NUWARA ELIYA
Also known as the “City of Lights” and “Little England”, Nuwara Eliya was the favourite hill station of the British who tried to create Nuwara Eliya into a typical English Village. The old brick Post office, country house like hill club, with its hunting pictures, mounted hunting trophies and fish, and it’s strict formal dinner attire; the 18 hole golf course, race course etc., all remind you of ‘England’.
Blessed a with salubrious climate, breathtaking views of valleys, meadows, mountains and greenery; it’s hard to imagine that Nuwara Eliya is only 180 Km from the hot and humid Colombo.
The areas around Nuwara Eliya also provide the main output of tea in Sri Lanka. A trip to the highlands of Sri Lanka is never complete without witnessing the age-old traditional tea plucking and sipping a cup of “Ceylon Tea”. Visitors to Nuwara Eliya can also taste the freshly plucked strawberries and purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.
SHINES OF NUWARA ELIYA. (Nuwara Eliya City Tour)
01.HAKGALA BOTANICAL GARDEN.
(10 Kms Away from the city center)
The 2nd hill country botanic gardens after Peradeniya Gardens, which was originally a plantation of Cinchona from which the anti-malarial drug quinine was found and later used for experiments in acclimatizing temperate-zone plants to life in the tropics, and was run by the same family for three generations, up to 1940.
Hakgala Botanical Gardens is located 10 km away from the town of Nuwara Eliya. Your trip to Nuwara Eliya is not complete without a visit to the Hakgala Gardens mainly because the site is legendary. It was once the pleasure garden of Ravana of the Ramayana epic and according to many, it was one of the places where the beautiful Sitha was hidden by the demon King Ravana.
The present botanic gardens were founded in 1860 by the eminent British botanist Dr. G.H.K. Thwaites who was superintendent of the Peradeniya Gardens. The Garden consists of an outstanding collection of fauna and flora.
02.HORTON PLAINS
The most unique feature of the Horton Plains is the “World’s End”. This is a sheer 1,000 feet vertical escarpment which visitors throng to see. The Horton Plains was once the hunting ground for Mr. Farr, a former British Governor which is today home to rare species of fauna and flora.
03.PIDURUTHALAGALA MOUNTAIN
(09Kms away from the City Center)
Pidurutalagala Mount Pedro in English, is an ultra prominent peak, and the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka, at 2,524 m (8,281 ft).Mount Pedro is located close to the city of Nuwara Eliya, and is easily visible from most areas of the Central Province. It is situated North-North-East from the town of Nuwara Eliya.
Its summit is home to the central communications array of the Government of Sri Lanka and armed forces, and serves as an important point in the country’s radar system. The peak is currently designated as an “Ultra-high security zone”, and is protected by a large military base; being strictly off limits to the general public.
04.VICTORIA PARK.
(03 Kms away from the city center)
The Victoria Park is a public park located in Nuwara Eliya, next to the Nuwara Eliya Post Office in Sri Lanka.Originally the park was the research field of Hakgala Botanical Garden. The park was formally named in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.The park was established with the planting of its first tree, an Oak, by a visiting German Princess. The Nanu Oya River runs through the park, creating a number of small lakes. A number of rare bird species can be found in the park. At the far end of the park is a small children’s playground and miniature ridable railway.
05.GREGORY LAKE.
(03kms away from the city Center)
Lake Gregory is a reservoir in heart of the tea country hill city, Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. Lake Gregory was constructed during the period of British Governor Sir William Gregory in 1873.The lake and the surrounding area make up the Gregory Lake Area.
06.NUWARA ELIYA GOLF CLUB.
(01 km away from the City Center)
The Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest golf clubs in Asia and probably the world. It is an institution, rich in tradition, history and carries an ambience unparalleled in this country.
Founded, primarily for their rest and recreation, by the British planters who opened up the land for tea in the Nuwara Eliya district, to this day it caters to some of the customs and traditions of the country’s colonial past. This quaint admixture of old world charm and modern trappings invests it with a special aura, and is the essence of its attractiveness.
It is located in Nuwara Eliya, known the world over for the premier quality of the tea produced in the plantations that surround the club. Despite being situated just a stone’s throw from the town, the club still maintains an air of exclusivity, a desirable apartness, so that when one enters its gates one is transported to a world that has been left behind by the march of history.
07.RACE COURSE GROUND.
(.5Kms away from the city center)
Nuwara Eliya Racecourse in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka is the only remaining horse racing venue in Sri Lanka.Situated 1,868 meters(6,129 ft) above sea level the race course is one of the highest in the world. The track has a circumference of 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) (approx. 9 furlongs) with a 333-metre straight.
08.WORKING TEA FACTORY & TEA ESTATE VISIT
(01Km away from the City)
Visit a beautiful Tea estate and spend some tomes with the Tea Pluckers.Get the experience of tea plucking by your self.and get to know the how the tea making process starts from the Tea estate.
Also, visit a working Tea factory outlet and see the full process of making Tea.At the end taste & enjoy the different types of Tea.
09.GALWAY’S LAND NATIONAL PARK.
(03kms away from the city)
Galway’s Land National Park is a small national park situated within the city limits of Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka. Have been declared as a wildlife sanctuary on 27 May 1938. The Galway’s Land was elevated to the national park status on 18 May 2006.The park was declared to conserve the montane ecosystems.Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka considers that the Victoria Park Nuwara Eliya and the Galway’s Land as two of the most significant birding sites in Sri Lanka.Galway’s Land harbours about 20 rare migrant bird species and 30 native species. Apart from the avifauna, the park has valuable floral species of both native and foreign origin.
10.AMBEWELA DAIRY PRODUCTS FARM.
(20Kms away from the City)
Ambewela is a small town, located in the Nuwara Eliya District of Sri Lanka, also called “Little New Zealand”. The town is situated approximately 20 kms south-east of the district capital Nuwara Eliya. Ambewela is also a service center for the New Galway tea planting district.
Due to the high altitude 1,848 m the mean annual temperature in the area is below 17.5 °C (63.5 °F), while frost is common during Winter. Ambewela is also popular for of being the highest (in altitude) and widest grassland in Sri Lanka. Mammals such as the Sambar Deer, Leopard, Elephant dominate the majority of the forest cover around the area.
Ambewela situated en route to the Horton Plains National Park and is famous scenic landscapes, Rhododendron arboreum flowers, and the World’s End, which is a 1,219 m (3,999 ft) deep cliff. Similar to Horton Plains and Ohiya, this site is also one of the Important Bird Areas of Sri Lanka, making the area a popular location for birdwatching as well.
11.STRAWBERRY FARM.
(12Kms away from the City)
Strawberry Farms can be reached via Hakgala, Ambewela Road, New Zealand Farm Road. Freshly picked Strawberries are available at many outlets and cafes that serve Strawberry drinks, Ice cream pancakes etc. and very moderating priced. Grown at Ambewela Farm. Adam Agro, Rose Garden and many other farms located in Nuwara Eliya.
12.TREKKING & HIKING.
Nuwara Eliya offers good adventure sports locations because of its landscape.
Pidurutalagala (2550m) highest mountain peak of Sri Lanka is just north of the town. Though the summit is not open to the public, hiking is possible up to 7000ft. There are several water falls along the track.
13.HANUMAAM AMMAN TEMPLE-RAMBODA.
(25kms away from the City)
Visit Anjaneear Temple (Hanuman) in Pussellawa (Ramboda) while driving through tea plantations. The Sri Baktha Hanuman temple on this hill of Ramboda where Hanuman was searching for Sitadevi, Chinmaya Mission built this temple with Hanuman as the presiding deity. The image of Lord Hanuman is 16 feet. This particular temple was built recently and the area surrounded by beautiful mountains, waterfalls, and landscape.
14.SITA AMMAN TEMPLE.
(08 Kms away from the City Center)
The Sita Amman Temple can be seen en route to the Hakgala Botanical Gardens. The prominent temple architecture will not fail to attract your attention. Ancient statues of Rama and Sita can be seen on one side of the temple. The temple today is a modern building with its paintings, statues and pillars decorated with sculptures; all depicting the tale of Rama and Sita.
15.DIVURUMPOLA TEMPLE.
(21Kms away from the City)
Still revered by thousands, this holy haven was the place where Sita performed her Agni Pariksha (proving her chastity) to her husband Rama. Continuing the practice for thousands of years, villagers still pledge their fidelity or take oaths there and even in certain courts, this agreement was binding. This place has been respected and worshipped by people down the ages.
16.WATERFALLS IN NUWARA ELIYA.
GLENN FALL-(4Kms away from the City)
Glen Falls is the second largest waterfall in the city. It is about 10 meters high and falls from the Single Tree Mountain which is at a walking distance from the city centre. It was said that in the past the waterfalls was so beautiful that it had carried a large volume of water. But due to the destruction of the forest cover by unauthorized development activities in the surrounding area its existence is being threatened.
LOVERS LEAP–(6Kms away from the City)
This is off the Nuwara-Eliya – Kandapola Road. The waters are taken to brew the famous Nuwara-Eliya Beer. There is a famous legend behind the name of this waterfall. It says that a Prince who lived in Nuwara Eliya had met a beautiful girl in a nearby village and fallen love with her. But the king did not allow the Prince to carry on with his love affair. The Prince suffered lot by his father’s ruling and later on one full moon day he had climbed up the top of the rock with his fiancée and jumped in the fall. Since then it was known as the lovers leap.It is about 30 meters high and falls off from a huge rock. It is truly a wonderful gift of Mother Nature gifted to Nuwara Eliya.
NANU OYA FALL-(10Kms away from the City)
Situated at the highest point of the mountainous lush hill country – Nanuoya waterfall 60 meters in height (197 ft) of undulating waterfall consists of two sections is truly a magnificent sight for the traveller to the hill country by the Ceylon Government Railway.
BOMBURE WATERFALL.(14Kms away from the city)
The height of this beautiful water fall is about 50m and a very broad waterfall, a tributary of Dalugala Oya (to Mahweli ganga) is situated in the village Parawella.
When we visited it, there is hardly any water, but during the rainy season it turned to be a gigantic waterfall.
IHALA DEVATHURA WATER FALL.-(23Kms away from the City)
The culvert built close to the 50th kilometer mile post on theKandy – Nuwara Eliya highway is built over the Ihala Devathura Waterfall. At the first glance on would assume this waterfall to be a branch of the Ramboda falls. Anyway, the Ihala Devathura falls consists of three smaller waterfalls, and the fall in close proximity to the highway is not so attractive to the visitor, and is approximately 10 meter in height. However, the most attractive and panoramic waterfall is situated a litter above the highway and is approximately 72 feet in height. Situated surrounded by thick vegetation about four kilometers above the highway, this waterfall is most magnificent.
RAMBODA FALL-(26Kms away from the City)
A gigantic waterfall (329 ft. ) having three parts and very close to the 53km post along the above A-5 trunk road. The first part is above the road in the jungle (100m), second part is close to the road (3m) and the third part (100m) is below the road.
ST.CLAIR WATER FALL.-(27Kms away from the City)
These falls are unusual type consisting of a double cascade derived from different water sources. The bigger waterfall, the Mahal Ella is 80m high and is situated on the Kotmale Oya. Flowing over a rock ledge then divides into three cascades plunging into a big pool. The smaller one of these two falls, the Kuda Ella is only 50m high and situated on a tributary of the Kotmale Oya. Just 3Km from Talawakelle to visit the falls there is a 500m footpath starting from the A7.
SHEEN WATERFALL.-(3oKms away from the City)
NuwaraEliya, Punduloya highway winding through scenic undulating mountain ranges and diverse vegetation almost touch the Sheen waterfall – a discerning traveller could feel the droplets on one’s face due to the close proximity of the cascading water by the side of the highway.
DEVON FALL.(31Kms away from the City)
Devon Falls drops 97 meters and It is 6 Km west of Thalawakelle and there is a special parking and viewing spot at the 20th mile post.Devon Falls is situated 6 km west of Talawakele, Nuwara Eliya District on A7 highway. The falls is named after a pioneer English coffee planter called Devon, whose plantation is situated nearby the falls
GERANDI ELLA.-(35Kms away from the City)
Gerandi Ella waterfall is situated on the Kandy – Nuwara Eliya main highway at the 50th-kilometre milepost and the 9th culvert is constructed over the Gerandi Ella waterfall. When one looks at the top of the mountain from this spot, we could see a colossal rock that is shaped like a massive fortress. The water cascading from this rock top comes down and halfway the water thins out to a misty sheen. The height of this waterfall is approximately 100 meters (328 ft). It is approximately 1 1/2 Km from the highway. However, if we travel by the banks of the Gerandi Ella, we could not reach the waterfall proper.
HELBODA ELLA FALL.(36Kms away from the City)
This is by the side of A-5 trunk route Kandy to N’Eliya east of Pussellawa.
It is about 60m (197ft) when both parts are taken together and a very attractive yet simple waterfall. It is by the side of the road and one can almost descend to the foot of the falls
