5 hiking trails around Ella, Sri Lanka

5 hiking trails around Ella, Sri Lanka

Some of Sri Lanka's most beautiful scenery awaits you on the hiking trails around Ella in the Hill Country

Many people travel to Sri Lanka for its beaches – and the country has some of the most beautiful in the world – but it was Sri Lanka's mountainous terrain that really captured our imagination. Carpets of tea plantations and alpine forests emerge from the creeping morning mist to reveal some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country (if not the world).

When we arrived in Ella we couldn't wait to hit the trails and explore the highlands. The town itself is a busy and unattractive thoroughfare flanked by charmless hotels and noisy cafes. However, the surrounding hills are really something else, so we spent three days exploring them.

Here we list our favorite hiking trails around Ella so that enthusiastic hikers can follow in our footsteps.

Little Adams Peak

Distance: 4.5 km (2.8 miles) Duration: 1 hour

alt="Hiking trails around Ella Sri Lanka – Little Adams Peak">DreamtimeThe view from Little Adam's Peak

Little Adam’s Peak is ideal for a late, leisurely walk – if you can avoid the afternoon showers. Slightly similar in shape (though not nearly as dramatic) to its big brother, Adam's Peak, Little Adam's Peak is just a short hike from town and offers some rewarding views for little effort.

Take Ella-Passara Road out of town and turn right at Ella Flower Garden Resort. From here it is well signposted, just follow the waymarks. The last 20 minutes are steep, but otherwise it's an easy walk. Part of the trail takes you through a local tea plantation, usually dotted with workers.

Ella Rock

Distance: 10 km (6.2 miles)Duration: 3-4 hours

alt="Hiking trails around Ella Sri Lanka – Ella Rock">Atlas & BootsHiking Ella Rock is fun, confusing, strenuous, and deeply rewarding

One of the most popular hiking trails around Ella is this moderately difficult half-day hike with exceptionally rewarding views. It's worth setting off early (9am at the latest) to avoid the heat and afternoon rain showers. This is a slightly more complicated hike with little or no signage along the way. Also, local touts try to mislead trekkers to earn a few rupees for setting them straight!

Follow our guide to hiking Ella Rock, which includes detailed directions, a route map and a list of essential tips. At the summit, take your time to enjoy the view - it is one of the most beautiful in Sri Lanka.

Dambatenne to Lipton's seat

Distance: 14 km (8.7 miles)Duration: 4-5 hours

alt=“Hiking trails around Ella Sri Lanka – Liptons Seat 2″>DreamtimeSir Thomas Lipton once watched over his growing tea empire from here

At 1,970 m (6,463 ft), Lipton's Seat viewpoint above the Dambatenne Tea Factory is another excellent viewing point. The Scottish tea aristocrat Sir Thomas Lipton watched over his growing tea empire from here.

The tea factory signs are easy to follow. The climb should take about 2.5 hours and the descent should take about 1.5 to 2 hours. As with Ella Rock, give yourself plenty of time at the top to enjoy the view.

Getting there is a bit inconvenient as you have to take a train to Haputale (80/50/25 LKR - 1st/2nd/3rd class) and then either a bus (30 LKR one way) or a tuk. Tuk (800-1,000 LKR return including waiting time) to Dambatenne tea factory where you start the hike.

Idalgashinna to Haputale

Distance: 8km (5mi)Duration: 2 hours

alt=“Hiking trails around Ella Sri Lanka – Idalgashima 5″>Atlas & BootsView over the surrounding hills and villages

This is one of the least popular hiking trails around Ella, but offers some of the most outstanding views. We recommend buying a comfortable observation class train ticket (1,000 LKR) from Ella station and taking the train to Idalgashinna (1hr 20min). From there you walk along the tracks back to Haputale. The views of the surrounding hills, tea plantations and surrounding villages are unparalleled.

The terrain drops dramatically on both sides throughout the hike. At one point you'll be hiking along a narrow stretch of trail with spectacular views sliding to your right and left. It's also very quiet; We saw no other hikers on this route and only a handful of locals.

alt=“Hiking trails around Ella Sri Lanka – Idalgashima 3″>Atlas & BootsStart in Idalgashinna and hike back to Haputale, ensuring you have time to meet the trains to Ella

It's worth noting that this hike doesn't work as well the other way around. We made the mistake of starting from Haputale and had to rush to get to Idalgashinna to meet the returning train. So make sure you stay on the train from Ella to Idalgashinna and walk back to Haputale. Hiking in this direction will give you plenty of time to meet the returning (often very busy) trains to Ella.

Pattipola to Haputale

Distance: 14 km (8.7 miles)Duration: 4-5 hours

alt=“Hiking trails around Ella Sri Lanka – Pattipola to Haputale “>Atlas & BootsIt is a full day trek along the route from Pattipola to Haputale

A similar option to above is to take the same train to Pattipola (160/90/45 LKR - 1st/2nd/3rd class, 2 hours) and walk the longer route back to Haputale. This will be a full day hike, so take one of the earlier trains from Ella to allow enough time. There's the 6:40 a.m., which will make you miss the heat of the day, or the 9:24 a.m., if you don't mind the stronger sun.

alt=“Hiking trails around Ella Sri Lanka – Pattipola”>DreamstimesAt 1,898 m (6,225 ft), Pattipola is the highest railway station in Sri Lanka

Pattipola is the highest train station in Sri Lanka and offers some sweeping views along the way. Again, it's unlikely you'll meet many other hikers on this route.

Note that on this longer hike along the tracks you will almost certainly encounter trains coming from both directions. You will usually be given plenty of warning, but always listen carefully and make short work of the sections without paths along the tracks.

Hiking trails around Ella: the essentials

What: Exploring the hiking trails around Ella in the mountainous region of Sri Lanka.

Where: We booked our stay quite late and ended up on the main street at Ella Dream Cafe. While the rooms were nice and spacious, they were also ridiculously noisy (a mix of traffic, tourists, and blaring music from the adjacent bar). Instead, we recommend Lonely Planet's suggestions for the Ella Flower Garden Resort or the Zion View Ella.

When: The best time to explore the trails around Ella is between December and March, when the hill country is at its driest. The shoulder season from April and September to November is a good time to visit, while the Yala monsoon season from May to August brings rain to the hill country.

How: If you're planning more hiking in Sri Lanka, it's worth investing in a decent map. Sri Lanka 1:500,000 + City Maps Waterproof Travel Map is by far the best map available for hiking in Sri Lanka. On one side of the map are relief shading, point heights and names of mountain ranges and prominent peaks.

You can reach Ella by train from Colombo and Kandy (check the timetable here; note that "Ella" is spelled "Elle" in the search dropdown).

Depending on your starting point, different bus lines are available. It's worth noting that we found bus travel in Sri Lanka quite stressful, so you may want to take a transfer instead. Your hotel can arrange this, but it's always worth negotiating a discount as these are usually excessive (e.g. if it says LKR 15,000, ask for 11,000).

Many tourists choose to hire a driver for the entire trip. This costs approximately $45 per day (including days you don't use the driver). We used Ajaa (+94 777 284 178) and Sisi (+94 777 203 083) for shorter transfers and found them friendly and reliable.

Most international flights land at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB). Book via Skyscanner for the best prices.

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