Explore Nuwara Eliya
The southern hill country is the highest, wildest and in many ways the most beautiful region of Sri Lanka. The journey from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya is simply spectacular. The newly renovated road winds upwards through hairpin bends, passing magnificent waterfalls, lush green tea estates and offers stunning views at every turn over the vast countryside.
Nuwara Eliya is the highest town of the island and lies in the heart of the hill country. It is situated at the foothills of the Pidurutalagala, at 2524m the highest mountain of the island. The “city above the clouds”, as it is often referred to, contains an area known as “Little England”, a Victorian-era town built with a park, lake, colonial hotels and quaint old bungalows, a race course and a hilly 18-hole golf course right in the centre of it!
The sleepy village was “discovered” by some British officers in 1826 and subsequently developed into a retreat for the sick, due to the cool, pleasant climate. After exploring the highlands and clearing the thick forest, coffee plantations were established which were soon devastated by a virus in the years that followed.
This disaster led to the British experimenting with tea growing, the moderate climate proving ideal and the project was a success, and hence the world-famous Ceylon tea was born. Visit a tea factory en route to Nuwara Eliya and purchase some fresh black tea, the perfect souvenir.
What to do/see when in & around Nuwara Eliya:
- Visit a tea factory and learn the process of tea making!
- Train journey from Kandy to the hill country.
- Hakgala Botanical Gardens, established in 1860, just a few kilometers outside town.
- Sita Amman Kovil , a hindu temple associated with the Ramayana epic.
- Horton Plains National Park and World’s End, a windswept plateau at 2000 meters, the misty landscape and fauna will remind you of the “Jurassic Park” movie.
- A round of golf at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club.
- Hiking and walking in the region.
