Covered with hills and tea plantations, Nuwara Eliya is at the highest peak of Sri Lanka’s hill country and enjoys spring-like weather all throughout the year. The British adored this town and hence you will see a touch of English country architecture in all the places to visit in Nuwara Eliya. If you are looking to escape the heat or just relax amidst a gorgeous backdrop of charming green mountains, Nuwara Eliya has to be it.
During your holiday in Nuwara Eliya, you will find that there are many unique and interesting activities that you can try. Some of the popular tourist attractions in Nuwara Eliya include:
Visit one of the many tea factories for an unforgettable tea plucking experience and learn about the tea manufacturing process while you are there.
Also known as “Little Niagara Falls”, St. Clairs Falls are one of the most popular and the widest falls in Sri Lanka: a scenic view indeed.
These are just a few highlights of what you can see and do in Nuwara Eliya. Let us now go into a detailed list of popular places to visit in Nuwara Eliya.
The world’s end cliff is a key tourist attraction in Nuwara Eliya and is about an hour’s drive from Nuwara Eliya town. It is advisable to be at the entrance of the walk to World’s End at about 6-7 am. The walk to the cliff is about 4 km where you will enjoy a breathtaking view of the Horton Plains. On the return, a 2km stroll takes you to Baker’s Falls and then another 3kms back to the entrance. So the entire trip is about three hours long and the earlier you reach the World’s End point, the better will be the view. As the sun goes up, the clouds roll in and after 9 am, all you can see is a white wall.
Strong and comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, camera, food and water are the things you will need while packing your bags for the World’s End visit. As for clothing, the weather could be warm one minute and chilly the next. So just carry a jacket which you can use if needed. Your guesthouse/hotel will prepare a takeaway breakfast package for you if you inform them in advance about your plans.
A reservoir built by a British Governor in the late 19th century, Lake Gregory is one of the peaceful places to visit in Nuwara Eliya. The lake is situated in the heart of the Nuwara Eliya town and often gets crowded during the April/May holiday season. Horseback riding, jet skiing, a relaxing boat ride or a walk around the gardens to enjoy the view are a few activities that visitors to the lake can entail in. Lake Gregory is also a landing spot for the recent air taxis that come in from Colombo: a 30 minute scenic air ride to Nuwara Eliya compared to the 5 hour road trip from Colombo.
Approximately 20kms from the Nuwara Eliya town is the New Zealand Farms that are surrounded by enchanting scenery. Amidst the pristine hill country environment, these farms boast superior cattle breeds, up-to-date technology and top notch pastures for cattle to graze freely. Young children will enjoy this place to visit in Nuwara Eliya because they have an opportunity to engage with the animals and learn about the manufacturing process of milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy items.
Some of the world’s finest tea is produced in Nuwara Eliya. When you are in a town surrounded by tea estates, a tea plucking and factory experience is a must! You can observe how Ceylon tea is plucked by experts and even join in and try your hand at tea plucking. Then move on to the factory to learn the process of fine tea making. At the end of your tour, sip a warm cup of fresh tea while you gaze into the massive estates of tea.
Situated at the foot of Mount Pedro, at an altitude of over 6000 feet, the golf courses in Nuwara Eliya are amongst some of the oldest and most beautiful in Asia. Founded in 1889, the 18 hole golf course is over 6000 yards long. Golf lovers should not only visit this tourist attraction in Nuwara Eliya but should also indulge in a friendly golf playing experience amidst beautiful terrains.
The outstanding beauty of the St Clairs Falls makes it the King of waterfalls in Sri Lanka and is a beautiful place to visit in Nuwara Eliya. The stop for this Falls will come on your drive towards the Nuwara Eliya town on the Hatton – Talawakele Road. Originating from the Kotmale River, it flows down a slope and cascades over three rocky outcrops into an abandoned tea estate that covers an area of hundreds of hectares. The Fall is located about 500m away from the road and it is a difficult stretch of bushes and slopes in order to reach the Falls. The government of Sri Lanka has therefore made a viewing gallery for the St. Clairs Falls where one can indulge in this natural beauty and capture photographic memories conveniently from the roadside.
Also known as Sri Pada, Adam’s Peak is a tall mountain located amidst the beautiful hill county in Sri Lanka and has been a pilgrimage focus by many religions for over 1000 years. December to May are the peak climbing months for pilgrims and tourists alike; January and February being the busiest. Those who are fit enough to climb this mountain base themselves at one of the guesthouses in Delhousie, which is the town that hosts the entrance to the mountain. A sparkling ribbon of lights illuminates the climbing route, which is visible from miles away and is a view that can send a shiver to those uncertain about reaching the top. It takes approximately five hours to climb up and a good way to time it is to begin around midnight so you can reach the peak just in time to view the beautiful sunrise. Just after the crack of dawn, Adam’s Peak exhibits its stunning view as the sun casts a perfect shadow of the peak.
Now that you have read all about places to visit in Nuwara Eliya, you are well aware of the kind of activities that this small, yet beautiful town has in store for you. Whether you are an adventure lover, or a more laid back kind of person, relevant tourist attractions in Nuwara Eliya are available. We can help you build a perfect itinerary for your holiday in Sri Lanka and include Nuwara Eliya on your list of places to visit in Sri Lanka. Whether you are visiting from USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Dubai, India or any other country, we will be more than glad to help you out with a suitable holiday package to Sri Lanka.
