Offering uninterrupted views of lush tea plantations within eyeshot, Nuwara Eliya is one of Sri Lanka’s most distinct cities. As soon as you set foot in this country retreat, you’ll be greeted by mist-shrouded mountains and old British bungalows that give the city its ‘Little England’ title.
Nuwara Eliya rests at an altitude of over 1800 metres, overlooking verdant tea estates that you ought to visit. A good way to begin your day is to set out on a rickshaw ride to the Pedro Tea Estate, where you can grab a morning cuppa from the teahouse and tour the plantation. Situated close by is Lover’s Leap, a picture-perfect spot with views of rugged cliffs and pristine waterfalls. For a slight change of scenery, you can head to Hakgala Botanical Garden, a sprawling garden adorned with a wide variety of roses and orchids. If you’re looking for a good picnic spot, head to Gregory Lake – a local reservoir where you can enjoy a long stroll or a boat ride.
As Nuwara Eliya is nestled in a cosy spot on the hills, it is not directly accessible by air or rail. You can take a flight to Colombo and then a train to the nearest station, Nanu Oya. You can then take a taxi from Nanu Oya to reach this city. Alternatively, you can board an intercity bus from Colombo to Kandy or Hatton, and then make an onward journey to Nuwara Eliya by bus or train.
Tonight
From £17 per night
This weekend
From £34 per night
Next weekend
From £34 per night
Most popular time to visit | October–December |
Cheapest time to visit | January–March |
Local currency | US$10 = £7.46 |
Language | |
Average weekend price | £50 per night |
Average weekday price | £54 per night |
Typical stay | 1 night |
Beautiful stop off to see tea plantations and "Little...
15 August 2024
Beautiful stop off to see tea plantations and "Little England". However, it is hard to find tours where you can see the local women actually picking the tea in the plantations. Factory tours are a bit perfunctory, so worth finding a guide who can take you on more than just the conveyor belt. Also, because it rains in the afternoons it is worth making sure you have enough time to do a morning visit for any tours in which you are interested.
Nuwara Eliya is unique and definitely not a place you should...
2 August 2024
Nuwara Eliya is unique and definitely not a place you should skip. We went for the high tea at the Grand Hotel and loved it. The gardens were gorgeous with soft music complementing the birds songs. I can get lost there for hours. We enjoyed the pub, Lovers Leap waterfall was worth the hike.
Visited Grand Hotel for a drink, a must do!
26 June 2024
Visited Grand Hotel for a drink, a must do!!! It's incredible! Victoria park a nice wander. Very wet and cold so take winter clothes! Grand Indian restaurant great service good food, nice place.
Called Little England in Sri Lanka.
11 May 2024
Called Little England in Sri Lanka. Super nice. So much to enjoy 😁. Many nice hotels to stay and places to visit. Please don't forget to visit Ella too.... it's an amazing place Thanks 🙏
it's great place but for foreigner they charge fees for...
17 April 2024
it's great place but for foreigner they charge fees for everything such as entry fee to enter the place to visit and there is no any free facility which is not good. as a traveler we are going to visit city and promote the city on our social networks therefore we should have some facility to get some exempt the charges to view more about city. every attraction they have entry fee.
A good place for visiting the Horton Plains National Park-...
29 March 2024
A good place for visiting the Horton Plains National Park- negociate locally for the 40 min drive in a Tuk Tuk ( 9000 lks is about right). It has a nice lake to walk around. The Rough Guide though old is still very useful. The centre is small and compact with good facilities .. The exception is the 'Tourist Office' close to the bus station.. It is close to useless - dont look for impartial advice as the owner has his own Tuk Tuk!. Victora Park is worth a stroll.
Nuwara Eliya City Centre, Nuwara Eliya
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Lake Gregory, Nuwara Eliya
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Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka
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Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka
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Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka
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