ELLA

From Nanu-Oya, we alighted at Ella. Ella, for me, has all the best parts of Sri Lanka – beautiful jungle mountains, rolling tea plantations, and epic waterfalls.

We had our late lunch in the famous Chill Cafe where we had local food

#uglydelicious & spicy!

Nine-Arch Bridge

The Nine Arch Bridge, also known as the “Bridge in the Sky,” is a magnificent stone train bridge that features nine impressive arches. Although there are rentable tuk-tuks available to get there, we decided to take a different route and explore a secluded mini-jungle on foot.

We skipped sunset because it would be challenging for us to navigate the jungle at night to get back to the accommodation.

Travelling ain’t all fun and games, right? After having our dinner, we hit the road to our hotel for the night, Oxy Breeze Ella. The way there was uphill, narrow, and pitch black. We were trying to see where we were going when all of a sudden, we heard a “pop” sound. Yup, you guessed it right. A sharp pebble just took out our tire. Imagine the horror when you are out in the dark with no one around…

We called the hotel to ask for help and if anyone can just pick us up from the road while our driver tried to call for an emergency on-call mechanic. The good news is that the hotel manager has someone on-site to assist us. The bad news? The night didn’t end for us yet.

When we reached the place, it looked like it was an unfinished property overlooking a vast jungle. And no, it was not the kind of industrial designing. It felt unsafe.

We immediately asked to leave the place and asked for a refund. The manager was kind enough to understand our concern and accept our request.

Here were the photos online:

We ended up taking a tuk-tuk back to the main road and booked the first hotel we found, Ella Heritage. It was indeed “heritage” but cosy enough to comfort us for the night.

The next day, we had a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast from the hotel, just nice to fill us up for our next activity.

^{In photo: Coconut roti with daal curry and coconut sambal, hoppers, string hoppers, and pancake}

Little Adam’s Peak

After breakfast, our driver, Jack picked us up and drove us to the base of Little Adam’s Peak. This peak is one of the most popular hiking spots in Ella and is renowned for its panoramic views of the lush green landscape. As we were about to embark on this exciting adventure, we made sure we had all the necessary essentials like water bottles, sunscreen, hats, and comfortable walking shoes.

Mini side story: I had three hiking destinations in mind – Horton Plains & World’s End, Ella Rock, and Little Adam’s Peak. From what I gathered, World’s End takes two to three hours to loop, and isn’t too difficult, with great rewards. While Ella Rock is a more difficult climb, Little Adam’s Peak is a shorter hike that is great for getting a view of Ella. With that, I decided to go with the “medium” level. We hiked Little Adam’s Peak —

Upon reaching the summit, we were treated to a breathtaking view that made the entire trek worth it. The climb was relatively easy, making it an ideal choice for those who are new to trekking or are not experienced hikers.

The best part? We didn’t even need a guide navigating the trail.

Lipton’s Seat

I guess everyone is familiar with the famous tea brand, Lipton. Sir Thomas Lipton, a Scottish tea tycoon, once used this location to monitor the expansion of his tea empire. Lipton’s seat has become a panoramic overlooking destination in Sri Lanka.

We took a two to three-hour drive from Ella to Haputale to explore the tea estate. It was a long, winding, and narrow road up the plantation, but the sceneries were stunning.

Once we finished exploring the tea plantations, we returned to our lodging for the night. Our accommodation for this leg of the trip was the Oak Ray Ella Gap Hotel. While it was a satisfactory stay, it didn’t quite have any standout features that would make it extraordinary.

The following day brought a new and thrilling adventure as we embarked on a hike through the steep and narrow terrain of the mountainside to discover Sri Lanka’s second-tallest waterfall. The trail was challenging, but the stunning natural scenery made it all worthwhile.

Diyaluma Waterfalls

After parking our car near a small family-owned store at the base of the waterfall, we realized it was going to be a long way up. To avoid exhaustion, we decided to rent a tuk-tuk to climb the steep road at the mountain’s base. Once we reached the top, we began our hike to the narrow mountainside that leads to the waterfall’s plunge pools.

As we made our way through the narrow terrain, I couldn’t help but reflect on the phrase “he keeps me safe, I keep him wild” and how it perfectly describes our dynamic. While I was eager to explore the unknown path ahead, my husband was cautious and vigilant, ensuring our safety every step of the way. It was at that moment that I realized how much I relied on him to keep us both out of harm’s way, where one missed step will be fatal.

As we arrived at the first plunge pool, we were already in awe of the natural beauty that surrounded us. However, our adventurous spirits pushed us to continue our journey towards the peak. Despite the challenges that lay ahead, we were determined to reach the summit and witness the stunning view that awaited us.

We finally made it to the top! The feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming as we gazed out at the stunning view from the peak. We took a moment to catch our breath and soak it all in.

If you look down below, you may be able to eye-spy the highway road where we left our car parked.

After a relaxing and invigorating afternoon spent hiking to the peak of the waterfall and taking in the stunning views, we made our way back to our hotel to rest and recharge. We knew that the next day would be another adventure, as we were headed to the coastal town of Mirissa to explore its beaches and enjoy some more of Sri Lanka’s natural beauty.

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