rising at a modest 4.5% CAGR. Local growth is largely driven by Colombo-based university trekking clubs, school outdoor education programs, and wellness retreats offered by Ayurvedic resorts.
Initiatives like the “Trail for All” program by SLTDA aim to promote access to forest trails such as Kalugala and Hanthana for urban youth. Events like the annual Belihuloya Night Trek Challenge have also inspired first-time Sri Lankan hikers to engage in guided eco-night walks and sunrise summits.
As infrastructure improves and guided services localize further, domestic interest is expected to deepen, particularly among millennials and Gen Z seeking physical fitness, climate awareness, and cultural reengagement through hiking.
| Date | Development & Details |
|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | SLTDA and The Long Run Network launch carbon-negative guided treks across Sinharaja rainforest buffer zones ( Source: SLTDA, 2024) |
| Dec 2024 | The Netherlands-based Wild Walkers opens “Tea to Temple” trek from Haputale to Dambulla |
| Nov 2024 | Eco Girls Collective leads Sri Lanka’s first all-women forest ranger expedition from Belihuloya to Ohiya |
| Oct 2024 | British firm TrailVerse introduces hiker storytelling podcasts geotagged along Ella-Knuckles routes |
| Sept 2024 | Colombo Trekking Bureau partners with local farmers for agro-ecological treks with farm stays |
Agro-eco Paths Options Expand Market Access
Sri Lanka’s agro-eco trails are transforming the hiking landscape by combining environmental education, regenerative tourism, and immersive cultural contact. These routes primarily pass through tea estates, spice gardens, village farmlands, and low-elevation forest patches, offering hikers a multisensory experience that integrates local livelihoods and ecological resilience.
The Pekoe Trail a 300-kilometer hiking network supported by USAID and SLTDA has become the flagship agro-eco path, guiding trekkers through working tea plantations and cloud-kissed colonial towns like Haputale, Ella, and NuwaraEliya (Source: USAID Sri Lanka, 2023).
Operators like TropiTrails and Colombo Trekking Bureau collaborate with farming cooperatives and biodiversity researchers to embed authentic ecological learning into the routes. For instance, guided walks near Belihuloya introduce hikers to traditional chena farming systems and agroforestry methods used to preserve slope stability.
Along these trails, local guides explain how pepper, cardamom, and clove crops co-exist with native flora, while hikers participate in harvesting or seedball dispersal for reforestation.
Overnights on agro-eco trails often take place in rustic farm stays or purpose-built eco-huts, where guests dine on organic meals sourced from the land they hiked. Initiatives like “Trail-to-Table” by Lanka Wild Tracks pair each trek with culinary immersion led by village matriarchs who demonstrate ancestral cooking techniques using foraged greens and heirloom grains.
Agro-eco paths particularly appeal to Western eco-conscious millennials and second-time visitors who seek meaningful engagement with Sri Lanka’s land and people. These trails support inclusive economies by directly linking tourism dollars to rural families and conservation efforts. With climate-conscious travel on the rise, agro-eco paths are well-positioned to evolve as the backbone of Sri Lanka’s sustainable adventure tourism strategy (Source: SLTDA, 2024).
Long-Form Treks Pivotal for Hiking & Trekking Tourism in Sri Lanka
Long-form treks spanning five days or more are gaining traction among seasoned hikers and international adventure travelers who value endurance challenges coupled with cultural depth. These multi-day expeditions traverse diverse terrains from forested ridgelines and tea-carpeted valleys to alpine grasslands and sacred peaks offering an unbroken narrative of Sri Lanka’s natural and spiritual heritage.
One of the most ambitious itineraries is the multi-day trek from Riverston in the Knuckles Range to the Dothalugala Cloud Forest Reserve, known for its serpentine ridgelines and endemic orchid habitats. Many of these routes also necessitate camping in accordance with minimal-impact protocols, with operators such as Eco Team Sri Lanka offering portable eco-toilets, zero-plastic meal kits and certified nature guides trained in Leave No Trace ethics.
Long-form trekkers also journey across the Central Highlands via trails linking Horton Plains, Ohiya, and Bambarakanda Falls the country’s highest waterfall. These routes provide opportunities for wildlife sightings such as sambars, leopards, and the rare whistling thrush. To extend cultural depth, long-form treks often include detours through meditation caves, colonial-era rest houses, or monasteries where hikers can engage in evening rituals or herbal steam therapies.
Luxury trekking firms like Green Compass Treks offer premium long-form packages featuring multilingual guides, yoga modules, and AI-generated trail briefings synced with satellite weather and trail condition updates. These journeys attract European and North American adventure couples aged 35-50 who seek to disconnect from urban life and reconnect with nature through deep, intentional movement.
Long-form treks also contribute heavily to rural economies. Porters, cooks, and local interpreters are hired for the duration, while remote village communities benefit from fixed payments for campsites and supplies. As trail infrastructure improves and storytelling-led experiences gain popularity, Sri Lanka’s long-form treks are expected to become a defining asset in the global trekking market (Source: SLTDA, 2024).
Sri Lanka’s hiking and trekking tourism industry is witnessing a surge in specialized operators who are redefining what it means to experience nature through culturally immersive and sustainability-focused treks. Leading the charge is Eco Team Sri Lanka, which designs multi-terrain expeditions across national parks, rainforest corridors, and historical footpaths.
They pair nature-based experiences with homestay modules, enabling hikers to interact with indigenous communities and contribute directly to local economies.
Heliotrope Journeys has carved a niche in faith-based trekking, offering curated routes that link Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian pilgrimage sites across mountainous terrain. Their itineraries often include spiritual workshops, temple lodgings, and guided reflections led by clergy-trained interpreters.
Meanwhile, TropiTrails focuses exclusively on agro-ecological treks. Their trails integrate forest conservation tasks-like canopy mapping and medicinal plant cataloging into hiking itineraries. They also partner with farmers to offer trail-to-table dining and hands-on agro-tourism education.
Green Compass Treks uses technology to elevate the trekking experience, offering AI-assisted route planning, QR-coded storytelling installations, and 360° virtual previews of major trails. Lanka Wild Tracks, on the other hand, prioritizes youth empowerment, leading school-to-peak programs and performance hikes for student athletes.
| Firm | Specialization |
|---|---|
| Eco Team Sri Lanka | Multi-terrain treks with cultural immersion and homestay components |
| Heliotrope Journeys | Faith-based hiking across Buddhist and Hindu shrines through mountainous routes |
| TropiTrails | Agro-forest hiking circuits with community farm engagement and biodiversity audits |
| Lanka Wild Tracks | High-altitude performance trails and youth leadership hikes across Knuckles and Horton |
| Green Compass Treks | AI-assisted itinerary design with storytelling overlays and multilingual guide services |
Operators such as Heliotrope Journeys have organized pilgrim-style hikes to Kataragama via forest trails, incorporating sacred rituals and temple-hosted rest stops. Meanwhile, Green Compass Treks has integrated holographic trail guides and QR-enabled flora trackers for digital-native tourists.
Luxury eco-lodges like Wild Glamping Gal Oya and Madulkelle Tea & Eco Lodge now package guided hikes with sustainability-focused experiences like firefly photography walks and forest-to-plate meals (Source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, 2024).
The market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 10.5%.
The industry is projected to reach USD 2.1 billion by 2035.
Growth is being driven by increasing demand for immersive, eco-cultural treks, government-supported community-based tourism, and technology-enhanced trail experiences.
Leading operators include Eco Team Sri Lanka, TropiTrails, Lanka Wild Tracks, Heliotrope Journeys, and Green Compass Treks.
Rainforest Trails, Highland Treks, Cultural Routes, Spiritual Pilgrimages, Agro-Eco Paths
Day Hikes, Weekend Treks (2-3 days), Long-Form Treks (5+ days)
Millennials (25-35), Adventure Couples (35-50), Women Trekkers
Cloud Forests, Tea Highlands, Riverine Paths, Ridge Walks
Templated Packages, Semi-Custom Routes, Fully Personalized Expeditions
Industrial Tourism Market Analysis by Experience Type, by End, by Tourist, by Booking Channel, and by Region - Forecast for 2025 to 2035
China Outbound MICE Tourism to US Market 2025 to 2035
Incentive Tourism Industry Analysis By Incentive Type, By Business Size, By End User, By Region – Forecast for 2025 to 2035
Cruise Tourism Industry Analysis By Cruise Type, By Experience Type, By End User (Solo Travelers, Families, Retirees, Business Travelers), By Region – Forecast for 2025 to 2035
Short-Term Vacation Rental Market Trends – Growth & Forecast 2025 to 2035
Air Traffic Industry Analysis in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2025 to 2035
Sri Lanka Hiking and Trekking Tourism Market
Thank you!
You will receive an email from our Business Development Manager. Please be sure to check your SPAM/JUNK folder too.
