Complete travel guide to Ella, Sri Lanka

Whether you’re a nature lover or simply seeking a laid-back getaway, Ella is the perfect place for you. This charming town offers a bustling atmosphere, stunning waterfalls, scenic train rides, and beautiful picturesque landscapes. Although Ella is more touristy than other cities in Sri Lanka, it still keeps its charm intact. We had a fantastic time here! This complete travel guide to Ella covers the best hikes, activities, waterfalls, and restaurants to make your Ella trip unforgettable. Now you will definitely know what to do in Ella!

The best things to do in Ella
Where to eat in Ella
Where to stay in Ella

The best things to do in Ella

Sunrise hike to Little Adam’s Peak

Travel guide to Ella: Little Adam’s Peak

If you’re after stunning views with minimal effort, Little Adam’s Peak Hike is the perfect hike, especially for an unforgettable sunrise. Though smaller than its counterpart Adam’s Peak, it’s no less spectacular. The main deciding factor for us was obviously the difference in intensity of the hike between the two. When we heard that “big brother” Adam’s Peak was a 3 hour hike (one way), we knew that wasn’t our cup of tea! We went for the easier, but not less rewarding choice. When you reach the top of Little Adam’s Peak, you’ll be treated to breathtaking panoramic views that make you feel like you’re on top of the world. It’s an experience you won’t soon forget! Seeing the colors change over the hills and mountains of the surrounding landscape felt so surreal. It made us think back of our sunset at Keys View in Joshua Tree NP.

For those planning a sunrise hike like us, we recommend starting from 98 Acres Resort and Spa. Typically, the hike begins from Ella Flower Garden Resort, leading you through tea plantations. We are not going to lie, this sounds really cool and we almost did it, too! However, in the dark, you won’t see much anyway. We parked our scooter in the parking lot of the resort before the security guards started their day, in the unlikely event they wanted to deny us entry. There is a sign saying “customers only”, but we heard from plenty of other people that they do not enforce it. Starting from the resort cuts down the hike time to about 20 minutes and saves you from worrying about leeches along the way. 😉 Sounds like a win-win to us!

Nine Arch Bridge

When you’re in Ella, you can’t miss seeing the stunning Nine Arch Bridge. With its nine picturesque arches surrounded by lush greenery, it’s the most iconic sight in Ella. You can admire this beautiful bridge from the top of the hills. However, we followed some muddy paths so that we could actually stand on top of the Nine Arch Bridge! We got a little bit lost on our way there and didn’t find the “official” parking lot. Nevertheless, we found a free parking space near the Ella Panorama Villa hotel, so make sure to drive around this area if you don’t want to pay for parking. From here, we had to walk on the train racks for less than 5 minutes to reach the Nine Arch Bridge, which was a cool adventure!

For the best overall experience, visit before 7 AM to enjoy the peaceful morning atmosphere and capture some stunning pictures. Trust us, waking up early will be worth it for this unforgettable view! We arrived around 9 AM and the place was already packed, which means standing in line near the photo-hotspots to take a picture.

Good to know
There are multiple signs that say it is forbidden to drone close to the bridge. You can drone and take pictures from a safe distance, but don’t fly too close to the train racks or try to fly through the arches of the bridge.

Train ride from Ella to Badulla

Taking a scenic train ride in Sri Lanka is such a must-do experience. While the route from Kandy to Ella is the most popular, there’s a less crowded option that’s just as beautiful. We decided to hop on the train from Ella to Badulla. The journey is short, just about an hour, but the views are absolutely stunning. If you prefer an even shorter ride, you can hop off at Demodara (about 15 minutes). We passed by lush rice fields and picturesque landscapes without feeling crowded at all. The best part of the ride is that the train passes the Nine Arch Bridge on the way. Even better, halfway through the ride to Badulla the train will actually stop on the bridge! This is to make sure you get to take all the pictures and videos your heart desires. We definitely made use of this. If you want to enjoy a train ride without the crowds, this is the perfect choice!

Keep in mind that train tickets in Sri Lanka sell out FAST. If you want to make sure you get a ticket for the train ride of your choice, we recommend using a website like 12go.asia a couple of months in advance. This way, you will get a reserved seat for the route of your liking and not be disappointed. The alternative is showing up at the train station a couple of hours before you want to take the train, and hope for the best.

For your convenience, we have listed some popular train routes in Sri Lanka, make sure to adjust the date so you get to see all the options!

Kandy to Ella

Nuwara Eliya to Ella

Colombo to Kandy

Diyaluma Falls

Diyaluma Falls is one of those hidden gems we had to include in this Ella travel guide. Just an hour’s drive from Ella, it’s the second largest waterfall in Sri Lanka and a breathtaking sight not to be missed. If you plan to add this spot to your itinerary, reserve at least half a day. Yes, it’s that fun!

While you can admire the falls from the road, the best experience awaits those who hike to the top. A half-hour trek through the jungle adds to the adventure, leading you to incredible natural pools with stunning views. The best part? This secluded spot is far from crowded, offering a peaceful atmosphere for swimming and enjoying the beauty of nature like never before.

Now, let’s tell you from first-hand experience what you should and shouldn’t do! First of all, to get here we rented a scooter and we highly recommend you do the same. It was really fun to see Ella and its surrounding villages and landscapes. We do want to warn you, though, as the last 10 km of the road to Diyaluma Waterfall is really bumpy. Once this part is done however, you will finally be able to see the falls from the street.

Seeing the water fall from the top of the mountain whilst you’re standing on the bridge is quite impressive! Do know that, the moment you stop to take a picture, a swarm of “local guides” will be there to try and convince you to hire them. They will say that the road up is super dangerous, or that you will get lost in the jungle. This is not the case of course, they just want you to hire them as guides. The trip itself is super easy! The road up wasn’t any worse than the one we just came from, and in the jungle we just followed the route that made most sense.

On your way up to the trailhead, you will see tons of signs saying “parking”, “free parking”, or “last parking”. Do know that these are all tricks of the store owners so that you can park your vehicle there (and buy something in their store). We parked our scooter at the first sign we saw since the woman operating the shop told us there were no parkings behind that point. After we bought some water and continued walking uphill, we came across at least two more of these so-called “last parking” spots. You can imagine our disappointment that we had to walk even longer than needed!

Good to know
To visit the natural pools, you’ll have to pay an entrance fee of 300 LKR (about € 1).

Ravana Falls

Still wondering what to do in Ella? Then definitely add Ravana Falls to your Ella itinerary. This really cool waterfall already greets you from the streetside, but the way down (or up) to this beautiful waterfall is half the fun! From the main street of Ella, it’s only a 10-minute drive down the mountainside with beautiful scenery all around you.

What really amazed us was that Ravana Falls is so wide. With regular waterfalls, the water all comes down in the same way, following the same path. With Ravana Falls however, you will see that at one point the water is coming from the left, then right, then center, and then from multiple sides at the same time! It’s so unique and different from other waterfalls!

Secret Waterfall

Secret waterfall near Ella is a not-so-secret waterfall anymore, but still worth mentioning in this Ella travel guide. Agreed, it’s not as big an impressive waterfall as the previous two, but the nice thing is that you can swim here!

To get here you just have to keep following the road down from Ravana Falls, which should take you no more than 10 minutes. Once you’re here, you will immediately see three lovely ladies selling coconuts, mango’s, pineapples and all kinds of other fruit in their stalls. Turns out, it’s a mother and two of her daughters, one happy family! You can park your vehicle on the side of the road, or behind the stalls of the women (if you buy something from them).

Now that you parked your vehicle, the fun begins! It’s a (less than) 5-minute hike down through the jungle to reach the waterfall. This should put you right in the mood! We found it really fun to go a little deeper in the jungle, especially since the place is swarmed by monkeys! It felt like a scene from The Jungle Book. The hike is quite easy, and once you get down you get treated to a really cool, secluded oasis. The waterfall has multiple natural pools, but the best one is the one closest to the stream of water. Like we mentioned before, you can swim here so make sure to take your bathing suit! We forgot ours and felt so stupid afterwards.There are some trees that you can use to lay your stuff on, and some rocks if you don’t want your feet to get wet.

When we got here, we had the place to ourselves for some time. Then, another group of people arrived with a tour guide that showed them around. Since the place isn’t too big, we don’t think you will spend a whole day here. But if you want to have the place to yourself you might have to be patient and “sit out” the other people that are coming and, hopefully, going again.

Afterwards, we bought some coconuts and a sliced pineapple from the ladies above. The coconuts set us back 250 LKR each (€ 0,75), and the pineapple was a whopping 1100 LKR (€ 3,30). We sat down behind one of the stalls and finished it all with the eyes of 50 monkeys on us!

Join a cooking class at Matey Hut

Get ready to taste the incredible flavors of Sri Lankan cuisine at Matey Hut’s cooking class. You’ll learn all about the local ingredients and how to make delicious dishes that you can enjoy at home. Plus, you’ll get to meet new people and have a great time learning from a local chef. It’s a fantastic way to experience the culture and flavors of Sri Lanka while having fun in the kitchen! Last but not least: spaces are limited so be sure to book a couple of days in advance to secure your spot. Expect to pay around 4500 LKR (€ 13), a great deal because it includes a great meal!

Where to eat in Ella

Ella is an absolute paradise for food lovers. While prices may be a bit higher compared to other places in Sri Lanka, the atmosphere and quality of food make it worth it. We really loved the food scene in Ella! From local cuisine to more Western dishes, everything was so delicious.

Matey Hut for delicious Sri Lankan food at budget-friendly prices
Café Chill for local and Western dishes in a trendy setting
The Barn by Starbeans for fantastic cocktails and amazing pizzas
Local bakeries for a quick and affordable snack

Where to stay in Ella

Since Ella is a hot spot for travelers, it’s best to book your stay ahead of time, especially during busy times. If you like being close to all the fun stuff happening in town, choose a place near Ella town. But if you’re all about peace and beautiful views, look into places up the hill.

During our trip, we stayed at Rawana Mountain View, nestled in the mountains. The views were absolutely amazing, but what would you expect with a name like that? It was a bit of a hike to get there, about 20 minutes uphill from the main road. That’s why we decided to rent a scooter to get around. The hosts were super friendly and even helped us out with renting the scooter at an affordable price (3000 LKR or € 9 per day). Plus, they served up a tasty breakfast every morning. We still think about the amazing Sri Lankan omelets and delicious tea! The rooms were simple but clean. The best part about it was that we had our own balcony with stunning views to enjoy!

If you have a bit more budget, check out Star Gaze Lodge. It’s within walking distance of Ella Town and offers some amazing views!

For a luxurious stay, we recommend 98 Acres Resort and Spa. This eco-friendly resort offers luxurious chalets with stunning views of the Ella Gap and Little Adam’s Peak, as well as an infinity pool and spa. The cabins with spectacular views looked so amazing when we saw them from the top of Little Adam’s Peak!