Ella is a small picturesque village surrounded by many mountains, tea plantations and green hills. Demodara Nine-Arch Bridge. How to get from Ella to Colombo

Ella is a fairly popular city with tourists. There is a central street with many cafes where you can have a great dinner and even drink beer. Sights include Ella Rock, Little Adam's Peak, tea factories, Ravana falls and the huge colonial Nine arches bridge.

Sunrise over Ella rock, view from our balcony in Ella

But the main advantage of Ella, perhaps, is that it is located in the mountains, next to a huge gorge. Therefore, many hotels here have stunning terraces overlooking the mountains and waterfalls. Just for the sake of living here, it is already worth going to Ella.

It is located 5 kilometers from the city. We rushed there on a motorcycle, but there are also buses from the city and there is an option to take a tuk-tuk. The condition of the waterfall is very dependent on the rains that fell the day before. We arrived during a fairly dry week, but the falls still looked cool.

Nearby you can have a bite to eat in a cafe and buy endless souvenirs in shops.

There are also a lot of wild monkeys near the waterfall. We fed them with our hands and could not tear ourselves away much longer than admiring the waterfall itself.

To begin with, in Google maps, the “Nine arch bridge” point is not in a very good place. If you drive up to it, you will see a bridge with high altitude, and you have to climb the slope down to get closer to it. On the other hand, you can drive close to the bridge. The fact is that the owners of the cafe put an end to it, from which you can watch the bridge from above. A tricky move, but all tuk-tuk drivers know about it, and they bring their passengers right where they need to go.

A special event is the passage of the train over the bridge. This is rare and everyone is looking forward to it. As a rule, the time of the trip to the bridge is chosen in accordance with the schedule.

The bridge is teeming with tourists, it is not so easy to photograph it deserted and empty. But the bridge is beautiful and definitely worth seeing.

Where to live in Ella

I already wrote that many hotels have beautiful view to the mountains. Indeed, it is mainly country hotels. We stayed at Lucky Star - small and fairly inexpensive - but with an amazing view of Ella Rock. If it rains in the evening, you can see the waterfalls from the terrace.

View from our room at the Lucky Star Hotel

The rooms are very bright, with mahogany furniture, and of course a balcony with wicker chairs. The bed just shocked us - you lay down on it and immediately feel like a maharaja.

Maharaja's Bed at the Lucky Star Hotel

I didn't think the story Sri Lanka it's going to be so tight. However, once you start a business, you need to see it through to the end. We continue to travel through the mountainous landscape of Sri Lanka, and today we will go to explore Uva County (Uva). It is in this district that the most picturesque and no less touristy than on the coast cities are located: Ella, Bandarawella, Haputale, and so on.

Today we will study in more detail the surroundings of the village of Ella and the sights of its surroundings: we will swim in one of the widest in this country - Ravana Falls and visit Dowa Temple (DovaTemple) with a 4-meter Buddha statue. However, we will also look at other cities with one eye.

We managed to sneak past the guards unnoticed to take a couple of photos of the stone Buddha. Although it wasn't necessary. As far as I know, the entrance fee to the temple is a small donation (for example, Rs. 20).

Overnight in Haputale.

For today, Ella's program is over, you can go further. No matter how hard we tried before dark to go down from highlands, we did not succeed. stuck in another town of Haputale located at an altitude of 1500 m above sea level. The only thing that pleased at that moment was the unimaginable landscapes, with which, perhaps, even Nuwara Eliya cannot be compared.

We no longer had time to explore the city, so we immediately started looking for an overnight stay, namely some church or temple where we could hide during the cold mountain night. There are two options on the map. Catholic churches. One was the closest, so they immediately went to it.

The little church stood at the very top of the hill, besides, when we got to it, it turned out to be closed. I had to go back down and walk main road to the next "cross" indicated on the map.

Having strayed in the narrow alleys, we still managed to get to the church, which appearance more like our Soviet culture clubs, where discos and some local concerts were held on weekends.

The entrance to the "father's" house was on the other side. A little girl of 10 years old opened it, and after 5 minutes her mother appeared behind her. They also had problems with English, although they didn’t have to explain much, and it’s clear who we came to. Father was not at home, and we were asked to wait.

Holy Father Joshua crossed the threshold of the house already dark.

And before helping us, he decided to arrange a whole interrogation with prejudice, although we did not ask him to go home, but asked permission to pitch a tent outside. Somehow we survived until the time when we had to go to bed, for which we were given a separate room, where a large piece of cloth hung instead of a door.

The last days in Sri Lanka were too active even for me, so the question of a couple of days of relaxation somewhere by the sea was brought up for general discussion. It is desirable, of course, to choose not too much tourist beach. And the next morning it was decided to go to the side.

I fell in love with little Ella instantly when I got off the bus on a fine sunny day on main street town. I don’t know what exactly captivated me in it: the majestic, emerald mountain slopes surrounding the village of cozy houses, or friendly people who are ready to sincerely and disinterestedly help a tourist who has fallen into difficult situation.

The population of Ella differs from the inhabitants of coastal Sri Lanka in their mentality, and this is immediately felt here. They do not seek profit, do not ask for money, and do not resent in their own language when a tourist does not want to do what is expected of him. The smile almost never leaves the faces of the Sri Lankans in Ella, even among the poorest.

Ella has recently opened, so to speak, its doors for tourists, but it is developing in this direction very quickly and successfully. Some people end their acquaintance with the mountainous Lanka here, going south to the sea, and some, like me, are just starting. Maybe that's why I remember Ella with such warmth, because it was thanks to her that I got the first impression of the mountainous region of Sri Lanka. I hope that with the advice and information that I will provide you about this city, you too will succeed. good opinion and the desire to visit baby Ella.

How to get there

Due to not the most convenient location right between two mountains, getting to Ella is long and difficult. However, even when I was told that I would have to travel by bus for about 6 hours, my desire to visit Ella did not diminish, but on the contrary, I appreciated the time spent in this village more. So, there are only three ways to get to Ella:

• by car;
• by bus;
• by train.

By plane

Ella does not have an airport, and the nearest international Airport located in Colombo - the largest city in the country. There are daily flights various airlines from different cities Russia. You can read more about this.

But in Nuwara Eliya - a city just 3 hours drive from Ella - there is an airport that accepts rare charter and private flights. A flight to Nuwara Eliya is not cheap, but if you have the resources and are ready to consider this option, then I briefly talked about flying to Nuwara Eliya from Colombo.

You can compare flight prices for your dates at.

By train

The most common way to visit Ella is by train, and for good reason. The Colombo - Badulla route passes through Ella and Nuwara Eliya, the train journey between which is considered a must-see attraction. Thus, you can get to Ella by rail either from the main city of the country - Colombo, or from the little-known town of Badulla, where tourists rarely set foot. But the road from Colombo is very long - 10 hours in a sitting position, so a visit to Ella is usually combined with other cities in the central region, such as Hatton (Adam's Peak) and Nuwara Eliya, breaking the path into segments.

There are 4 trains a day from Colombo to Ella, one of which is night (departure times are 05:55, 08:30, 09:45 and 20:00). All of them pass through Nuwara Eliya, Hatton, and also (except the last two). Prices vary depending on the class of carriage you are traveling in and the starting point of your trip. Thus, the most cheap ticket can cost 1 USD (150 LKR) and the most expensive is 15 USD (2250 LKR). However, keep in mind that if you want to travel the most best class, then you need to buy a ticket at least a day in advance, and for the 2nd and 3rd class you can buy tickets on the day of departure.

The train station in Ella is within walking distance from the center, I marked it on the map.

By bus

The bus is also a very common means of transport for visiting Ella. The fare will cost much cheaper than the same train. Of the minuses, I can single out the fact that it pretty much sways on serpentines, the driving style of the drivers of these colossus does not inspire confidence (I was reassured by the absolute calmness on the faces of all Sri Lankan fellow travelers - they know better), and not everyone is ready crowded in the seats for 5-7 hours.

It is best to use the bus if you are traveling from any southern resort Sri Lanka, for example, Tangalle, Mirissa, Weligama or Unawatuna. A direct bus to Ella leaves from Matara twice a day - in the morning at 8:00 and in the late afternoon, around 14:00-15:00 (better check with one of the locals). You need to take a bus to Nuwara Eliya, but tell the conductor that you are only going to Ella. The fare is 1.6 USD (250 LKR). The journey takes about 6 hours, with one stop at some shop in the Sri Lankan wilderness. The views outside the window, by the way, are not much less impressive than if you go by train.

With the rest of the cities of the country surrounding Ella, she has just as well developed bus service, but it would be wiser to travel by train - do not underestimate the comfort on such trips.

The bus station is located in the heart of Ella. As soon as you get off the bus, you will immediately see a lot of restaurants and hotels!

By car

Coming to Ella by private car is perfect solution, as you will not be tied to any buses or tuk-tuks for free movement around all the sights of this wonderful town.

From Colombo

The journey from Colombo is only 200 km, don't let that discourage you. Somewhere after 100 km of the road, the road will begin to sharply gain steepness and height, thus entering the mountainous, central region of the country. You will have to spend about 4-5 hours of your time to get to Ella. But along the way you will pass many colorful Sri Lankan villages and towns.

From Matara

Everyone who is located southeast of Hikkaduwa will have to pass through Matara. If you can drive to Matara along an excellent, new highway (the fare will vary depending on the starting point, but will be no more than 1.6 USD / 200 LKR), then after it the path will begin along a regular highway, but its advantage is that there are far fewer cars on it than on the road to Matara. You will spend about 5 hours on the way from Matara, regardless of which of the three routes offered by Google Maps you choose.

Clue:

Ella - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow - 2:30

Kazan - 2:30

Samara − 1:30

Yekaterinburg - 0:30

Novosibirsk 1:30

Vladivostok 4:30

When is the season. When is the best time to go

Almost all year round, Ella pleases with its favorable weather for travelers. In principle, in the tropics, which is itself, seasonality in terms of weather is barely observed, but even these minor changes affect the flow of tourists. So, in Ella there are only two seasons:

• Rain season(from April to October) - it is generally accepted that somewhere in late March or early April it begins to rain regularly in Sri Lanka, which is why the country's tourist attendance decreases. Accordingly, far fewer visitors come to Ella, which implies a slight decrease in housing prices. Also, when we have summer, in the mountainous Sri Lanka, vegetables begin to grow more actively in the gardens, so if you miss cucumbers and tomatoes while in Lanka at this time of the year, then in Ella you will fill your hunger. :)

• dry season(November to March) - these months are high season in seaside Sri Lanka, when most of the rooms are booked in almost all hotels. However, those who usually rush to Lanka at this time of the year, as a rule, remain to soak up the sea, and the tourist flow in Ella increases, but only slightly.

Almost the whole year in Ella during the day it is about 28-30 ° C, and at night it drops below 15 ° C, which is a fairly low temperature by the standards of the Sri Lankans. It was in Ella that I realized that my sneakers and pants do not just take up space in a backpack, but are very useful things when traveling to this city. By the way, if you're there during the rainy season, don't let the weather forecast scare you. For all the time that I was in Ella, despite the sad forecasts, it never rained.

Ella - monthly weather

Clue:

Ella - monthly weather

Districts. Where is the best place to live

Every six months, more and more hotels and guesthouses appear in Ella, and you can choose your own accommodation at your discretion. Ella is a small village that is located between two ridges, so getting around it is not difficult, but, nevertheless, in order not to make a mistake in choosing a place to stay for the night, I will now tell you where is the best place to stay if you need to leave early in the morning , or if you want to stay in Ella, but you are looking for peace, and so on.

You can ask the price of housing, you can consider several options in advance on or on. You can compare prices for accommodation.

City center (red on the map)

This part of the city has the highest concentration of hotels, guesthouses and other accommodation options, as well as most of all restaurants and cafes in Ella. Ella's bus station is also located in the center, so if you plan to use this means of transportation often, or if you want to keep abreast of all kinds of city traffic, you should settle here. At the same time, keep in mind that hotels may well be hidden on the slopes of mountains or in small streets, so the center is a somewhat larger area than it might seem on the map.

Railroad area (blue)

Not the quietest area, in my humble opinion, if you take into account the fact that trains will pass by your apartment several times a day. However, if you do not want to hear the sounds of music from restaurants at night and you will not be at home during the day, then this area is definitely for you.

An important plus is that housing here is 1.5 times cheaper than in the center, but you will need to get either by foot for 15-20 minutes to some cafe, or pay for a tuk-tuk.

Area at Little Adam's Peak (green)

Most of hotels here gives you the opportunity to feel closer to nature - from the window you will hear the singing of cicadas, birds, the rustling of leaves and the smell of coniferous trees. The road, which has various accommodation options, passes through a quiet forest, where tourists no longer walk just like that - only if they decide to get to Little Adam's Peak or the Nine Arch Bridge on foot. At the same time, despite the distance from the center, housing here will not necessarily be much cheaper. An important disadvantage is that there are practically no cafes here, but from time to time buses pass along this road, so if you wish, you can get to the center very cheaply.

Quiet area away from the center (lilac)

This area is already on the very outskirts of Ella, where, basically, live locals. It is very quiet here, except that in the mornings the roosters that the Sri Lankans keep in their household can crow. Otherwise, if you came to Ella for peace, quiet and relaxing rest, then you should settle here. Unless getting to the center, railway and bus stations will be quite expensive.

What are the prices for holidays

In general, Ella impressed me as a place where backpackers mainly come (backpacker - a person with a backpack), and not package tourists or people who rely on luxury holidays.

Food

Even in Ella the best restaurants in the center they offer quite affordable prices for continental cuisine, not to mention Sri Lankan. If the average price for, say, a curry for two is about 2-3 USD (300-450 LKR), then English breakfast(again, enough for two) - 3.3 USD (500 LKR).

Housing

Of course, within the city there are also excellent hotels with luxurious rooms and service, but most of them are located almost on the outskirts of the city, somewhere in silence in the forest or on a mountainside. The average price for a room with a fan in the center is 11-13 USD (1800-2000 LKR) regardless of the season. A nice bonus is that there is no need to take an air-conditioned room, as it can get quite chilly at night, and during the day you are not going to sit in the room, right? On the outskirts, you can stay for an even lower price, approximately 6 USD (900 LKR) for the same room.

Transport

This item of expenditure may turn out to be the most expensive, since few tourists can master all the sights of Ella on their own two feet. Most likely if you don't have your vehicle, then you will either have to use the services of a tuk-tuk (a small three-wheeled car that serves instead of a taxi), or take a bus. Bus fares cost a penny, but tuk-tukers like to break the price and bargain hard.

Main attractions. What to see

The little village of Ella is located in the heart of beautiful region Sri Lanka is rich in some of the most important attractions of the country. As a lover of mountains and greenery, which is so lacking in my hometown, I was captivated by Ella and all those places that surround her. However, it seems to me that even the person who is accustomed to life in nature and believes that nothing will surprise him, will still be pleasantly surprised by the sights of Ella.

Top 5

The main attractions of Ella are the most beautiful creations of nature, in some cases a little improved by human hands centuries ago.

Little Adam's Peak

It will not be difficult for anyone to conquer this peak - when compared, of course, with the not-so-little-known Adam's Peak. Nevertheless, from the Small Peak, a wonderful and beautiful view of the surroundings opens up, capturing not only Ella, but also the vast tea plantations and the evergreen ridges of the Sri Lankan mountains, stretching into the endless distance. There are two options for climbing this mountain - a winding path through the jungle and a straight road up the stairs. A visit to this Peak will take you no more than 1.5-2 hours.

In the lowland below it is a small, Hindu settlement, and if you accidentally wander into it, you can see how the truly beggars live, but still happy and smiling Sri Lankans. Climb the Peak early in the morning and you will avoid a large number tourists, creating for themselves special atmosphere on the top.

Ella Rock (Ella Rock)

A majestic rock (this is how the word "Rock" is translated), which proudly rises above little Ella. The path to Ella Rock is much more difficult and interesting than to the Small Peak: at first it runs along the railway tracks, then it begins to sharply gain steepness and height.

The reward at the very top is worth it: the views of the surroundings are simply breathtaking. The way up and down takes about 3-4 hours.

Ravana's Cave

This cave is one of the main attractions of Ella, but its importance, in my opinion, is somewhat inflated. This is a simple cave, which you can’t even wander far into because of the wet and slippery surface of the stones. The climb here is very difficult - about 700 steep steps running through the stuffy jungle.

At the beginning of the path is Buddhist temple which is a must see. I was asked for 1.3 USD (200 LKR) for the entrance to the temple and the cave, but, in addition, you will still need to pay to get to the very beginning of the stairs by tuk-tuk, unless, of course, you are eager to walk around 30-40 minutes on your own. There are almost no tourists here. And the views of the area from the stairs are still amazing.

Ravana's Falls (Rawana's Falls)

I got the impression that this waterfall is one of the most beautiful, majestic and interesting in Sri Lanka in principle. In addition to the fact that it is very high and you can swim right at the very stream in cool water, this place is colorful by the locals who come here to frolic with their children, and some even take a bath.

Just please be careful - all the paths and stones near the waterfall are very slippery due to splashing water, and it is very easy to slip here. Ravana waterfall is a must-see in Ella.

Nine Arch Bridge

This bridge is located in the heart of the green forests and plantations surrounding Ella, and getting to it is not so easy. Trains pass through it several times a day, and if you want to see this phenomenon, you should definitely consult with the locals in advance about the time when you need to be there.

In my opinion, this bridge is one of the most memorable sights in all of Sri Lanka, in principle, perhaps due to the peace and quiet that reigns here. If you want to take a train ride on this bridge, then you will have to take the train in the direction of Demidar, that is, the reverse of Nuwara Eliya.

Churches and temples. Which are worth a visit

Within Ella itself, if there are temples somewhere, then I was not lucky to stumble upon them (with the exception of one nameless one, which I will discuss below). The main religious attraction of Ella - the temple of Dova is located half an hour from the city on public transport.

Dhowa rock temple

This place is over 2000 years old and is officially recognized as a place cultural heritage all of Ceylon. Fame brought him huge statue Buddha carved in stone. Legends say that the king of Sri Lanka himself, who ruled in those days, worked on it. old times. Near this statue is a small snow-white stupa and the temple itself.

The road from Ella will take about 30-40 minutes by bus or tuk-tuk, despite the fact that the distance is only 7 km.

Temple in the lowland under Little Adam's Peak

As I said above, under the Peak there is a small Hindu village where you can see how the poorest Sri Lankans live. In addition, there is also a small temple, colorful, like all Hindu temples. When I came to him, he was locked up, so I can’t tell you exactly what kind of place this is and how it basically works. It is worth visiting it rather for the sake of the friendly and smiling Sri Lankans who live nearby.

To get there, when descending the mountain, when you are already walking along a flat path, and not up the stairs, turn left and squeeze through the tea bushes. If you want to visit this place before the ascent, then you just need to turn to the right, but it would be better to do it all the same on the way back, you will most likely see this temple from a height.

What to see in 1 day

In order to get to know Ella, one day is enough. However, you will have to make a certain choice, what do you want to visit more - Ella Rock or Little Adam's Peak? It's not that you may not physically have enough strength, rather, there will not be enough hours in the day to satisfy all the whims.

• 07:00 - if you decide to visit Ella Rock, then it is at this time that you will need to start climbing the mountain. Stock up on snacks and water, as the journey will be quite long and tiring.

• 09:00 - at this time you can start climbing the Little Adam's Peak. The way up is quite easy, but still take something to eat and drink - I think you just want to take a break while enjoying the views. If you want to be the only one at the top, it is better to start climbing an hour earlier.
• 11:30 - by this time you will either have descended from the Peak, or returned to the town from Ella Rock. Go to the nine-arch bridge, 2 hours will be enough for you. Do not forget to dine, so to speak, refuel.
• 14:00 - in Ella there is a fierce heat at this time, and if you do not want to sit in the room, waiting for it, then go to the Ravana waterfall. The journey will take you about 30 minutes by tuk-tuk or bus. Don't forget to wear your bathing suit! You will definitely want to cool off in cool water.
• 17:00 - no later than this time you need to be near the temple at the foot of the stairs to Ravana's cave. You will spend about 30-40 minutes on the ascent, so when you go down, it may well begin to get dark. In this case, ask a tuk-tuk driver to pick you up. However, if you want to save on this, then start climbing a little earlier, here's just one minus - the heat subsides only around 16:30.

You can spend the evening in your room, relaxing and sticking to the screen of some gadget. Alternative option- go to the city center to some cafe.

Food. What to try

In little Ella, there are plenty of options for places where you can have a meal. Moreover, it is very popular here not only local kitchen, but also European, because it was in this region that the British colonists lived, instilling their customs and traditions in the locals. Of course, it should be borne in mind that National cuisine will cost much less than overseas.

In the very center there is a market, almost across the road from which is located the largest Ella supermarket - they are located on the road that leads to the Small Peak. Unfortunately, in Sri Lanka, it so happened that those tourists who want to cook at home something other than rice and vegetables themselves must be prepared to pay quite a decent amount for food. Almost all pasta, sausages, sausages are imported products, hence high price.

• Ella Village Inn. A good place in the heart of the city, where the menu is very extensive. For humane money, they offered me a breakfast of scrambled eggs, fruit, toast and jam; and in the evenings I sometimes ate both shawarma and a burger here. In Sri Lanka, it is customary that foreign food is expensive, but if you already miss your usual food by the time you arrive in Ella, then in this place you can dine or dine with food of your choice for a low price.
• Cafe Chill. This authentic, chilled place offers great smoothies and juices for a relatively small price - for example, I remember pineapple juice for only 1.6 USD (200 LKR). Of course, in Ella itself, and in Sri Lanka in general, you can find places where this will cost less, but here these juices are almost not diluted with water. A very important plus is that there is free and fast Wi-Fi.

Budget

1. curd shop;
2. Downtown Rotti Hut;
3. Fish and Chips Restaurant;
4. Vimala Restaurant;
5. Raha.

Intermediate level

1. dream cafe;
2. Pasla Cafe;
3. 360 Cafe;
4. Garden View Restaurant;
5. Barista Lavazza.

Expensive

1. Cafe Guru;
2. A.K. Ristoro;
3. Ice Cube Restaurant & Bar;
4. Ella Mount Heaven;
5. Ella's Edge Restaurant.

Safety. What to watch out for

Ella seemed to me the safest city of all that I visited in Sri Lanka. Tourists are welcome here, residents are open and ready to help with advice, girls without male accompaniment are in absolutely no danger. Of course, there are certain precautions that should be taken.

The main problem is that almost no budget option housing, you can’t leave money or valuables quietly in the room for fear that the owners themselves can steal them, and then brush them off, they say, we have nothing to do with it. However, in Ella, this fear practically disappears, because sincere people hurt here. Alternatively, in order not to carry everything with you and save your nerves, you can stay in more expensive hotels to use the safe or the services of the receptionist.

The only thing that bothered me a little was that on the way to almost all the sights, especially Adam's Peak, "guides" appear out of nowhere - mostly Sri Lankan boys who tell you to follow them, and then ask for a little money for your help. It's up to you to give them something or not, and I warned you that this is the place to be. Probably, this also happens in other cities of Lanka, but I personally encountered this only in Ella.

Things to do

Aside from the obvious sights, Ella has little to surprise the tourist looking for massive party nights or opportunities. various entertainment during the day. This is not what people come to Ella for. However, there is still something to do here. free time, but, basically, these are classes for those who like to study something, learn new things or experience physical exertion.

Spice Garden

I had the stupidity to once complain to a local resident that I was bored and had nothing to do. After that, he briskly jumped into the tuk-tuk, waved his hand to himself: they say, let's go, now I'll show you such an interesting thing! Ella's Spice Garden unfortunately not so cool place, as the locals try to imagine it, but it is located in the very center of the city and is quite cheap (1 USD / 150 LKR). However, if you have not visited other spice gardens (which are described in detail), then it makes sense to look here in your free time, as you will be given an excellent tour.

Also in this garden you can ask for cooking courses who spend here daily. Their cost is 16 USD (2500 LKR), and in time they will take you about 2.5 hours, during which they will tell you in detail and show you how to cook a three-course Sri Lankan dinner. In addition, you yourself will be able to make your own culinary masterpiece.

Hiking

In addition to the most obvious routes to Ella Rock and Little Adam's Peak, Ella's surroundings offer several more routes through the forests and jungles of the mountain slopes. If you are a lover active rest and nature, you feel comfortable hiking in any weather - both hot and rainy, then in Ella you will spend your time just fine.

Be sure to purchase detailed map neighborhood of Ella in one of the shops in the city center. Without it, you will simply be lost! Almost all the paths that I will tell you about below have no signs, and you will have to show excellent spatial orientation skills in order not to get lost. Don't forget to bring water, cookies, fruit, or some other snacks.

Dembatenne Tea Factory - Lipton's Seat

One of the planters in Sri Lanka was Sir Thomas Lipton, whose name is now known to everyone as the name of a brand of tea. His plantations were so extensive that many called them a tea empire, and the place from which gorgeous view to green spaces, now it has become a tourist attraction. The height of this Lipton seat is almost 2000 meters.

Length of the way (round trip): 13 km.

How to get there: the road to the beginning of the route is quite long. To get started, you will need to take the train from Ella to the village of Haputale, and then transfer to the bus to the Dembatenne factory. On the way one way you will spend about 2 hours. Nevertheless, if you have set yourself the goal of exploring the beauty of mountainous Lanka as much as possible, then this should not confuse you in any way.

Idalgashinna-Haputale (Idalgashinna-Haputale)

This is one of the least known, yet most interesting routes in all of Sri Lanka. In order to pass it, you do not need to have any special physical preparation - the whole road runs smoothly, with virtually no ups and downs. In addition to the fact that this track lies through tea plantations and forests, its feature is the railway tracks and tunnels through which you will have to make your way. Be careful! If you think you can hear a train approaching, it's best to wait it out and play it safe. It is almost impossible to pass him in the tunnel. This track is definitely suitable for lovers of adventure and adrenaline.

Path length: 8 kilometers.

How to get there: it is necessary to travel by train from Ella to Eidalgashinna, spending a little on the way more than an hour. In doing so, you will pass through end point your his walking route- Haputale. Do not under any circumstances change the direction of your path in reverse side. So, if you start your track late, you can always jump on the train towards Ella at one of the intermediate stations.

How to move around the city

You will not see all the beauty of Ella on your own two feet, and the use of transport is not a whim of the lazy, but a vital necessity, especially if you want to spend no more than two days here. There are two options in the city: bus And knock Knock acting as a taxi.

Taxi. What features exist

If in Colombo and others major cities there is a taxi familiar to us in the form of cars, then in a village among the mountains, Ella, you should not count on such a luxury. Of course, the hotel itself, if you wish, can try and please, but the main taxi in Ella is a tuk-tuk, as tourists call it.

Tuk-tuks are small three-wheeled cars that almost every family in Sri Lanka has. They dash through the narrowest streets of Ella and the steepest turns, drive up the steepest and highest hills along the most bumpy roads. At the same time, the prices in Ella for their services are quite low when compared with some Unawatuna or Hikkaduwa. And yet, do not forget about two main tips:

1. Bargaining is possible and even necessary.
2. If you need to save money, catch the car in the direction you are going.

And now I will give you some prices for tuk-tuker services based on my experience (without bargaining):

• Center - Ravana caves (round trip with waiting) - 2.7 USD (400 LKR).
• Center - Ravana waterfalls (one way) - 1.3 (200 LKR).
• Center - Nine-arch bridge(beginning of trekking to it) - 1.3 USD (200 LKR).
• Center - station - 0.6 USD (100 LKR).

Buses

Buses are the most cheap transport in all of Sri Lanka, but one of the most inconvenient. At the same time, they pass through Ella very often and in all directions, with an interval of 15 minutes throughout the day from 6:00 to 19:00, then they come to naught by 22:00.

In order to move around Ella itself, you won’t be able to use the bus, since there is only one bus station for the whole city. But it is very good to use it for those people who want to see all the sights of Ella as quickly as possible, without resorting to more expensive services tuk tukers.

Ella - holidays with children

Unfortunately, there is practically nothing to do in Ella with children, since the infrastructure here is not developed at all for tourists of a younger age category. However, if you wish, if you can captivate your children with outdoor recreation and hiking through stuffy jungles and forests, then rest with them will be a great success here.

It is sensible to evaluate the strength of the children, since with unprepared children hiking even within 30-50 minutes in 30-degree heat can be a serious test for the nerves of parents and for the health of the children themselves. But if your family is enthusiastic about hiking, and outdoor recreation is about you, then you will have a great time in Ella!

At first, we were not going to call in Ella - by this moment everyone wanted to get to the ocean as soon as possible, moving every couple of days is very tiring. But we decided that in one day we just won’t get there ( railways in Sri Lanka, far from everything is covered, the main transport is buses). It was decided after the Horton Plateau to go to Ella for a couple of nights, then get on the bus and rush towards the ocean (as it turned out later, getting to the ocean from Ella, as well as from Nuwara Eliya, is not a problem at all - 6 hours of shaking on the bus and you on target :)

By the way, here is our route - as you can see, we did not stop north at ancient capital Pollonaruvu to look at the old temples, which was later regretted. In a word, in Sri Lanka there is something to do for 3 weeks and a month or more!

If you live in Ella for several days, then you can go to the waterfall and climb Ella Rock, but we only had a day. We chose a walk to the Small Adam's Peak (only the shape is in common with the big one) and to the 9-arch bridge.

To the small peak of Adam, the path goes through tea plantations.
This is how tea blooms.

View from small Adam's peak.

The 9-arch bridge 30 meters high between Ella and Demodara stations is the pride of Sri Lanka. They write that in Sinhala it is called the Bridge of 9 Heavens - if you stand below and look up, you will see 9 heavens. The bridge was built without metal structures - only stones and cement. According to legend, when it began to be built, all the metal went to the needs of the First World War and skilled Sri Lankans built it without metal in 1921. I suspect that the project was still British.

The bridge is really beautiful.
And here on the rails we met local gopniks - they asked for a smoke and money, a classic :)

And then we drank beer and water in a cafe with such a magical floor.

The sequel will be about the ocean!