Uva Province, hill country · Sri Lanka
A backpacker-friendly hill village of misty viewpoints, tea slopes, waterfalls and the Nine Arch Bridge, at the end of the world's loveliest train ride.
Photo: Gayan Perera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ella is a small village in Sri Lanka's south-east hill country, at about 1,000 metres, perched above a gap in the hills through which you can see all the way to the coast on clear days. Once a sleepy tea-country stop, it is now the island's main backpacker hub, with guesthouses, cafés and bars along a single main street.
Its attractions are natural. The Nine Arch Bridge, built in the 1920s from stone and brick without steel, curves through jungle and tea bushes, and trains cross it a few times a day. Little Adam's Peak is an easy 30-minute climb with panoramic views, Ella Rock is a longer and more demanding hike, and Ravana Falls is a broad waterfall beside the road. Nearby, tea factories such as Uva Halpewatte offer tours.
Most visitors arrive by train from Kandy or Nuwara Eliya, about 6 to 7 hours through tea country, a journey often listed as one of the world's best. Weather is cooler and can be foggy or rainy, and mornings are usually clearest. Two days is a good stay, with time for hikes and cafés.
Why visit
Ella is the base for Sri Lanka's most scenic hikes and train rides.
A famous railway viaduct.
Little Adam's Peak.
Estates and factories.
From Kandy or Nuwara Eliya.
Cafés and guesthouses.
Main attractions
Sights are around the village, mostly walkable.
A stone viaduct with nine arches, in a jungle setting, where trains cross a few times a day.
Tip Check the train timetable.
An easy hill to climb, giving views of Ella Gap and Ella Rock.
Tip Go at sunrise.
A tougher hike of 3 to 4 hours through tea estates.
Tip Hire a guide.
A broad waterfall beside the main road.
Tip Best after rain.
Estates offering tours and tastings.
Tip Go in the morning.
A scenic station, where the famous hill-country line ends.
Tip Book seats in advance.
Things to do
Ella is for walking and relaxing.
At the Nine Arch Bridge.
Tip Arrive early.
30 minutes.
Tip Go at dawn.
A longer trek.
Tip Start early.
Adventure park.
Tip Book ahead.
To Kandy or Nuwara Eliya.
Tip Book seats.
Sri Lankan food.
Tip Ask guesthouses.
Local food
Ella's food is casual and traveller-friendly.
Home-cooked.
Where to try it Guesthouses.
Street food.
Where to try it Main Street.
Trendy cafés.
Where to try it Cafés.
Local tea.
Where to try it Tea factories.
Breakfast.
Where to try it Cafés.
Accommodation
Stay in the village or the hills.
Transport
Ella is reached by the famous train or road.
Walk or tuk-tuk.
When to go
Ella is cool and can be misty.
Drier.
Some rain.
Showers.
Wet.
Worth planning around: November rains.
Itinerary
Peaks, bridge and tea.
Village.
Views.
Travel tips
A few tips help you plan.
FAQ
By train or car.
Yes.
Two.
January to April.
Be careful near the tracks.
For Ella Rock, recommended.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Ella, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Central Province, hill country, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's tea capital at 1,900 metres, with tea estate tours, colonial architecture, Gregory Lake and the Horton Plains' World's End and Baker's Falls.
Don't miss Standing at World's End on the Horton Plains at dawn, before the mist rolls in, with a 870-metre drop at your feet.
Explore Destination — Nuwara Eliya and Horton PlainsSouthern and Uva Provinces, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's most famous safari park, with one of the highest densities of leopards in the world, elephants, buffalo, crocodiles and birds, explored in jeep safaris.
Don't miss A leopard stretched along a rock in early morning light, watched from the safety of a jeep.
Explore Destination — Yala National ParkCentral Province, hill country, Sri Lanka
A hill-country city with the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy Lake, Kandyan dance, Peradeniya Botanical Gardens and the base for tea country trains.
Don't miss The evening puja at the Temple of the Tooth, with drummers, incense and pilgrims in white.
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