Description

Hill Country - Sri Lanka

The 'Hill Country' or 'Up Country' are terms broadly used to describe the mountainous regions of the centre of Sri Lanka. Covered with tea plantations and National Parks, these beautiful hills and mountains are home to some of the country's most unique and historic accommodation.

Sri Lanka's Hill Country is the island at its most scenic, a mist-wrapped land of emerald peaks and stupendous views, of hillsides carpeted with tea plantations and graced by astonishing waterfalls. This is a place where you can wear a fleece in the daytime and cuddle up beside a log fire in the evening. Where you can enjoy a memorable meal in the eternal city of Kandy or at a roadside shack in lovely Ella. A region where you can walk to the end of the world, stand in the footsteps of the Buddha and be surrounded by a hundred wild elephants. Ride a train utterly bewitched by the vistas. Paddle a raft down a raging river. Enjoy the drumbeat of traditional dance and then savour the silence on a lonely mountaintop.

Kandy - The Hill Capital

Some days Kandy’s skies seem perpetually bruised, with stubborn mist clinging to the hills surrounding the city’s beautiful centrepiece lake. Delicate hill-country breezes impel the mist to gently part, revealing colorful houses amid Kandy’s improbable forested halo. In the center of town, three-wheelers careen around slippery corners, raising a soft spray that threatens the silk saris worn by local women. Here’s a city that looks good even when it’s raining.
Dominating the town is Kandy Lake. A leisurely stroll around it, with a few stops on the lakeside seats, is a pleasant way to spend a few hours, although diesel-spurting buses careening around the southern edge of the lake can mar the peace somewhat.The lake is artificial and was created in 1807 by Sri Wickrama Rajasinha, the last ruler of the kingdom of Kandy.The central island was used as Sri Wickrama Rajasinha’s personal harem. Later the British used it as an ammunition store and added the fortress-style parapet around the perimeter.
The golden-roofed Temple of the Sacred Tooth houses Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha. During puja (offerings or prayers), the heavily guarded room housing the tooth is open to devotees and tourists.
Ceylon Tea Museum occupies the 1925-vintage Hantane Tea Factory, 4km south of Kandy on the Hantane road. Abandoned for more than a decade, it was recently refurbished and has good exhibits on tea pioneers James Taylor and Thomas Lipton, and lots of vintage tea-processing paraphernalia.
Kandy Garrison Cemetery contains 163 graves from colonial times. Perhaps the most striking aspect of a visit here is learning just how young most people were when they died – if you made it to 40 you were of a very ripe old age. Some of the deaths were due to sunstroke, elephants or 'jungle fevers'. You'll probably be shown around by the highly informed caretaker, who once guided the UK's Prince Charles here, and who seems to have a tale for every tomb.
The Peradeniya botanical gardens another attraction of the city is located just outside the city center. It contains a bewildering array of local and foreign species set in a tranquil site adjacent to the mighty Mahaweli Ganga, Sri Lanka’s longest river.

Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya is located at the heart of the southern hill country, the highest elevated city, and the most favorite hill station during the British rule in Sri Lanka. The city is well known among the locals as ‘little England’ owing to its somewhat similar weather to Scottish weather, old colonial-style building, 18 hole golf course, Victoria Park, a racecourse, and excellent fishing in the lakes and rivers around the city.
Gregory lake and the surrounding area is a great place to anchor yourself while exploring the countryside, there are many treks through the mountains, escapements, forests and plantations that can be used for a walk, hiking and mountain climbing.

Ella - Backpacking Paradise

Ella, one of the most scenic places with many sites for adventure tourism whitch has all the best parts of Sri Lanka rolled into one: beautiful jungle mountains, rolling tea plantations, and epic waterfalls and has wide range of activities such as trekking, hiking, mountain climbing and rainforest exploration, therefore, Ella is included in most Sri Lanka hill country tours. and the laid-back remote small city of Ella gets a lively, busy, electrifying atmosphere every Wednesday morning, as the weekly market kick-off on the Passara-Ella main road.
The Adam’s Peak mountain looks exactly the same as Adam’s peak and that’s the very reason for naming it as little Adam’s peak. One can enjoy a breathtaking view from the summit of the mountain and Ella Gap, is the deepest ravine on the island of Sri Lanka. Take the road in the eastward direction from Ella and a 12 km drive take you to the starting point of the climb. Ella provides a beautiful view over the low elevated southern part of Sri Lanka on sunny days with a clear sky. A number of treks in Ella provide an opportunity for a memorable low exhausting adventure.
Ravana waterfall is another popular tourist site, which sandwiched between Ella and the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The waterfall is conveniently located on the Ella-Wellawaya main road, a few kilometers south of Ella mountain resort.

Diyaluma Falls

Diyaluma Falls is a top thing to do in Ella and the 2nd highest waterfall in all of Sri Lanka. It’s the perfect opportunity to get out amongst nature and enjoy the hike to the top of the waterfall.
At the foot, enjoy the roaring power of the water falling onto the rocks. At the top, you’ll feel on top of the world as you explore the three natural infinity pools stretched out onto the cliff edge. Swimming in these pools and gazing down the 220 meters below is an experience like no other.

Pidurutalagala Mountain

The highest point of Sri Lanka hill country is Pidurutalagala or Mount Pedro in English, which rises up to 2,524 m (8,281 ft) from sea level. From the base of this mighty upheaval rise abruptly four extensive ledges, at different elevations, and a number of lofty mountains, some of which reach the height of 5,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. It is situated North-North-East from the town of Nuwara Eliya and is easily visible from most areas of the Central Province.

The Horton Plains & World’s End

The Horton plains national park or Horton Plains plateau has a large extent of forest as well as grassland and is lavishly decorated by mother nature with lakes, perennial streams, waterfalls, animals, birds, and many other species of Faun. Fascinating patch of forest that lies 2300 meters above sea level and after around 9am is a swirling white wall a stunning escarpment that plunges 880m. The walk here is 4km, but the trail then loops back to Baker’s Falls (2km) and continues back to the entrance (another 3.5km). The 9.5km round trip takes a leisurely three hours. Unless you get there early, the view from World’s End is often obscured by mist, particularly during the rainy season from April to September. Wear strong and comfortable walking shoes, a hat and sunglasses. Bring sunscreen, food and water.

Pinnawala - Elephant Orphanage (PEO)

Just as the name suggests holds a unique disposition in the ex-situ animal care. It’s success and fame has travelled not just within the country but throughout the world to an extent where Pinnawala synonymous with the Sri Lankan Elephant.
Currently being a home to 93 elephants and Pinnawala at the time was a very remote area with lush coconut plantations and most importantly an area where the availability of mahouts was not lacking. Also the immense amount of water required by the elephants is supplemented with the availability of “Ma oya” running close by. POE caters not only for the abandoned babies but also for those injured and maimed within the jungle.

About The Tour

Places covered	Inclusions	Exclusions	Day
Kandy	Comfortable Transportation	Personal Expenses	01
Kandy/Nuwara Eliya	Accommodation	Personal Expenses	02
Nuwara Eliya	Breakfast, Dinner	Shopping Fares	03
Nuwara Eliya/Colombo	Breakfast, Dinner	Shopping Fares	04
Departure	Airport Transfer	Air Tickets & Taxes	05