3 Best Hill Stations in Sri Lanka (2024)

At a distance of 53 km from Ella, 72 km from Kandy, 182 km from Sigiriya, 150 km from Dambulla, 168 km from Colombo, 188 km from Polonnaruwa, 227 km from Anuradhapura, 230 km from Mirissa, 267 km from Galle, 274 km from Trincomalee, and 412 km from Jaffna, Nuwara Eliya is a beautiful hill town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative capital of Nuwara Eliya district and among the must-include places in Sri Lanka Packages.

Often called the mini London, Nuwara Eliya is known for its picturesque landscape and temperate climate. The literal meaning of Nuwara Eliya is the 'city on the plain (table land)' or 'city of lights'. It is a perfect place to relax and escape the oppressive heat and humidity that surrounds the rest of the country as this is the highest town in Sri Lanka situated at an altitude of 1868 m. Overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya is considered to be the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka.

Though Nuwara Eliya had been inhabited during the early period of the kingdom of Kandy, the existence of the spectacular 'Eliya' valley wasn't known to the Colonial British until the accidental discovery by the colonial civil servant John Davy in the year 1819. Governor Edward Barnes converted Nuwara Eliya into a commercial and a coffee planting center during the 1830s. In the year 1847, the great colonial explorer Samuel Baker ...

At a distance of 72 km from Nuwara Eliya, 92 km from Sigiriya, 110 km from Dambulla, 116 km from Colombo, 129 km from Ella, 137 km from Polonnaruwa, 140 km from Anuradhapura, 183 km from Trincomalee, 223 km from Galle, 245 km from Mirissa, and 321 km from Jaffna, Kandy is a scenic city located in central Sri Lanka. It is the capital of the Central Province of Sri Lanka and among the must-include places in Sri Lanka Tour Packages.

Set on a high plateau in the midst of the thick tropical forests and the tea plantations is the city of Kandy, the second-largest city in Sri Lanka. More popularly known as the hill capital of Sri Lanka, Kandy is known for its spirituality and laid-back charm due to which the colonial town is frequented by tourists as well as Buddhists, especially of the Theravada School. The well-planned town of Kandy added value to its legacy and never changed its roots for the sake of development. It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in the year 1988.

The city and the region have been known by many different names and versions of those names. Some scholars suggest that the original name of Kandy was Katubulu Nuwara. However, the more popular historical name is Senkadagala or Senkadagalapura, officially Senkadagala Siriwardhana Maha Nuwara, generally shortened to 'Maha Nuwara'. The name Kandy is derived from an Anglicized version of the Sinhala Kanda Uda Rata, meaning the land on the mountain ...

At a distance of 22 km from Badulla, 53 km from Nuwara Eliya, 129 km from Kandy, 166 km from Polonnaruwa, 171 km from Dambulla, 182 km from Sigiriya, 221 km from Galle, 224 km from Colombo, 235 km from Anuradhapura, 272 km from Trincomalee, and 415 km from Jaffna, Ella is a quaint little hill town located in the Badulla district of the Uva Province in Sri Lanka. It is regarded as one of the most beautiful places to visit on the island as part of Sri Lanka Tour Packages.

Situated at an altitude of 3,415 feet, Ella is surrounded by hills covered with cloud forests and tea plantations. The area has a rich bio-diversity, dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. The town also offers stunning mountain hikes and lovely waterfalls. With picture-perfect environs, a pleasant climate, and super-friendly people, it is an ideal destination for people trying to break the routine of the warm and humid climate of coastal Sri Lanka. The town is most famous for its iconic nine arches railway bridge which is a fine example of colonial-era construction in Sri Lanka.

The hill town of Ella is connected to the Hindu epic, Ramayana, a historic tale that covers over India and Sri Lanka. The locals believed that the town of Ella is the place where goddess Sita was held captive in a cave near Ravana Falls. The story goes that King Ravana kidnapped Princess Sita from India and hid her in the caves behind the waterfall. It is also ...