Ella is a small town in the Badulla district of Sri Lanka. Located in the mountains, 1041m above sea level, Ella is surrounded by beautiful scenery. Ella was our favourite destination within Sri Lanka and it felt the best equipped to deal with tourists of all of the Sri Lankan locations we visited.
There are many restaurants providing a variety of cuisines, small supermarkets and gift shops. Be aware that ride-hailing apps do not operate in Ella so you will need to negotiate prices with tuktuk drivers before setting off. The tourist police in Ella do certify tuktuks and these can be identified by a windscreen sticker.
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Getting to Ella by train from Kandy
This 8 hour journey is the only way we would recommend getting to Ella! The views are outstanding as the train weaves through small towns, mountain passes, rainforest, and tea plantations. The train is also popular with tourists due to the novelty of travelling with open-door carriages. Due to its popularity, it can be difficult to get tickets in the high season with trains often selling out.
Tickets go on sale 30 days prior to the day of travel and there are 2 options for purchasing tickets. You can book through a company such as 12Go Asia who will allow you to book in advance of the tickets being released. They will then buy tickets on your behalf the moment they become available. This service is approximately £3 more expensive per ticket than purchasing directly. You can purchase your tickets directly on the Sri Lankan Railways national website 30 days before you travel.
Both are reliable options and your choice will likely be influenced by your budget and or desire for convenience. It is worth noting that tickets on the national website book up very quickly (as soon as they are released) because companies take advanced reservations. If there is limited flexibility in the day you wish to travel, using a company such as 12Go Asia will ensure you can travel on your preferred day. When purchasing tickets ensure you are booking to Ella as Badulla Ella is a different station.
2025 Kandy to Ella train ticket prices when bought directly are as follows:
- Third class reserved 4000 LKR (~£11)
- Second class reserved 5000 LKR (~£13)
- Air conditioned saloon 7000 LKR (~£19)
Where to stay
Ella has a booming tourism industry with plenty of accommodation options for all budgets. We would recommend staying centrally to the main town. As ride-hailing is not available in the town, staying centrally will put you within walking distance of restaurants and the train station. However if you have a larger budget there is a highly rated luxury resort and pool club out of the immediate town.
Things to do
Little Adam’s Peak & Nine Arches Bridge
From the town centre it is approximately a 30 minute walk to Nine Arches Bridge or the base of Little Adam’s Peak. It is be possible to combine visiting these two sights as they are nearby each other.
Little Adam’s Peak is a steep climb however there are steps for the majority of the route and the views are exceptional. We only went as far as viewpoint 1 because to access the other viewpoints you must descend and then climb up again for a similar view.
Nine Arches Bridge is a scenic railway bridge surrounded by forest. It can be hard to time your visit with a train passing (as they’re rarely on time) so prepare to spend some time here in a cafe waiting for a train.
Trail routes to both destinations are available on AllTrails. Ensure you have appropriate footwear and bring plenty of water.
Tea factory tour
As big tea drinkers it only seemed right to visit a tea factory whilst in Sri Lanka as Sri Lanka is one of the biggest tea producers globally. We visited Uva Halpewatte tea factory in Ella and ended up having a private tour of the factory for £8 each. It’s worth noting, more people may join the tour we just got lucky that there was nobody else in our time slot.
We were taught about the different types of tea and the manufacturing process before hitting the factory floor to see it all in action. After the tour we were given a tea tasting to try the different blends made at Uva Halpewatte. Uva Halpewatte is a factory tour only as there is no plantation onsite. Previous factory tours we have done do not let you onto the factory floor so this was a huge bonus for this tour.
In order to reach the factory we hired a tuktuk driver for the journey who waited for us whilst we completed the tour. Transport is essential as the factory is not within the town.
Yala National Park safari
Yala National Park is not in Ella but many tours collect from Ella. If you are more interested in seeing wild leopards than elephants during your Sri Lankan adventure then Yala National Park is your better choice. Tours are available to be booked locally or online. Many of the available tours online involve pick up from Ella and drop off in your next location so combines the cost of travel and the activity.
Exploring waterfalls
There a number of waterfalls surrounding Ella which can be visited on a waterfall tour or arranged with a tuktuk driver in town.