Ella is a small hilly town in the Badulla District of Uva Province, Sri Lanka. It is governed by an urban council. The town is just about 200 kilometers east of the city of Colombo and it resides at an elevation of 1,041 meters beyond the sea level. In addition to this, Ella has some stunning tourist attractions and sightseeing spectacles such as – the Ella Gap, Little AdamsPeak, etc. Also, it has an affluent bio-diversity dense along with loads of flora and fauna. To add to the fact, the place is encircled with hills, which are filled with tea plantations and cloud forests. In short, Ella is a wonderful place for having a relaxing vacation. So, let’s discover the important facts about Ella.
Things to see in Ella
Ella Gap: Ella Gap is a magnificent location in Ella. The small town is enclosed by tall mountains in the central hills. There is a gap among these mountains and from that gap; you can easily get outstanding views of the ocean that stretched to the Hambantota coastline.
Little AdamsPeak: Little AdamsPeak is a pyramid-shaped rock that stands in the opposite direction of the big Ella Rock. When you are in Ella, walking up to the top of AdamsPeak would be one of the highlights of your trip. The top of AdamsPeak will provide you excellent views out over the hills and the climbing would not be a difficult one like the rest of hills.
Rawana Waterfall: The Rawana Waterfalls is a 25-meter high waterfall that flows from an oval-shaped concave rock outcrop. Generally, the flow of this waterfall gets dry in the dry season. But, when the rainy season comes, the waterfall becomes an Areca flower with contemptuous petals. The main source of the waterfall is the Bandarawela Hill Oya Reservoir and this waterfall is a part of Ella Wildlife Sanctuary.
Things to do in Ella
Hike around Ella Rock: The Ella Rock looms large over the small town village of Ella. Hiking around Ella is the most rewarding element in Ella because of its grand size. Usually, it will take a four-hour hiking tour to discover the Ella Rock. The most interesting fact about Ella Rock is that it combines with a rail track, tea plantation, and some dangerous stuff close to the peak. When you are hiking, you must bring essential elements such as – food, water, footwear, etc. Furthermore, the tracks of the rock will become slippery. So, you must focus intensely and also be aware of the mist and rain. Among the various routes, you can hike by the most preferred rail line south, which outside of the village.
See the views from Nine Arched Bridge: Between Ella and the Demodara station, the splendid Nine Arch Bridge is situated. This spectacular bridge is nearly 100 years old and it was built with blocks of stone along with cement without any support of iron or concrete. Now, a train journey along this Nine Arched Bridge would represent you views of Ella and it is one of the exciting travel attractions as well.
Take a Tea Plantation tour: Ella is the hub of tea production in Sri Lanka. The place is beset with a lot of factories and tea states. Ella and these tea states along with the factories offer an extraordinary opportunity to observe the entire process of making a cup of tea of Ceylon Tea. Almost all the factories give guided tours, which covers a step-by-step manufacturing process of tea. Besides, the top tea factories of Ella are – The Halpewatte Tea Factory, the Newburgh Estate, and the Kinellan Tea Factory.
Enjoy a Spa Day at Ayurvedic Health Centers: Ella is known to be a famous hilly vacation spot, but it is also home to some excellent Ayurvedic treatment facilities and spas as well. Tourists will be amazed to receive some exciting therapy packages that range from beauty treatments to the solution to several problems regarding the body and mind. All these Ayurvedic treatment centers utilize herbs and the most effective Ayurvedic principles in the day-to-day therapy sessions. The most health centers in Ella are – Suwamadura and the Suwa Pradeepa Spa, Suwadivi Ayurveda Health Care, and Hela OSU Suwapiyasa.
How is the weather of Ella?
The weather in Ella is perfect for a calming vacation with warm days and cool nights. The higher you go in this hilly small town, the cooler the weather gets. Typically, Ella has an average temperature of 20-28 degrees Celsius, which is very suitable for travelers to avoid hot and humid conditions. Usually, the days will be hotter and the night will be cool. Additionally, April is the warmest month in Ella whereas August happens to be the coolest month. Besides, the driest month in Ella is March and the wettest is October.
How to reach Ella?
You can reach Ella by the following transport option –
By rail: Ella is close to Badulla and at the end of the railway line that goes through this small hilly town. Usually, trains that go to Kandy and Colombo begin from here. The journey will cost you less sum of money and you will get splendid views from the train. When you go to Colombo or Kandy, you can easily get a seat. However, when you are coming to Ella from those cities, you have to wait for two or three hours.
By Bus: You can also reach Ella by bus. Generally, the buses go to the southern part of Ella by Ella Gap to Wellawaya. Following are the different routes by which you can reach Ella –
- Colombo – Gampola – Nuwara Eliya – Bandarawela – Ella (A1)
- Colombo – Ratnapura – Balangoda – Haputale – Bandarawela – Ella (A4)
- Matara – Hambanthota – Wellawaya – Ella
Finally, We would suggest everyone to visit Ella (A wonderful hilly small town). The reason of my fondness for is because this place is magnificently decorated with natural surroundings and hilly mountains. It also provides a soothing and cheering atmosphere that can get rid of the exhaustion of many tourists. All in all, Ella is just the perfect location for a nature-loving vacation if you explore it with our Ella travel guide.
For inquires contact Olanka Travels. Check this Sri Lanka 4 week itinerary where Ella had been included.
