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Nuwara Eliya 1,889 m · Ella · Horton Plains

Hill Country

Nuwara Eliya is an old British hill station. Ella is the smaller village near the Nine Arch Bridge.

The blue hill-country train curving through tea plantations under a blue sky

At a glance

Days here
On the 15-day tour: Days 8–9
On the 21-day tour: Days 11–14
Nights in
On the 15-day tour: Nuwara Eliya
On the 21-day tour: Nuwara Eliya, Ella
Pace
On the 15-day tour: one full day and one travel day.
On the 21-day tour: one full day, one travel day and two easy days.
Temperature
22–27° by day, 16–20° at night, through the year
Best months
Nuwara Eliya: February (90 mm), March (110 mm), June (120 mm)
Ella: February (90 mm), June (80 mm), August (120 mm)

Highlights

A blue train crossing the Nine Arch Bridge through thick forest, from the air

The hill-country train

On both tours

The 09:00 train from Nanu Oya station reaches Ella in about 2 h 45. Your luggage goes by car. If the train is sold out, you go by car through the same hills.

A tea plucker cups freshly plucked green tea leaves in both hands

Tea estates

On both tours

On the 15-day tour, lunch at Ramboda and then a tea factory tour and tasting: the leaf from plantation to cup. The 21-day tour climbs to Nuwara Eliya via Gampola and the tea estates.

Baker's Falls tumbling over rocks in the forest at Horton Plains

Horton Plains and World's End

On both tours

A highland reserve of cloud forest, where the World's End lookout drops about 1,000 m to the lowlands. The walk is 9.3 km, 3 to 4 hours, with the clearest views before 09:00, so the day starts early.

The stone arches of the Nine Arch Bridge near Ella, curving above tea bushes and forest

Ella and the Nine Arch Bridge

On both tours

The 21-day tour spends two nights in Ella: the Nine Arch Bridge, the Flying Ravana zipline and walks in the hills. The 15-day tour has lunch in Ella, then stops at Ravana Falls on the way south.

  • A red train crossing the Nine Arch Bridge, with forest close around it
    Nine Arch Bridge, Ella
  • Tea pluckers at work on a green hill estate, mountains behind
    Tea pluckers in the hills
  • Two hikers on the Horton Plains trail through grassland in mist
    Horton Plains
  • Rows of tea bushes over rolling green hills, with trees behind, near Nuwara Eliya
    Tea estates, Nuwara Eliya
  • An avenue of tall royal palms at Peradeniya botanical garden
    Peradeniya botanical garden
  • Two tea pluckers with baskets on their backs picking leaves on a green hillside
    Hill Country

Weather by month

MonthNuwara EliyaElla
DayNightRain, mmDayNightRain, mm
Jan22°16°140 mm23°17°150 mm
Feb23°16°90 mm24°17°90 mm
Mar24°16°110 mm25°18°120 mm
Apr24°17°220 mm26°19°210 mm
May24°18°310 mm26°20°240 mm
Jun23°18°120 mm27°20°80 mm
Jul23°18°180 mm27°20°120 mm
Aug23°17°170 mm27°19°120 mm
Sep23°17°210 mm26°19°160 mm
Oct23°17°390 mm25°19°360 mm
Nov22°17°420 mm24°18°400 mm
Dec22°16°170 mm23°17°170 mm

Modelled from ERA5-Land climate reanalysis (about 9 km grid), not a single weather station.

Plan for
A tea estate and factory tour with a tasting. Horton Plains and World's End, where the lookout drops about 1,000 m. Little Adam's Peak is an easy half-day walk.
Heat
This is the cold part of the trip. Nights in Nuwara Eliya are chilly, so bring a warm layer.
Safety
The walks are well marked and low-risk in normal weather. The mountain roads are narrow and winding, so bring something for car sickness.
Food
Tea, obviously. Also cool-climate produce, including local strawberries around Nuwara Eliya.

Which days go here

15 days · 14 nights

21 days · 20 nights

Getting there, visa, health and money: see Before you go on the tour page.

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