Andrew Pereira
At an altitude of 1,868 meters with a sub tropical highland climate Nuwara Eliya has an incredible natural environment. It is a very popular holiday spot because of its special ambiance linked to its tea planting heritage and its cool weather.
A small park within the city limits of Nuwara Eliya it was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1938 on account of its very special montane ecosystem that serves as the habitat for 20 very rare migrant bird species and 30 native species. It was upgraded to a national park in 2006.
Many visitors trek up here as on clear days five of the country's ten highest mountain ranges can be seen from atop this 2100 meter hill. Located just south of Nuwara Eliya town the hill also has a small patch of cloud forest at its summit.
Almost every visitor who makes the trip up to Nuwara Eliya goes to Horton Plains National Park. It is the highest plateau in the country. Its montane grasslands and patches of dense cloud forest is home to some 750 species of plants of 20 families, 24 species of mammals and 87 species of birds of which 21 are endemic to Sri Lanka and four are found only in Horton Plains. Worlds End and Bakers Falls are among the attractions here.
16 km away from Nuwara Eliya town the 27 acres botanic garden offers a rare opportunity to enjoy flora and birdlife at 5000 to 6000 ft in one of the highest placed botanic gardens in the world. Among the flora here are English oak, Himalayan pines, Japanese cedars and cypress from California, endemic medicinal plants and ferns and beautifully planted flower gardens.
Seven kilometers out of Nuwara Eliya town on the Nuwara Eliya – Bandarawela road is a Hindu temple dedicated to Seetha the heroine of the Indian epic Ramayana. This is apparently where Seetha was held captive by Ravana. There are several other places here that are also linked to the epic.
As a tea factory turned into a hotel Heritance Tea Factory offers extraordinary but cozy Nuwara Eliya accommodation that has gorgeous views from almost every room.
