Ella is a town in the centre-south of the island, in Badulla district, about 200 km east of Colombo. It’s part of the Highlands, one of the areas of Sri Lanka that is most often visited by tourists due to its impressive landscapes and rich biodiversity.
Ella is the final stop on the famous train journey that starts in Kandy. Train passengers are taken through a remarkable landscape with hills covered in a blanket of deep forests and tea plantations.
If you spend a night or two in Ella, you should plan to hike some of the nearby trails because the town itself doesn’t have any big tourist or cultural attractions. There are plenty of trails to choose between, such as the routes up to Little Adam’s Peak and Ella Mountain, which both have views over the beautiful landscape, or to popular Nine Arch Bridge, a masterpiece of colonial architecture where people often take their favourite photos of Sri Lanka.
- Train and Nine Arch Bridge
- Little Adam’s Peak
- Ella Rock
- Ravana Falls
- Tea Factory
- Buduruwagala Buddha
- Where to stay
Train and Nine Arch Bridge
Railways were introduced to Sri Lanka at the end of the 19th century and trains were initially used to transport coffee beans and later tea from Kandy (the gateway to the Highlands) to Colombo. Once in the country’s commercial capital, these products were transported around the world.
Over the years, further train lines branched out from Kandy to other points across the island, and the line that runs from Kandy to Ella is one of the most beautiful. It’s a popular seven-hour journey that international tourists love because of the stunning landscapes that are visible through the train windows: forests, green rolling mountains, tea plantations, waterfalls, local villages, and more.
Around three trains leave Kandy each day. It’s best to avoid the night train so you can enjoy seeing the landscape in daylight, or at sunset. The trip takes around seven hours and the train makes several stops along the way, including at Nuwara Eliya.
If you’d like to travel in first-class for greater comfort (and with air conditioning), it’s a good idea to book in advance. Travelling in second or third class is still comfortable though and far cheaper, but these tickets can only be purchased at stations.
When you’re in Ella, make time to visit Nine Arch Bridge; it’s about a half-hour walk on the road to Demodara. Work finished on the bridge in 1921 and this architectural masterpiece was built during the period when Sri Lanka was British Ceylon, a British colony. It’s made of stone, cement and no steel because this material was in great demand at the time due to the World War I arms race.
The bridge is 91 m long and visitors typically take photos of the part where it curves. You can also take photos from below and from a viewpoint at Asanka Café.
Little Adam’s Peak
One of the most famous trails to hike near Ella is the route that climbs up Little Adam’s Peak. This conical shaped mountain was given its name because it looks similar to Adam’s Peak, one of the best-known mountains in Sri Lanka. Adam’s Peak has a Buddhist temple at the top that is a pilgrimage site, and a rock with a huge footprint left by Adam, according to Christian legend.
Hiking from the centre of Ella to the top of Little Adam’s Peak takes about two hours. It’s an easy trail so there’s no need to be exceptionally fit and it’s well worth doing because you’ll enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding area from the top.
Ella Rock
Ella Rock also has impressive views of the Highlands. It has an altitude of 1,348 m and can be climbed without any great physical difficulty, but the signposting isn’t very clear so take care not to get lost (Wiki Loc has several route to choose between).
The trail normally begins at Ella train station and you’ll pass tea plantations, bridges, eucalyptus forests, and more, along the way. The trail is about 10 km long and takes several hours so wear suitable footwear, check the weather forecast for rain, avoid walking when the sun is at its strongest and temperatures are high, and take food and water with you.
Ravana Falls
The waterfall can be spotted from Little Adam’s Peak and from the road towards Yala National Park, but it’s much more fun to see it close up.
Ravana Falls are only about 6 km from Ella and are one of the main tourist attractions in the area. Sri Lanka has lots of waterfalls but these are one of the most famous because the water runs down several levels and the largest drop is nearly 25 m high.
Its name comes from Hindu culture: Ravana is the king of the demons and also features in a local legend, although the waterfall may have been named for the force of its water.
You’ll probably spot locals bathing in some of the pools and, while you can climb to the very top, the ascent isn’t suitable for everyone and is only recommended in dry season when the ground isn’t slippery.
Tea Factory
Sri Lanka’s tea plantations are in the Highlands of Sri Lanka ‒ they cover the landscape in a lush green and are open to visitors.
A tour of the Dambethenne factory is particularly recommended; it was built decades ago by celebrated Scottish businessman Thomas Lipton (1850-1931). Many travel agencies and guides offer transport and a tour of this famous tea plantation and factory.
During your visit, you’ll learn about the entire tea production process, including picking, rolling, drying, fermenting, cutting, sieving, grading, and the final auction.
You can also climb up to Lipton Seat to enjoy the same panoramic views the tea baron once had of his plantations, and there is even a statue here in his honour.
Buduruwagala Buddha
After going hiking and visiting a tea plantation, a highly recommended visit by road is to the Buddhist archaeological remains of Buduruwagala Temple, a fascinating site that is under 40 km from Ella.
The main attraction of the temple are its seven Buddhist statues carved in rock that date from the 10th century. One is a statue of Buddha in the Sambhanga pose (standing upright) ‒ it’s 16 m tall, making it the tallest of this type in Sri Lanka.
The statues still have some of their original colours and are in an excellent state of conservation. Other religious figures are portrayed alongside Buddha.
Where to stay
Dambulla is a great, and strategic, place to stay because you can easily reach many different points across the country. Dambulla is around 150 km north-east of Colombo in Matale district.
The Barceló hotel chain has a wonderful four-star hotel set in the heart of nature in this area: the Occidental Paradise Dambulla. This luxury villa-shaped hotel is very close to Dambulla. It has bright, comfortable rooms with everything you need to unwind and enjoy Sri Lanka and its lush nature. The hotel has two restaurants that serve the finest local and international food, a swimming pool (for adults and children), and a gym.
Barceló Hotel Group also has a hotel on the south-west coast of Sri Lanka, the Occidental Eden Beruwala, in the area with the best beaches. This luxurious five-star hotel is in Beruwala and offers guests a unique stay in paradise.
It has 158 rooms decorated with motifs inspired by the local culture and guests will enjoy the highest levels of comfort with everything they could need to rest and enjoy their holiday in this fabulous Asian country. The hotel has a wide selection of dining options, a spa for total relaxation, a hairdresser, beauty centre, and gym.
