Solo Explorer: Ella, Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

Nine Arches Bridge

Ella, Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

The Meaning of Ella is "waterfall". Ella is a small town in the Badulla District of Uva Province, Sri Lanka. It is approximately 200 Km (120mi) east of Colombo City and is situated at an elevation of 1,041M(3,415 ft) above sea level. The area has a rich bio-diversity, densed with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Ella is surrounded by hills covered with Cloud forests & tea plantations. The town has a cooler climate than surrounding lowlands, due to its elevation. The Ella Gap allows views across the southern plains of Sri Lanka.

How to Reach Ella:

By Road

The Ella is located in between Kumbalwela and Wellawaya (A23 road). If you are travelling from Colombo( Main City Of Sri Lanka), You can use Colombo-Badulla main road to Kumbalwela then you have to take Kumbalwela to Wellawaya Road to reach Ella.

By Train

The Ella railway station is the 75th station on the Main Line and is located 271 km (168 mi) from Colombo. The station was opened in July 1918.

Climate In Ella:

Weather in Ella mostly includes warm days, cool nights & mornings, which is quite perfect. The average temperature is around 24°C (75°F) & Average minimum temperature is around 18°C (64°F). Rainfall in Ella averages around 1500 millimetres a year.

Places to see in Ella:

Ravana Ella Waterfalls, a 25m (82ft) waterfall, located approximately 6 km (4mi) away from the town.
Little Adam's Peak, a 1,141m (3,743 ft) pyramidal shaped hill, located to the South-East of the town.
Nine Arches Bridge, Demodara
Ella Rock
Diyaluma & Uda Diyaluma (Upper Diyaluma) Waterfalls
Ellewala Waterfalls
Lipton Seat's
Demodara Loop
Dowa Temple, a 2,000-year-old rock temple, is located on the Badulla-Bandarawela Road. It contains a 12M(39 ft) unfinished Buddha statue carved into the surrounding rock.
Ravana Cave
Kurullangala Prehistoric Cave Art Site
Nil Diya Pokuna (Blue Water Pond)

Awesome Things to Do In Ella, Sri Lanka:

Walk along the rails on the Nine Arch Bridge - The nine arch bridge has 9 arches in between the total length of 91m, and the bridge with a maximum 25m height. This bridge was built using only stones and bricks with cement. The bridge is now one of the most famous photographic locations in the World. It is Just a 30-minute walk through the woods and the lush green tea fields from the main road. If you do keep on walking and pass the tunnel you can walk to the Ella Railway Station, which is only about a few kilometers from there. Most of the tourists are willing to click a photo, the train passing through the bridge, and the train going into the train tunnel which is so mesmerizing.

Ella Rock hike - Ella rock might be a long way up, but it's worth all the struggle. Every day there are a lot of visitors & many of them climb Ella Rock there. This is because of the special view it provides to its climbers. The view from the top of Ella Rock is difficult to put such simple words. Approximately Four hours takes to complete Ella Rock hike.

Ravana Cave & Temple - Quite a bit of a hike up the mountain to reach Ravana Cave nearby Ella. It's believed that the caves go deep into the mountain all the way to Ravana falls. Although visitors don't walk too far into the cave, It's only allowed to see the view of Ravana Cave. There is a temple outside the cave in memory of the mythical king of Ravana's

Little Adams Peak - It's approximately one-hour trekking to reach the summit of Little Adams peak. Along the way, you will pass through local villages & you'll see the beautiful tea plantations. Once you reach the summit you can see the main Road of Kumbalwela -Wellawaya and Ravana waterfalls on your western side and you can see the breathtaking view of the Southeastern part of Sri Lanka. Some people believe the mythical King Ravana used to meditate on this peak.