waterfall
Ramboda Falls
A 109 m waterfall in two tiers falling right beside the A5 at Ramboda Pass, on the tea-estate road between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. Visible from the highway without leaving the car.
14 km · about 25 min drive
AsiaSri LankaCentral Province
Nuwara Eliya
Central Province, Sri Lanka · Asia
About Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya is worth a stop: 25 minutes from Talawakele, 21km from World's End, Horton Plains.
Nuwara Eliya is in Central Province, Sri Lanka, with about 28,000 people. The nearest town is Talawakele, about 14 km away.
Nuwara Eliya (Sinhala: නුවර එළිය [nuwərə ɛlijə]; Tamil: நுவரெலியா [nʉʋəɾɛlɪjɑː]) is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its name means "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light". The city is the administrative capital of Nuwara Eliya District, with a picturesque landscape andRead more
temperate climate. It is at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) and is considered to be the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka. The city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for its temperate, cool climate – the coolest area in Sri Lanka.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Nuwara Eliya?
Within an hour or so of Nuwara Eliya: Ramboda Falls (14 km), World's End, Horton Plains (21 km), Ella (31 km), Nine Arch Bridge, Demodara (32 km).
Where is Nuwara Eliya?
Nuwara Eliya is in Central Province, Sri Lanka, about 14 km from Talawakele.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 27,500
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Region
- Central Province
- Timezone
- Asia/Colombo
- Coordinates
- 6.9708, 80.7829
Tags
Worth the detour from Nuwara Eliya
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
World's End, Horton Plains
A sheer escarpment in Horton Plains National Park dropping about 1,200 m straight off the edge of the highland plateau. Best before 10am, before cloud fills the void.
21 km · about 25 min drive
natural wonder
Ella
A misty hill town with spectacular train rides, tea plantations, waterfalls, and the iconic Nine Arches Bridge.
31 km · about 35 min drive
bridge
Nine Arch Bridge, Demodara
A soaring colonial-era railway viaduct of brick and stone curving through tea-clad jungle near Ella. A short drive-and-walk brings you trackside as blue trains rumble across its nine arches.
32 km · about 35 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Lipton's Seat
The ridge above Dambatenne where Thomas Lipton surveyed his tea empire, at 1,970 m. The narrow road climbs through Lipton's own estate and on a clear morning the view runs to the southern coast.
33 km · about 40 min drive
photogenic
Ambuluwawa Tower
A vertigo-inducing spiral tower on a hilltop near Gampola whose staircase narrows to shoulder width and ends with no handrail, giving a 360-degree view over the central highlands.
34 km · about 40 min drive
natural wonder
Adam's Peak (Sri Pada)
A 2,243 m conical peak sacred to Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians alike, climbed overnight by pilgrims up thousands of steps to reach the summit footprint shrine at dawn.
36 km · about 40 min drive
waterfall
Diyaluma Falls
Sri Lanka's second-highest waterfall at 220 m, dropping in a single plume beside the Koslanda road, with a chain of natural infinity pools on the ledges above reached by a steep half-hour walk.
38 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near Nuwara Eliya
- 32 kmNine Arch Bridge, DemodaraA soaring colonial-era railway viaduct of brick and stone curving through tea-clad jungle near Ella. A short drive-and-walk brings you trackside as blue trains rumble across its nine arches.
- 33 kmLipton's SeatThe ridge above Dambatenne where Thomas Lipton surveyed his tea empire, at 1,970 m. The narrow road climbs through Lipton's own estate and on a clear morning the view runs to the southern coast.
When to drive here
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
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