Quick answer
Victoria Dam is a double-curvature concrete arch dam on the Mahaweli River near Teldeniya, about 25 to 30 kilometres east of Kandy, a drive of 50 to 70 minutes. At roughly 122 metres it is the tallest dam in Sri Lanka, and its power station is the country's largest hydroelectric plant. It was completed in 1985. A public viewpoint and visitor area overlook the dam and reservoir; access to the crest itself is restricted. The outing takes about half a day and suits travellers who enjoy scenery and engineering.
Key takeaways
- Victoria Dam is roughly 122 metres high and about 520 metres long at its crest.
- The Victoria power station has an installed capacity of about 210 megawatts, the largest of any hydroelectric plant in Sri Lanka.
- The dam was built with British funding between 1978 and 1985 and opened in the presence of Margaret Thatcher.
- The old town of Teldeniya was submerged when the Victoria reservoir filled, and its ruins reappear when the water is low.
- The Victoria Randenigala Rantembe Sanctuary below the dam covers more than 40,000 hectares of protected forest.
What Victoria Dam is
Victoria Dam is the centrepiece of the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Programme, a chain of dams and canals built in the 1970s and 1980s to generate power and irrigate the dry zone. It stands where the river enters a narrow gorge below the Hulu Ganga confluence.
The design of Victoria Dam is a double-curvature arch, curved both across the valley and from top to bottom, which lets a relatively thin wall hold an enormous weight of water. Eight spillway gates sit in the crest. When they open in a wet year, the sight draws crowds from Kandy.
What you can see
The public viewpoint at Victoria Dam is on the hillside above the right bank. From its terraces you look down on the full curve of the dam, the gorge below and the reservoir behind. An information centre explains the Mahaweli scheme with models and photographs.
The Victoria reservoir is as much of an attraction as the dam. Its long arms reach between wooded ridges towards the Knuckles Range, and the roads around it give constant views of water. In dry spells, the foundations and temple of drowned Teldeniya emerge from the mud on the northern shore.
- →The dam viewpoint and visitor centre.
- →Lakeside stretches of the road between Digana and Teldeniya.
- →The exposed ruins of old Teldeniya at low water, usually August and September.
- →Spillway releases after heavy rain, mostly in November and December.
The drive from Kandy
The drive from Kandy to Victoria Dam follows the A26 east through Kundasale and Digana, then drops towards the reservoir. The distance is 25 to 30 kilometres and takes 50 to 70 minutes. The road is good and far less congested than those west of the city.
The country east of Kandy feels different from the tea hills. This is the Dumbara valley, drier and more open, with dolomite quarries, a golf course beside the lake and wide skies. Security staff may ask for identification near the dam, so carry your passport or a copy.
- →Kandy to Digana: about 30 minutes.
- →Digana to the dam viewpoint: 20 to 30 minutes.
- →Return via the north shore and Teldeniya for a loop.
- →Half-day total: about four hours.
Wildlife and the sanctuary
The forest around Victoria Dam is protected as part of the Victoria Randenigala Rantembe Sanctuary, one of the largest in the country. It was created to guard the catchments of three linked reservoirs and shelters elephants, leopards, sambar and a long list of birds.
Wildlife viewing near Victoria Dam is casual, not organised. There are no jeep safaris. Elephants are sometimes seen at dusk on the road that continues east towards Mahiyangana, and eagles and kites circle the gorge. Drive carefully after dark and never stop beside elephants on the road.
When to go and practical notes
The best time to visit Victoria Dam is early morning or late afternoon, when the low sun lights the arch and the hills. Midday is hazy and hot. The reservoir is fullest from December to February and lowest from about July to September.
Rules at Victoria Dam change with the security climate. The viewpoint is normally open in daylight without charge, while the crest road has been closed to casual visitors for long periods. Lankan Stays & Trails checks access before planning the trip and pairs it with lunch at a lakeside property.
- →Entry to the viewpoint: usually free.
- →Photography: permitted at the viewpoint; do not photograph security posts.
- →Facilities: toilets and a small canteen, not always open.
Who it suits and what to pair it with
Victoria Dam suits travellers on a second or third day in Kandy who want open country and no crowds. Engineers, photographers and families with older children tend to enjoy it. The Degaldoruwa cave temple and the weaving villages of the Dumbara valley lie on the way.
Victoria Dam is not for everyone. Visitors with one or two days in Kandy have better uses for four hours, and the visitor facilities are modest. Travellers heading east to Mahiyangana or Pasikudah, however, pass close by and should certainly stop.
- →Pair with Degaldoruwa for art and scenery in one morning.
- →Pair with the Knuckles foothills for a full day east of Kandy.
- →Skip on a short visit, when the city's own sights come first.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Victoria Dam from Kandy?
Victoria Dam is 25 to 30 kilometres east of Kandy, near the town of Teldeniya. The drive takes 50 to 70 minutes along the A26 through Kundasale and Digana. There is no convenient train, and buses run only as far as nearby villages.
Can you visit Victoria Dam?
You can visit the public viewpoint and information centre above Victoria Dam during daylight, normally free of charge. Walking or driving across the crest of the dam has been restricted for security reasons for long periods. Carry identification, since checks are common.
How tall is Victoria Dam?
Victoria Dam is roughly 122 metres high, making it the tallest dam in Sri Lanka. Its crest is about 520 metres long. The reservoir behind it holds more than 700 million cubic metres of water when full.
What is the sunken town at Victoria reservoir?
The sunken town is old Teldeniya, which was abandoned and flooded when the Victoria reservoir filled in the mid-1980s. Residents were moved to a new town on higher ground. In very dry periods the remains of buildings and a temple emerge from the water.
When do the Victoria Dam spillways open?
The spillway gates of Victoria Dam open only when the reservoir is full and heavy rain continues, which happens in some years and not others. The most likely period is November to January. There is no schedule, so a release is a matter of luck.
Is Victoria Dam worth a trip from Kandy?
Victoria Dam is worth a half-day if you have three days in Kandy, enjoy landscapes or have an interest in engineering. It is not a priority on a short visit. The drive through the Dumbara valley and the views of the reservoir are as rewarding as the dam itself.