Ella in Sri Lanka - holidays in the scenic hillcountry
Ella is a small town in the Badulla District situated at an elevation of roughly 1,000 metres above sea level. That‘s just high enough for refreshing holidays on the otherwise topical island of Sri Lanka, on the other hand, it‘s never as cold as Nuwara Eliya can be. Ella is a very pleasant location surrounded by hills covered with dark cloud forests or light green tea plantations of the Uva region. The small town has a railway station at the Colombo-Badulla line crossing the central tea highlands of Sri Lanka.“Ella“ is a Sinhala word simply meaning “waterfall“. Indeed there is more than one waterfall in the vicinity of Ella. But the waterfall shown on the picture can be seen from many places on the hills of Ella. It‘s called Kithal Ella. Visitors who arriving in Ella by train from Colombo, Kandy or Nuwara Eliya can spot the waterfall on the right side just when passing or leaving the small railway station also called „Kithal Ella“. It‘s located 2.5 km west of Ella town‘s railway station.
Ella can claim to be a perfect place for a relaxing day during your sightseeing tour in Sri Lanka or even for an entire holiday week in the hill country. A wide range of one-day excursions to heritage sites can be started from Ella. In the first place, Ella‘s immediate surroundings are a main attraction in itself. Actually, Ella is the best choice for a variety of rewarding hiking tours in Sri Lanka, not as exhausting as trekking tours in Knuckles Range or Peak Wilderness.
However, most tourists passing through this area use Ella only as a stopover or spend just one night here on their way from Nuwara Eliya to the south coast. Of course, all kind of guests want to enjoy the famous view to the Ella gap. But there are dozens of guesthoses with sometimes very promising names that don`t offer good views.
A favourite place of backpackers is the Tea Garden Inn. Indeed, it has views to different directions, and most rooms have their own verandas. It’s a delightful place, no doubt. But due to a huge tree in front of it there is no view to the Ella Gap. Lots of the former tea garden area was sold and has been used for construction of other guest houses, therefore the Tea Garden Inn has lost its charme a little bit, although it‘s still a recommendable place.
Here is a list of those accommodation facilities in Ella where you really can enjoy perfect panoramas to the Ella Gap.
However, most tourists passing through this area use Ella only as a stopover or spend just one night here on their way from Nuwara Eliya to the south coast. Of course, all kind of guests want to enjoy the famous view to the Ella gap. But there are dozens of guesthoses with sometimes very promising names that don`t offer good views.
A favourite place of backpackers is the Tea Garden Inn. Indeed, it has views to different directions, and most rooms have their own verandas. It’s a delightful place, no doubt. But due to a huge tree in front of it there is no view to the Ella Gap. Lots of the former tea garden area was sold and has been used for construction of other guest houses, therefore the Tea Garden Inn has lost its charme a little bit, although it‘s still a recommendable place.
Here is a list of those accommodation facilities in Ella where you really can enjoy perfect panoramas to the Ella Gap.
Hotels and guesthouses in Ella offering stunning panoramic views
The “Grand Ella Motel” is the best hotel in town. It is the former colonial resthouse and still also called “The Rest House Grand Ella”. The hotel garden invites you to enjoy your meals or enjoy a cup of tea and some snacks when taking only a short break in Ella. This garden is the place with the classic post card view of the Ella Gap. Nonetheless, little things may be disturbing photographers are those spending a night here, viz. power supply lines in front of the garden and the noise of the nearby mainroad.
The “Zion View Guest House” is a little bit hidden but a quiet place and less expensive. It offers a perfect Ella Gap sight, too. It‘s located at Waterfall Road, which branches off the thoroughfare at Ella‘s main junction, leading westwards.
A little bit farther away from the town centre, but also at Waterfall Road, are two hotels the terraces of which are perfect vantage points, namely the elegant and very clean „Mountain Heaven“ and the cozy „Laura Hotel”. Both of them are situated in peaceful surroundings and offer wonderful panoramic views.
The “Zion View Guest House” is a little bit hidden but a quiet place and less expensive. It offers a perfect Ella Gap sight, too. It‘s located at Waterfall Road, which branches off the thoroughfare at Ella‘s main junction, leading westwards.
A little bit farther away from the town centre, but also at Waterfall Road, are two hotels the terraces of which are perfect vantage points, namely the elegant and very clean „Mountain Heaven“ and the cozy „Laura Hotel”. Both of them are situated in peaceful surroundings and offer wonderful panoramic views.
The “Ella Gap Panorama Guest House” and the neighbouring “Ambiente”, „Sky Green“ and „Heaven‘s Edge“ are further uphill, more than 2 km outside the centre of Ella. All of them are at Kitelella Road, which is on the other side of the railway line. All four places have views to the Ella Gap, too, though each from a slightly different angle. Their panoramic view is much wider than the vistas from the guesthouses closer to Ella's center, all four places have 180 degree panoramas. From this uphill location, you can also see Namunukula, which is the highest mountain in the south-eastern highlands, to the left and the Kital Ella waterfalls to the right. Altogether, this panoramic views are indeed among the loveliest sights in Sri Lanka. „Ella Gap Panorama“ and „Ambiente“ are smaller guesthouses with a familiar, private atmosphere. „Sky Green“ is larger. „Heaven‘s Edge“, by far the most expensive of them, is a very modern hotel and has a pool with best panoramic views. However, customer reviews say a hotel of this price category could have cleaner bathrooms.
Regrettably, all the hotels and guesthouses mentioned above do not pay for our recommendation, as we forgot to ask them to do so. This is to say: We are honestly convinced, they are the best choice for those who are looking for the best panoramic views in Ella. The three title photos of this webpage is taken from the terrace of the „Ella Gap Panorama Guesthouse“.
Those holiday makers, who spend more than a break or a single night in Ella, might be interested to know where to go, in order to enjoy the lovely scenery Ella has to offer. Thus, what follows is a list of hiking destinations around Ella.
Regrettably, all the hotels and guesthouses mentioned above do not pay for our recommendation, as we forgot to ask them to do so. This is to say: We are honestly convinced, they are the best choice for those who are looking for the best panoramic views in Ella. The three title photos of this webpage is taken from the terrace of the „Ella Gap Panorama Guesthouse“.
Those holiday makers, who spend more than a break or a single night in Ella, might be interested to know where to go, in order to enjoy the lovely scenery Ella has to offer. Thus, what follows is a list of hiking destinations around Ella.
Hiking to Ella's "Little Adam's Peak"
Enjoying the view through the Ella Gap to the lowlands of Sri Lanka, you will easily recognize the contrasting shapes of the mountains flanking the gap. The mountain to the right, called „Ella Rock“, is very steep and stony, partly overgrown by wood, whereas the slopes of the mountain to the left are covered with wide grasslands and tea. Nontheless, this smaller peak is not less prominent. Due to its conical shape – only when seen from Ella – it‘s called „Little Adam‘s Peak“. The Sinhala name of what Westerners call „Adam‘s Peak“ is „Siri Pada“, which translates to „sacred foot“. Thus not surprisingly, Little Adam‘s Pek is also called Punchi Siri Pada by locals. In fact, those are nickname sof other conical hills in Sri Lanka, too, this one is of course the most well-known of Adam‘s Peak‘s smaller brothers. Don‘t be confused. Concerning the efforts required to reach the summit, Little Adam‘s Peak in Ella is not at all comparable to the big Adam‘s Peak near Ratnapura. Actually, it‘s a quite relaxing walk to the top. Only the last part is a stairway, but of a few hundred steps – not a few thosand as in the case of the genuine Adam‘s Peak. Alternatively, a pleasent serpentine path is leading to the top of Little Adam‘s Peak.
The 1141 m high peak is situated only 3 km outside Ella town. The first kilometre of the walk will lead along the road to Passara. As this is a paved road and a less scenic part of the hike, it‘s recommendable to take a tuktuk to a the starting point of the more attractive path winding 2 km through tea plantation. The starting point is in a bend of the road, where a white seated Buddha is placed. This path to Little Adam`s Peak is really easy to find, as it‘s marked by signboards near the 98 Acres Resort. From here, it will tahe about 40 minutes to get to the top, although it‘s in only 2 km distance. The first part of the path goes through a lush green tea plantation. With a little luck, you can observe tea pickers in this area. The last part is steeper, although not too exhausting, as already mentioned.
The 1141 m high peak is situated only 3 km outside Ella town. The first kilometre of the walk will lead along the road to Passara. As this is a paved road and a less scenic part of the hike, it‘s recommendable to take a tuktuk to a the starting point of the more attractive path winding 2 km through tea plantation. The starting point is in a bend of the road, where a white seated Buddha is placed. This path to Little Adam`s Peak is really easy to find, as it‘s marked by signboards near the 98 Acres Resort. From here, it will tahe about 40 minutes to get to the top, although it‘s in only 2 km distance. The first part of the path goes through a lush green tea plantation. With a little luck, you can observe tea pickers in this area. The last part is steeper, although not too exhausting, as already mentioned.
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Standing on the top, you will find that Little Adam‘s Peak has a handful of adjacent summits, all of them inviting to sit down and to enyoy the spectacular views to the lowlands in the south, the steep Ella Rock in the west and Ella town in the northwest. Returning from the summit, you can spot the white building of Newburgh Green Tea Factory to the northeast.
As the hike to Little Adam‘s Peak is not very long, you can also continue by walking to the tea factory. The Newburg Estate was established as early as 1884, and the factory started to be operated in 1903. But you shoould be aware, that it cannot be visited any more. Currently, it‘s closed due to a trend to centralize tea production of incresingly larger areas. Once, Newburgh had the reputation of being one of the best green tea factories of Sri Lanka.
Nine Arches Bridge between Ella and Demodara
Newburgh Green Tea Factory is the starting point to another hike, which, as already mentioned can easily be combined with climbing Little. Adam‘s Peak. Just 100 m behind the tea factory, a side road branches of from the Passara road, leading downwards to the left. At the next gable, turn left. After 500 m, you will reach a perfect viewpoint to see one of Sri Lanka‘s most iconic railway bridges. The Nine Arches Bridge, also called „Bridge in the Sky“ or known as “Aarukku Namaye Palama” in Sinhala, is located between Ella and Demodara railway stations. The eye-catching bridge was commisioned in 1921.
Hiking to Ella Rock
A longer hike leads to the top of Ella Rock. It will take 4 to 5 hours up and down, though Ella Rock is in only 4 km distance. For the first 2.3 km you have to walk along the railway line and leave it just at the waterfalls. In case you don‘t like this part, you can go by tuktuk to Kithal Ella railway station, which is in only 200 m distance from the falls. Just behind the waterfalls, a detour to the grass-covered hill on the left is well worth an additional kilometre, as it‘s a perfect vantage point to Ella and surroundings. The path to the summit of Ella Rock crosses a small settllment area with vegetable fields. When reching the thick wood, the climb will turn out to be much more strenuous than that to Little Adam‘s Peak. From the top of Ella Rock, you have a view only to the eastern direction, behind Little Adam‘s Peak at the opposite site of Ella Gap, you can see the highest mountain range of Sri Lanka‘s southeastern hill country. The range and it‘s most prominent summit are called Namunukula.
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Ravana Falls and Ravana Cave in Ella Gap
Ravana Falls is not a hiking destination. It‘s situated at the main road close to the bottom end of the Ella Gap. Parking is permitted close to bridge, from where you have a perfect view to the cascades of this waterfall called Ravanna Ella. Altogether, it measures approximately 25 m in height. During the local wet season, the waterfall turns into the shape of an areca flower with withering petals.
Ravana Ella waterfall is one of Sri Lanka’s many waterfalls veiled in legend. The falls are named after the legendary King of Lanka, who is a main character in the Indian Ramayana epic.According the epic, Ravana had kidnapped the beautiful princess Sita, consort of Lord Rama, and brought her to the island of Lanka on a flying charriot. Local legend has ist, that Sita was held in captivity several places in Sri Lanka. One of this places where she was hidden are the caves behind the waterfall, they are known as Ravana Ella Caves. Sita is believed to have bathed in the pools of the cascades. Ravana Ella cave is a prehistorical site indeed. Excavations unearthed evidence of human habitation in the period of the Balangoda culture 25,000 years ago.
Climbing up to the caves through several narrow stairs cut in the rock is easy if you are an experienced hiker, but be aware the stairs can be slippery.
Climbing up to the caves through several narrow stairs cut in the rock is easy if you are an experienced hiker, but be aware the stairs can be slippery.
Uva Halpewaththa Tea Factory near Ella
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The best tea factory to study tea production methods near Ella is Uva Halpewaththa, situated in 2 km distance to the northeast of Ella, as the crow flies, but it will take 6 km by road. The hike would be 4 km, using the Ella-Halpe road, starting at the back of the Ella railway station. After 2 km downhill, you will reach the Bandarawela-Badulla main road and have to turn left and follow the busy road for about 600 m. Then the serpentine road leading to Uva Halpewaththa Tea Factory will branch off to the right.It‘s in fact the largest tea factory in Sri Lanka’s Uva province and the best place to study the processes of tea production in Badulla District.
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