Nuwara Eliya & the Hill Country

Haputale, Bandarawela and Ella are Hill Country towns surrounded by a blanket of vast tea estates.
The most famous Hill Country panorama is the evocatively-named World’s End in Horton Plains National Park.
Located in the Badulla District of the Uva Province; Ella is a rather quiet place nestled in lush greenery. The area has a rich bio-diversity, dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Ella, is approximately 200 kilometers (120 miles) east of Colombo and offers plenty of fantastic sights such as beautiful waterfalls, the glorious nine arch bridge and panoramic views from Lipton’s Seat . Ella is surrounded by hills covered with cloud forests and tea plantations. The town has a cooler climate than surrounding lowlands, due to its elevation. The Ella Gap allows views across the southern plains of Sri Lanka. On a sunny morning, you can even see the glow from the lighthouses along the southern coast.
You can reach the Hill Country by taking the famous railway journey. Train tours in the highlands of Sri Lanka are rated as one of the best train tours in the world. The majestic Nine Arch Bridge is one of the many reasons for that. The glorious Nine Arch Bridge between Ella and Demodara station is one of the engineering marvels in the early 20th century. Ella’s a few stops from Badulla at the end of the railway line that snakes through the Hill Country. Trains go to the capital of Colombo and the cultural capital of Kandy from Ella.

If you enjoy hiking then the Hill Country is perfect for you as it provides some of the best hikes in the country. Little Adams Peak otherwise known as Punchi Siri Pada, Small Adams Peak, or Mini Adams peak, is the closest and easiest hike in Ella. The other hike is to Ella’s Rock which takes approximately four hours for a roundtrip and is more challenging.
The Ravana Ella waterfall is 40 metres high and is one of Sri Lanka’s widest falls. The falls is part of the Ravana Ella Wildlife Sanctuary and is located 6 km away from Ella Railway station. The Ravana Ella or Ravana Falls are surrounded by a luscious green environment.
The name Lipton’s Seat says it all. It is a famous viewpoint 1970 metres above sea level. This precise spot in the Haputale Mountains overlooking the Dambetenna Tea Estate is where Sir Thomas Lipton used to sit and contemplate his plantation with its stony landscape and green tea bushes. Lipton’s Seat is only one of many wonderful walking destinations in Sri Lanka’s Hill Country. Dambatenne factory is about 7 km away from Lipton Seat. The story is connected with the famous Lipton Seat viewpoint as it was built by the same person, the Scottish tea baron Sir Thomas Lipton in 1890. It is currently well known as manufacturers of Lipton tea and here you can take a tour of the magnificent tea factory.
A 4 kilometre drive from Haputale will lead you to Adisham Bungalow, a monastery run by Benedictine Monks. Wrapped in the tranquillity of the misty hills, Adisham Bungalow attracts every eye that falls on it. The pages of history reveal that the creator of this enthralling place is Sir Thomas Lister Villiers in 1931. Please note that it is only open for sightseers on weekends, public holidays and school holidays.