Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya is a city in the Hill Country of Sri Lanka. At 1,868 m (6,129 ft) altitude, its temperate climate gives the city a very different feel from other parts of the country.

Understand

Nuwara Eliya Post Office

Racecourse at Nuwara Eliya

It has earned the name 'Little England' owing to its colonial architecture.

Get in

By train

Seven times daily there are trains coming from Colombo or Kandy, and they then proceed further to Badulla. The journey between Kandy and Ella is considered one of the most spectacular in the world. Book tickets well in advance, because unreserved coaches are well crowded.

1 Nanu Oya railway station. The railway station closest to Nuwara Eliya (about 8 km). There are plenty of tuk tuks, taxis and local buses waiting for the passengers leaving the train. A tuk tuk to Nuwara Eliya town should cost Rs 1,500 (2024), taxi slightly more. (updated Aug 2024)

By bus

Buses can be taken from Colombo route #79, three times per day, six hours. Or from Kandy, every 20 minutes, 2½-3 hour trip.

Be aware - road transport between Colombo and Nuwara Eliya is very slow. The journey will typically take five to six hours to cover the 180 km. Traffic, poor weather or failing light can extend the time needed. Rail transport is about the same due to the old and meandering track.

2 Bus station. (updated Dec 2016)

Get around

The town centre is small enough to walk around. To visit sites further afield, take a bus or hire a three-wheeler. A tuktuk within town (e.g. from city center to Pedro Tea Factory) should cost around Rs 700 (2024).

The same caveat applies to touring around the area as for getting there. Assume that you'll not exceed 20 km/m no matter what the mode of (ground) transport. So plan any excursions carefully, and don't assume that you can cover more than about 100 km in a day, including stops.

See

• 1 Victoria Park. A pleasant place to spend an hour or so, with an astonishing variety of plants, ranging from tropical rain forest to English country garden. At the far southern end of it there is Victoria Museum which houses a collection of old colonial era photos, entrance fee is included into Victoria Park's entrance ticket. Rs 500 (kids 250). (updated Aug 2024)

• 2 Nuwara Eliya Post Office. A picturesque Tudor-style, two-storey red brick building close to the big roundabout at the centre of town. One of the oldest post offices in Sri Lanka and still in use. (updated Aug 2024)

• 3 Lake Gregory (less than a mile from the centre of town). Large man-made lake, along the edge is a beautiful park, with water sports (paddle boats, jet ski rides and cruises) as well as other recreational activities. Offers a splendid and peaceful environment for sightseeing and boating. Boats can be hired from the area. Entrance to the Lake Gregory park Rs 200. (updated Dec 2016)

• 4 Hill Club. A gentleman's club that was established in 1876 by British coffee planters and has about 750 members today. It is housed in a two-story grey stone building right next to Nuwara Eliya Golf Course, another remnant of the British colonial era. (updated Aug 2024)

• 5 Lover's Leap waterfall. A beautiful 30-m-high waterfall. Legend has it that a prince and his lover jumped down this waterfall after the king prohibited their love. To get there, take a tuk tuk to Boralanda (before the turnoff to Pedro Tea Factory) for about Rs 700 from town centre. Start walking uphill to the left from there. After about 500 m, follow the sign to the left and stay on the path. You will reach the waterfall after another 2.5 km. Free. (updated Aug 2024)

• 6 Pedro Tea Factory, ☏ +94 11 5 352225. Daily 8-11AM, 2-4PM. Offers fascinating tours of a working tea factory. In the hills nearby there are paths through the tea plantations to wander along. You can visit the shop and stroll through the tea fields for free, or hire a guide for a tour. Free, or Rs 200 which includes a 30-minute tour and a cup of tea. (updated Jan 2020)

• 7 Galway's Land National Park. A wildlife sanctuary on the edge of town which is great for bird watching. It's also the smallest Sri Lankan National Park and it's quite run down. (updated Dec 2016)

Nearby

• 8 Hakgala Botanical Garden, Peradeniya-Badulla-Chenkaladi Hwy (10 km southeast of the city). 7:30AM-5:30PM. Large and impressive, just a short bus journey away. However, it's far smaller and less pretty than Botanical Garden in Kandy. Foreigners Rs 1500. 

• The mountains in the central province of Sri Lanka and near to Nuwara Eliya are adorned with many picturesque waterfalls including Dunhinda Falls, Diyaluma Falls, Baker's Falls, St. Claire's Falls, Ravana Ella, Bambarakanda Ella, Aberdeen Falls, Laxapana Falls, and Bridal Falls.

Ramboda town

• 9 Blue Field Tea Factory, ☏ +94 77 784 7847. 9AM–6:30PM. Short 5-15 minutes excursion which is followed by a complimentary cup of tea, generally guide asks for a donation in the end. Overall, the entire process looks much more as a preparation for buying overpriced teas in their shop than the educational event. Visitors can proceed later to the tea plantation fields, which has a remarkable view over the valley. Free. (updated Dec 2016)
• 10 Ramboda Falls. Big 108-m-high waterfall. Rs 20. (updated Dec 2016)

Do

• Take a walk up through the tea plantations south-west of the town to the top of Single Tree Hill for a splendid view over Nuwara Eliya. From the hill top you can walk north for a couple of kilometres along the ridgetop to a nearby village and get a tuk-tuk/three-wheeler or walk back to town.
• Playing golf is also an option at 1 Nuwara Eliya Golf, along with heading to the 2 racecourses (the only proper ones you'll find in Sri Lanka). These are both traditions left over from the colonial era.
• Take a train trip from Nanu Oya towards Kandy. For the colonial experience book a 1st class ticket in the observation car. For an authentic local experience book a 3rd class ticket and hang out of the door of the carriage.

Eat

Budget

• 1 De Silva Food. Possibly one of the best budget restaurants that takes care about hygiene and quality of the food. Extensive menu which mainly focuses on rice, noodle, burgers. Big portions. They also sell some sweets. Rs 250-500 per meal. (updated Dec 2016)
• 2 Adma Agro (at the far end of Lake Gregory). Serves only strawberry-based dishes, using locally grown strawberries. Strawberry pancakes and pizzas Rs 400, strawberry drinks Rs 380-450. (updated Dec 2016)
• 3 Milano Restaurant. Just next door to De Silva, similar food, prices and quality. Serves pizza and Chinese dishes as well. (updated Aug 2024)
• 4 Ambaal's pure vegetarian Hotel & Restaurant, 52 New Bazaar Road. Daily 7AM-10PM. Close to Milano and De Silva, this sprawling restaurant provides tasty authentic Indian food on three floors at good prices. (updated Aug 2024)

Splurge

• 5 St Andrews Hotel. Does a good buffet, described as a "fusion" of eastern and western tastes. (updated Dec 2014)
• 6 The Hill Club. It is a special experience which will take you back almost 100 years. But you must dress for dinner. If you don't have a jacket and tie you can borrow from their collection. Food is excellent and served by waiters in national dress with white serving gloves. (updated Dec 2014)
• 7 Grand Hotel. It does a great high tea. (updated Dec 2014)
• 8 Grand Indian, at the Grand Hotel. It is possibly the best place in Nuwara Eliya to get good traditional Indian food. (updated Dec 2016)

Sleep

Budget

• Blue Moon Guest House, Ranasinghe Mawatha. Guest house with 4 bedrooms, dining area, and common sitting area. Friendly staff. US$15-20.

Mid-range

• Mount View Cottage (is a small guesthouses with 4 rooms. Clean accommodation and is operated by honest people. They will arrange tours to Horton's Plains using the guesthouse's van for a reasonable amount of money (see section above). From US$50/57. 
• Growing Beyond Apartment- This is a clean apartment with 2 bed rooms, and can accommodate up to 5 people. TV, WiFi and hot water. Kitchen with cooking utensils provided. US$50/60. Contact 0777857546, 0777257584, 0777691391.

Splurge

• 1 The Bellwood Manor, 152 Badulla Road, ☏ +94 522 220 888, toll-free: +94 70 727 1888, enquiries@thebellwoodmanor.com. Exclusive all-inclusive boutique hotel, founded the 1870s. starting at US$359 including taxes & surcharges. 
• Anilana Craig Bank, No: 48, Water Field Drive, ☏ +94 522 222 740. Sitting just above Nuwara Eliya town, is a villa set within magnificent gardens that overlook the golf course and rolling hills. Ideal for groups of families and friends who will love its privacy and secluded yet central location. Designed by a Frenchman, the villa's European styling blends perfectly with the property's colonial atmosphere which harks back to a former era. US$660 per villa. 
• The Tea Factory Hotel, ☏ +94 52 5555000, fax: +94 52 5555000, htf.ebiz.lk@aitkenspence.lk. Colonial-style rooms with views of the surrounding tea plantations. All the rooms (superior, premium or executive + suites) come with rain showers and baths. Over US$160. 
• King Fern Cottage, 203/1A St Andrew's Drive, Nuwara Eliya, ☏ +94 77 358 6284. Welcoming budget guesthouse with a friendly owner, large rooms with comfortable beds and en-suite bathrooms. 
• Spring Acre, 495 (5 minutes drive from Golf Course), ☏ +94 725 94 66 13. This tastefully furnished luxury holiday bungalow can accommodate up to 10 persons and has a breathtaking view of a tea estate and the Pidurutalagala mountain range. Over US$250. 
• Langdale by Amaya, Radalla, Nanu Oya, ☏ +94 52 4924959. Boutique resort. Escape to the cool mornings and crisp air of Randalla, a quaint hill station tucked in the mountain ranges of the central highlands. Over US$250. 
• 2 Scottish Planter Glendevon Bungalow, Kandapola Road, Ragala, ☏ +94 052 2265050, info@scottishplanter.com. This bungalow built from quaint stone, and its interior was inspired by Scottish architecture. Offers a spa, dining, personal butlers, and an in-house library. (updated Jul 2017)

• Stafford Bungalow, Ragala, Halgranoya, Nuwara Eliya, ☏ +94 52 226 5287, info@reveal.lk. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Starting from US$200. 

Go next

• Badulla — final station on the railway road
• Colombo — capital
• Ella — beautiful mountains similar to Nuwara Eliya
• Horton Plains and World's End offer fascinating walks though this temperate mountain environment, with an 800-m vertical drop to be found at World's End.
• Kandy