Quartz is a commonly found mineral but rose quartz are different. A rose quartz mountain is never a common sight. In Anuradhapura district, closer to Madatugama there lies a rose quartz mountain. It is no ordinary mountain as it is the largest rose quartz mountain range in South Asia.

This mountain is situated inside the beautiful Na forest reserve called National Namal Uyana. National Namal Uyana is also a land with a very beautiful environment. Apart from Na trees of different sizes, a wide variety of birds and animals can be seen here. Therefore it is important to not to break the peaceful atmosphere and not to disturb the natural habitats of the animals if you intend to travel to Namal Uyana.

Walking to the Rose Quartz mountain inside Namal Uyana is a beautiful experience. There are many plant species including Heerassa, Nuga and Na. Very small waterfalls and small reserves of cool water can be seen too. As you walk through the forest enjoying the beauty of nature you can see an ancient engraving (Sel Lipi). It was established during the reign of King Dewanampiyathissa. Not only that, there lives a monk inside the forest. That is the Venerable Wanawasi Rahula Thero.

As you walk through the forest, at one point, the Rose Quartz mountain range will come into your vision. The time of the day you arrive here is very important. If you arrive here during noon when the sun is at its peak, climbing the mountain is a very exhausting task. If you try to climb the mountain facing the sun directly, and if the solar rays get reflected from the quartz to your eyes then climbing even a small height is exhausting. And if you check the base of the mountain then you could find a less steep path to climb the mountain.

When you reach the summit you can see a calming sight. There is a statue of Lord Buddha. There you can rest for a while. This mountain range lies in a land of about 250 acres and has a height of about 180 - 300 metres. If you intend to quench your thirst after climbing down the mountain, for years there used to be a seller of cold fruit juices.

Recently a Cable Car project was proposed in order to help tourists reach the summit easily. But no extra measures have been reported so far. However there are some spots in the mountain blackened due to frequent travellers stepping on quartz and the sunlight. But it is reported that the internal layers of the mineral are rose and safe.

There exists places close to the National Namal Uyana where you can have a small meal and where you can find sanitary facilities. These facilities are not in the highest quality but normally enough to get refreshed for a while.

It is the responsibility of Sri Lankans to protect Namal Uyana the largest Na forest in Sri Lanka, and the Rose Quartz Mountain the largest rose quartz mountain in South Asia, for the future generations. It is a prime responsibility of tourists because it is not hard for smugglers to spot such a forest with valuable plants and minerals. Not only that, it is your responsibility to take back with you what you bring inside the forest and not dump your waste there.