The small town of Ella is a beautiful place to spend a few restful days. The town is largely made up of a long main street lined with restaurants, and paths leading off to attractive guest-houses where some excellent home cooking can be sampled. One of the prime attractions here is Ella Gab, a cleft in the hills where the land drops a dizzying 1,100 m into the plains below. The best view of the Gab is from the garden of the Grand Ella Motel.

Ella is walking country and guesthouses will be able to provide hand-drawn maps of scenic walks, such as the 4 hour long hike southeast of the town to Ella Rock, from where there are splendid views across the Hill Country. An easy, mostly flat 2-hour long walk winds through tea plantations southeast to Little Adam’s Peak, which affords great views of the surrounding countryside. Visitors are advised to set off early to reach here before the clouds descent.

Environs

About 4 km south of Ella is the Rawana Ella Cave, where Sita is said to have been held captive by Rawana. A few kilometers south of the cave are the 90 m high Rawana Falls, which are especially photogenic after a boat of bout of rain.

Fed by BadullaOyariver, the 63-m high Dunhinda Falls are picturesque sight, with an enormous volume of water gushing into the pool below in a cloud of spray.

The 1-km long path leading to the falls can be a bit of a scramble. It is narrow in places and slippery if there has been rainfall. Stalls selling drinks and snacks can be found along the way, but watch out for thieving monkeys when taking a break or enjoying the scenery.

On the way to the waterfall, the lower, wider KudaDunhinda falls can be seen. There is concrete observation point at the end of the path. The falls can be visited year-round. However, the place is very popular with locals and can be busy at weekends and on public holidays.

The capitol of Uva Province, Badulla is thought to be one of the oldest towns in Sri Lanka. Today, it is an important transport hub and visitors are likely to pass through it while travelling between the Hill Country and the East Coast.

The highlight here is the KataragamaDevale, a Hindu temple that was built in the 18^th century. The Kandyan-style main shrine houses an image of Kataragama, flanked by statues of Saman and Vishnu. The shrine’s outer walls are painted with murals depicting a perahera. Some fine carvings of human figures, animals and floral motifs can be seen on the pillars and other areas of the temple.

The 2,243-m Adam’s Peak is also known as Sri Pada, which means Sacred Footprint- referring to the rock formation at the summit. While Buddhists believe it to be an imprint of Buddha’s foot, Hindus associate it with Shiva, Muslims with Adam and Christians with St Thomas. The Peak is, however, primarily a Buddhist site. Saman, one of the island’s most important gods, is believed to be the guardian deity of the peak.

The easiest and shortest route up the mountain is from Dalhousie, where the majority of visitors base themselves, but many pilgrims also climb from the Ratnapura side. The 7 km ascent consists of around 5,500 steps. The climb is traditionally made at night- most people set off at 2am and take about 4 hours to reach the peak to watch the break of dawn. It is possible to climb during the day, but the peak is often shrouded in cloud then and the views are obscured.

The summit itself is covered in a jumble of buildings. The footprint lies sheltered under a pavilion, where people can be seen praying or ringing the two bells nearby to mark their ascent. As dawn breaks, the sun casts a unique triangular shadow of the peak that seems to hang in mid-air in front of the mountain.

The pilgrimage season begins in December and continues until May. During this period, the steps leading to the peak are illuminated, and there are little stalls along the road route offering tea and snacks to pilgrims and tourists. However, it may be a good idea to bring a torch, as some sports near the starting point can be dark if the lights are not working. On poya days, long weekends and during the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year in April, the mountains paths can get very busy. Be sure to set aside enough time to reach the summit- it is common to get stuck in slow-moving queue.

Although a guide is not needed in season, as there will be many others making the ascent, it is advisable to hire one during the off season when the way up can be lonely and dark. Solo travelers can organize a guide or team up with others; dinner at the Slightly Chilled Guest House is a good opportunity to strike up conversation and find walking partners. Bringing warm clothing is recommended, since it can be cold at the summit. It is also advisable to wear sturdy shoes and carry water, a hat and sunscreen- once the sun is up, it can be scorching.

When making the descent, be sure to walk the right way and down and not follow the path heading to Ratnapura- if there are few people on the path, it is probably not the right one.

Surrounded by low wooded hills, the small village of Kitulgala is perhaps best known for being the location where David Lean filmed Bridge on the River Kwai(1957). A path signposted from the main road leads to the banks of the Kelaniyariver, where the filming site can be seen. Those familiar with the Oscar-winning film will recognize some of the riverside scenery and the remains of the bridge’s concrete foundations.

Kitulgala serves as a base for a range of adventure activities, such as whitewater rafting. Most hotels in the area can also arrange rock climbing, cycling, abseiling and overnight river trips. A boat trip across the river leads to the Kitulgala Forest Reserve,which offers good bird-watching and trekking in lowland rainforest. Among the many birds that can be spotted here are the grey hornbill, the yellow-fronted barbet and various kingfishers.

Set in central highlands of Sri Lanka, Hortan Plains is unlike any other place in the country and is often compared to the Scottish highlands, for its windswept landscape and cool, wet climate. It is named after Sir Robert Wilmot- Hortan, the British Governor of Ceylon from 1831 to 1837. Formerly a wildlife sanctuary, the area was declared a national park in 1988. At an elevation of over 2,000 m, the park is situated on the highest plateau in Sri Lanka, with its terrain characterized by undulating grasslands interspersed with dense cloud forests, rocky outcrops and waterfalls. Home to a wide variety of wildlife, Hortan Plains also boasts a large number of bird species. However, the key attraction in the park is World’s End, a sheer precipice affording panoramic views across the southern part of the island.

Exploring the Park

Unlike other national parks in Sri Lanka, Hortan Plains can be explored on foot and without a guide, provided visitors stick to the market trails. While there are several trails in the park, the majority of people follow the Loop Trail. It is possible to head in the direction of either World’s End or Baker’s Falls. Although the most choose to go to World’s end first, the last stretch of this trail between Baker’s Falls and the entrance is an open grassland with no shade. It is advisable to wear good walking shoes as the paths are rocky and uneven. The best time to visit the park is early in the morning, around 7am, to allow plenty of time to reach World’s end before 10am, when clouds roll in and the view is obscured from the escarpment. Avoid visiting the park on weekends and public holidays as it can be very busy and noisy. Although the park can be chilly in the morning, it warms up quickly, so bring a hat and sunscreen.

These gardens were originally laid out in 1861 to cultivate cinchona, the bark of which is a source of the anti-malarial drug quinine. Today, Hakgalais famous for its roses that bloom from April to August. Spread over 27 ha, the garden is divided into different sections, including a Japanese garden, a fernery and a lock garden. The beds here host a diverse range of flowers, from sunflowers and pansies to orchids. The plants and tress labelled in red are indigenous to Sri Lanka.

Established by the British in the 19^th century, NuwaraEliya is often referred to as Sri Lanka’s “Little England”. Set in a wooded valley beneath the 2,524-m Pidurutalagala or Mount Pedro, the tallest peak in the country, it is the highest town on the island. With the cool through unpredictable climate, the town provides a welcome relief from the hot and humid lowlands.

The popular town becomes particularly busy in April during the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year holiday, when Sri Lankans flock here in droves. A festive atmosphere prevails during this period- many horse- and motor-racing events are organized and stalls line the streets- and accommodation prices tend to be higher.

Walking around is a good way to see a number of sights. In the town center is the well-maintained 18-hole Golf Club, which was founded in 1889. Behind the Club House are the remains of a British Cemetery. Where the infamous elephant hunter Major Thomas William Rogers is buried. Also in the town center is the pink Colonial-era post office with a conical clock tower. Nearby, the charming Victoria Park offers some excellent bird-watching; and also has a play area for children near the entrance. A little further on, there is an interesting covered market on New Bazaar Street, where vendors sell a wealth of fruit and vegetables as well as meat and fish.

NuwaraEliya also retains some elegant Colonial-era hotels such as the hill club and half-timbered Grand Hotel, located further north along the Grand Hotel Road. Visitors can go in for a drink, or simply admire the period exterior and colorful flower gardens. To the east of the center stands the Anglican Holy Trinity Church. Built in 1825, the church still holds regular services.

Further east lies Lake Gregory. The landscaped area around it is a pleasant spot for a stroll. An on-site boat house rents out pleasure boats or pedaloes for a ride across the lake. The racecourse is located south of the town.

Environs

The surrounding countryside offer some excellent walks. The shortest and easiest of there is a 2-km walk southwest to Single Tree Hill, from there are panoramic vistas of NuwaraEliya. For an extended, day-long hike, walk 4 km north from Single Tree Hill through tea plantations to the isolated settlement of Shandipura, the island’s highest village. From here, continue southwest to the viewpoint at UdaRadella, for sweeping views south to Adam’s Peak. It is advisable to hire a guide for this walk.

The town of Mahiyangana is famous in Buddhist legend as the first of the three places in Sri Lanka that the Buddha visited after he gained enlightenment; the other two been Kelaniya and Nainativu.

About 1 km south of the town center, the huge RajamahaDagoba marks the spot where the Buddha is believed to have preached during his first visit to the country. Said to enshrine a lock of the Buddha’s hair, the dagobawas expanded by King Dutugemunu in the 2^nd century BC, and further renovated during the reign of King VoharikaTissa in the 3^rd century AD. The attractive complex, backed by a long walkway.

Another temple of note here is the Sri Maha Bodhi Seya, which is located west of the center. It was commissioned by President Premadasa in the early 1990s to look like the Mahabodhi Stupa at Bodh Gaya in India.

The town also serves as a good base for visiting the MaduruOya National

Also known as Dumbara Hills, the Knuckles Range was so named by the British for its resemblance to the knuckles of a clenched fist. The range consists of five main peaks and several smaller ones, the highest of which is over 1,800 m.

A UNESCO World Heritage Conservation Area and a bio-diversity hotspot, the mountain range supports a wide range of flora and fauna. The vegetarian varies from dry evergreen forests to wet grasslands. These ecosystems support numerous animal species, such as deer, wild boar, langurs and even slender loris; as well as a rich variety of birds.

The knuckles Range is also a popular trekking designation. It is possible to wander unaccompanied, but for longer walks it is advisable to hire a guide. The walk begins through the lowlands, which are dotted with small villages, before winding through montane forest and past waterfalls. There are excellent vistas from the many viewpoints or from any of the peaks.