Joanna James
Your trip to Sri Lanka will not be complete without a couple of days in the hills of Nuwara Eliya! It has freezing weather and plenty of tea plantations to explore. Here are 5 amazing things you can do to get the most out of your trip.
One of the biggest attractions of this area; you will be treated to acres of tea estates the minute you enter Nuwara Eliya. Whether it's ascending up the hills by vehicle or stepping off the train, tea plantations will surround you. The best part is, the various tea plantations offer tours, usually free, and it usually comes with free tea! It is a golden rule to never say no to a good fresh cup of hot tea, especially if it is straight from the source. The tours will show you the tea-making process, provide historical context, and will let you walk among the tea plantations to your heart's content.
Waterfalls in Nuwara Eliya are aplenty. The experience of chasing waterfalls is made better considering the best ones require a certain amount of hiking or trekking to get to, which makes reaching the cool, gushing waters all the more satisfying.
One of the more popular falls in the area is the Lover's Leap waterfall. Named after the story of a prince and his lover jumping off the top of the fall, this area is surrounded by greenery, which makes it quite a sight. The constantly running water provides a level of ambience unlike no other. This waterfall is about a 4-kilometre drive from the Nuwara Eliya town and requires a small hike to get to.
Other popular waterfalls would be Ramboda Falls, Glenn Falls, and Bomburu Ella.
The Gregory Lake is a landmark of Nuwara Eliya, a man-made stretch of water named after William Gregory, the former British Governor of Sri Lanka. The lake is situated against a scenic backdrop of mountains, a lovely place to take photographs to preserve memories.
You can book boat rides and spend some time in the lake, and there are unique swan-shaped paddle boats you can use too. Furthermore, jetskiing and speedboats are available if you want more of an exciting time.
The biggest attraction of the Horton Plains is the World's End, a cliff with a drop of an astounding 870 m, offering a view that cannot be rivalled by anything else. Be sure to make it there as early as possible because the fog takes over during the day, and you may not be able to soak in the view in its full magnificence.
The best hotels in Nuwara Eliya usually arrange tours to the park and arrange transport for your convenience. Resorts such as Heritance Tea Factory adeptly plan the tours out, but they have to be given a day's notice because the park has a daily limit of visitors. If your hotel does not provide tour plans, get in touch with a tour guide agency that has fixed departure times.
Taking the train to Nuwara Eliya is an experience that is highly recommended, and you can get down at the Nanu Oya station. From there, tuk-tuks are the most commonly used form of transport around the town. Of course, your place of stay will arrange or recommend the best travelling options so you can optimise your travel methods and times.
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