How to Spend One Day in Ella- An Enchanting Elevated Enclave

With its charmingly misty trails that can take you anywhere, from fragrant spice gardens and cosy hilltop cafes to exhilarating mountain precipices and crystalline cascades, tranquil Ella is full of underlying thrills. Whether you’re more drawn toward heritage architecture, pristine nature-kissed beauty, or dare-devil adventuring, here’s how to savour an unforgettable day in this rustic rendezvous.

img via flickr

Board a Vintage Train 
From the regal glamour of the Hill Capital, with its intricate weaving of Colonial and cultural motifs, enveloped by the timeless serenity of nature, to the enchanting potpourri of sensations at Nuwara Eliya, with its Old-English cottages, dreamy flowering gardens, fruitful fields, and sweeping vistas of fragrant tea, the otherworldly outposts of the Lankan Highlands have a unique calibre of allure. Likewise, Ella has its own flavour, and a surprising range of diversions to choose from despite its peaceful vibe. However, to set the tone of your Ella trip, it's essential to travel there via one of the world’s most iconic train rides, from Kandy to Ella, for its beautifully undulating visuals of light and shadows playing a hypnotic harmony across dusky forests, playful hills, blue-misted mountainscapes, enigmatic trails, and fairytale bridges. Make sure you book a second-class or third-class carriage, so you’re free to lean out the doors and take it all in.

A Photoshoot at Nine Arcs Bridge 
Catching the sunrise at the crown jewel of Ella’s landmarks, rising out of fragrant, dusky valleys with its mammoth arches framing the vibrant sky and misty woodland, is a must if you’re looking to capture your journey with Insta-worthy ardour. Dubbed the ‘Bridge in the Sky’, this colonial-era timestamp, soaring to a height of 24 metres, blends masterfully with its decadent, jewel-toned surroundings of faraway blue-tinted mountains, closer bamboo forested hills, and the prevailing emerald-gold of tea terraces, making it the perfect backdrop for Pinterest-worthy poses.

Chase Waterfalls 
Despite first presenting itself as an idyllic tableau of quaint bungalows immersed in luscious emerald sanctuaries, colonial-style landmarks gracing the clefts between dramatic mountains, and the irresistible charm of boho-chic boutiques and retro cafés, there are ample adrenaline-rich escapades to try out, from ziplining and mountain biking to hiking and rock climbing. Among the most satisfying is chasing Ella’s assortment of waterfalls, each with their own unforgettable personality, from the regal tiers of the legendary Ravana Falls and Cave to the more intimate, jungle-clad Secret Falls and roaring enchantment of the powerful Ella Gap Waterfall. If you have time to veer slightly off the beaten track, the spectacular Diyaluma Falls, surrounded by majestic mountain vistas and featuring natural infinity pools floating over knee-weakening cliff edges, is just an hour’s drive away!

Steep in Tea Estates
Whether you fancy sipping a deliciously reviving cup of Ceylon tea as you greet the morning floating above elevated tea gardens or prefer the more hands-on experience of witnessing how tea leaves are plucked, prepared, processed, and packaged at the antique estate factories, your curiosity about this addictive brew will be satiated in fairytale Ella. If you’re looking for expert guidance on the best places to visit in Sri Lanka, venture no further than blogs such as Truly Sri Lanka.

Climb Little Adam’s Peak 
While you may not have time to take on the famed Adam’s Peak; a 3-hour trek after a 4-hour drive from Ella, or to immerse in the fantastical real of the UNESCO-listed Horton Plains; a stunningly biodiverse cloud forest, watching the sunset atop Little Adam’s Peak is a must! Not only will you enjoy a refreshing hike with your canteen of coconut water and a pack of protein bars, but the views are phenomenal, with the pristine dreamscape of Ella and its surroundings unfolding below you.