Ella

Ella is blessed with some of the most beautiful views, you could find in Sri Lanka. Only 8 km from Bandarawela, this small town is used as a base for plenty of trekking expeditions to the surrounding countryside.

A taste of the breathtaking scenery of Ella could be had, if you just walk into the Garden of the Grand Ella Motel (Formerly Ella Rest House), where you seem to be standing at the edge of the world, and everything around you seems to disappear at your feet.

Another fine view is from the Ambiente Hotel, where the wide doorway, opens out to the mountains, creating a dramatic cinematic like experience, on entry.

Some of the places you could see in Ella are the Ella Gap, Ravana Ella Falls, Little Adam's Peak and Bambaragala Peak among the other many varied pleasant walks with stunning scenery.

Ella lies in one of the most scenic parts of the hill country, on the road south from Nuwara Eliya, and relatively close to the lesser-known hill station of Bandarawela. This eco-friendly park nestles on the banks of Kirindi river, six miles to the south of Ella village, and is at peace with a breathtaking terrain of tropical rainforest, majestic peaks and rushing waterfalls.

The park, opened at the turn of the century, will entice those seeking both the solitude or an unspoilt jungle setting or the chance to indulge in a range of challenging outdoor activities. The cosseted or faint-hearted should look elsewhere.

Outdoor lovers will enjoy the simplicity of the comfortable yet rustic accommodation. Standard and deluxe rooms are scattered around the main resort area, in 12 acres of tropical forest. Across the Ella-Wellaweya road, the park stretches over another 38 acres. Here there are also eco lodges, jungle cabins and camp sites in the valley below, a 20-minute trek through jungle

Paragliding over the Makaldeniya ridge - the first time paragliding has been offered in Sri Lanka), canoeing (in sea kayaks on the placid Handapanagala Lake), nature trek, hiking (up to several days, with the chance to rest and eat in a traditional Sri Lankan village), birdwatching with knowledgeable guide, abseiling, camping (in two cleared jungle or river settings.

If one looks back at the adventure that Ella has to offer one has to trace back the steps to the begining of the journey. The journey that leads to discovering one of Sri Lankas most picturesqu sites.On a ridge high above the village of Ella. Ella is backpacker central in the Southern Highlands, a stirring land of lush tea plantations, majestic peaks and rushing waterfalls.

All but the most hyperactive Activities can include: treks to nearby caves and waterfalls, or to Lipton's Seat, birdwatching with local guides, cultural tours (Dowa cave temples, Maligavila Buddhist statue, Haputale monastary, Adisham), train journeys from a visit to Horton Plains.