
Safari in Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya
is an historic tea plantation area
in the highlands of central Sri Lanka

a lovely mild climate for a relaxing few days
The town of Nuwara Eliya is located in the mountainous centre of Sri Lanka, around 150 km to the east of the coastal capital of Colombo.
This scenic place lies at the heart of what is commonly known as (but does not translate as) ‘Little England’, a beautiful high altitude area, with a mild (sometimes cool) climate and extensive tea plantations.The town was founded by the British in 1846 and quickly rose to become a favourite retreat amongst the colonial settlers, a country retreat where they could enjoy traditional pastimes like fox hunting, trout fishing, polo, golf and cricket.
The area contains some impressive colonial architecture, much from the high Victorian period, so with lots of neo-Gothic and mock-Tudor, with notable examples including Queen’s Cottage, General’s House, Grand Hotel, Hill Club, St Andrew’s Hotel and Town Post Office, as well as a host of traditional bungalows out amongst the surrounding tea estates.
Victoria Park is an attractive oasis, with bird species including Indian blue robins, scaly thrushes and Kashmir flycatchers.
A high proportion of visitors to Sri Lanka choose to include this area in their trip, usually staying at one of the many rural bungalows for a few days, often arriving here on the mountain train ride from Kandy, which passes some famously pretty views.
One particularly interesting diversion is a visit to Horton Plains National Park, just to the south. Although this small reserve is home to a wide range of wildlife, the main event is the scenery. The short hike to World’s End (a sheer drop of 1050 metres) is particularly popular and passes scenic Baker’s Falls. Early mornings are usually best.
Although the lower fields are used to cultivate a vast range of fruits and vegetables, it is the tea plantations of the upper slopes for which the area is best known. The cool climate up here helps farmers to produce some of the world’s finest orange pekoe tea. Several tea factories around Nuwara Eliya offer guided tours and the opportunity to sample or purchase their products.

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Map
The best time of year to visit the Nuwara Eliya area is generally considered to be during the Jan-Mar southwest dry season.
This high altitude area experiences high levels of rainfall and very changeable conditions, often with mists and fogs for prolonged periods.
Temperatures are more or less constant year round, with daytime temperatures around 22C/72F, with nighttime low temperatures around 10C/50F, potentially a good deal lower.
The main issue is rainfall, which is high year round, slightly higher during Oct-Nov (which is usually best avoided) and slightly lower Feb-Mar.
Getting there
The Nuwara Eliya area is usually reached by road. For our guests, this means combining it with various other locations on the island in a private guided overland safari, travelling in the company of an expert driver-guide. Popular connections include …
Colombo : 2-3 hours
Galle : 3-4 hours
Kandy : 1-2 hours
Sigiriya : 2-3 hours
Wasgamuwa : 3-4 hours
Yala : 3-4 hours
The Nuwara Eliya area also has a train service, connecting up from Colombo via Kandy. If you specifically want to include a rail journey in your trip, then it should be possible for you to take the train, whilst your driver-guide drives on to meet you at the far end.
The short train trip between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya is particularly popular, travelling through some very scenic mountain and tea plantation scenery.
Where to stay
The accommodation options in the Nuwara Eliya area fall into three main categories …
The first and usually most attractive option is to stay at one of dozens of restored colonial-era bungalows out amongst the tea plantations of the district, many of which are up to an hour by road out of the town itself. These are typically intimate, authentic and relatively upmarket locations, each with 4-5 rooms.
The second option is to stay at one of the large accommodation options out in these rural areas, which include a converted tea factory and some larger converted plantation buildings.
The third option is to stay in the town of Nuwara Eliya itself, which you might like to do if you are particularly interested in exploring the colonial past. The best options in this category are the old colonial hotels, most of which have been restored to a reasonable standard.
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