17 Top Tourist Places to Visit in Nuwara Eliya

At a distance of 15 km from Nuwara Eliya Bus Stand, Mackwood Tea Factory is located at Labookellie near Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka. Also known as Labookellie Tea Factory, it is one of the finest tea centers in Sri Lanka and among the popular places to visit in Nuwara Eliya.

Located at an altitude of over 2000m, Mackwoods is a historical tea factory covering over 27,000 acres of tea and rubber plantations. It was originally founded by Captain William Mackwood in 1841 during the inception of tea estates in Sri Lanka. This second oldest mercantile firm of the country has been a supplier of Royal black tea to the British Royal family. The company remained with the Mackwoods family until 1956, when it was passed on to Mr. N.S.O. Mendis, a visionary Sri Lankan entrepreneur. Mackwoods then experienced exponential growth as a brand and is now a pioneer in the management of tea estates with an employee count of over 10,200.

Mackwoods also provides factory guided visit with free of cost. .....

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At a distance of 2 km from Nuwara Eliya Bus Stand, Gregory Lake is a huge manmade lake situated in the middle of the Nuwara Eliya town in Sri Lanka. It is one of the popular places to visit in Nuwara Eliya as part of Sri Lanka Packages.

Lake Gregory, sometimes also called Gregory Lake or Gregory Reservoir was constructed during the period of British Governor Sir William Gregory in 1873. In 1913 the waters of the lake were directed into a tunnel that flows to a hydropower station at 'Blackpool' between the Nuwara Eliya and Nanu Oya. The power station continues to supply electricity to the town to this day. It was used for watersports during the British colonial period.

Thronged by tourists, this lake is perfect for picnics, and strolls as it has many recreational activities. Tourists can hire small boats, and go boating across the lake, or whizz across the lake in a speed boat. Tourists can also go for pony rides or bicycle around the lake. The park around it has a well-maintained .....

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At a distance of 6 km from Nuwara Eliya Bus Stand, Hakgala Botanical Garden is a well-maintained garden in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. Situated on the Nuwara Eliya-Badulla main road, it is the second-largest botanical garden in Sri Lanka and among the top places to visit in Nuwara Eliya as part of Sri Lanka Tour.

Hakgala Botanical Garden is one of the five botanical gardens in Sri Lanka while the other four are Peradeniya Botanical Garden, Henarathgoda Botanical Garden, Mirijjawila Botanical Garden, and Seetawaka Botanical Garden. The garden is contiguous to Hakgala Strict Nature Reserve. It was established in 1861 by Dr. G.H.K. Thwaites, for experimenting with the growth of Cinchona. Later, it was used for Tea cultivation and then changed into a garden with many subtropical and tropical plants in 1884.

Situated at an altitude is 5,400 feet, the Hakgala Botanical Garden is believed to be the highest altitude botanical gardens in the world. The legendary Indian epic 'Ramayana' .....

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At a distance of 2 km from Hagkala Botanical Gardens and 4 km from Nuwara Eliya Bus Stand, Seeta Amman Temple is a Hindu temple located at Seeta Eliya. Also known as Seeta Eliya Temple, it is one of the popular places related to Hindu epic Ramayana in Sri Lanka and among the must-visit places in Nuwara Eliya.

The temple is dedicated to Goddess Sita, the wife of Lord Rama. This is the most famous temple in Nuwara Eliya owing to its beautiful architecture and the place where it has been built. This is believed to be the place where Sita Devi was held captive by King Ravana and where she prayed daily for Rama to come and rescue her.

The Seeta Amman Temple has idols of Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Goddess Sita along with the idol of Lord Hanuman. The temple premises also have Lord Hanuman's footprints as this is also the spot where Lord Hanuman came to deliver a message to Sita Devi. The prints vary in size, indicating Lord Hanuman's ability to transform himself into any size. There .....

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At a distance of 4 km from Nuwara Eliya Bus Stand, Victoria Park is a public park located in the hill town of Nuwara Eliya. This is one of the most attractive parks in Sri Lanka and among the prime places to visit in Nuwara Eliya.

Touted as one of the best-maintained town parks in South Asia, the Victoria Park lies at the center of Nuwara Eliya town. Originally the park was the research field of Hakgala Botanical Garden but was renamed to honor the 60th Jubilee Coronation of Queen Victoria in 1897. This is the perfect place for family outings where the tourists can enjoy watching exotic birds, and some rare flowering plants.

Spread over 27 acres of land, the park was established with the planting of its first tree, an Oak, by a visiting German Princess. Now it is home to numerous species of trees and plants. The most distinct thing about this place is that 90% of the plants found here are of foreign variety. The Nanu Oya River runs through the park, creating a number of small .....

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At a distance of 5 km from Nuwara Eliya Bus Stand, Moon Plains is a picturesque landscape in Nuwara Eliya. Also known as Sandatenna, it is one of the beautiful places to visit in Nuwara Eliya while holidaying in Sri Lanka.

Nestled 6,200 feet above mean sea level, Moon Plains is the most recently opened attraction which was once the dumpsite of the tons of garbage used by the dwellers of the nearby city. It was cleaned and reconditioned in 2010 and is now classified as an Agricultural and Environmental Tourism Zone by the Municipality of Nuwara Eliya.

These plains are famous for the Mini World's End viewpoint which offers surprisingly a spectacular 360-degree view of the surrounding mountain range such as Pidurutalaga, Single Tree Mountain, Kikiliyamana Mountain, Great Western Mountain, Konical Hill Mountain, Kirigalpoththa Mountain, Thotupola Mountain, Hakgala Mountain, and Namunukula Mountain. It is a wide-open area with the chances of seeing wild boars, cows, buffaloes, deer .....

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At a distance of 10 km from Ohiya, 29 km from Nuwara Eliya and 48 km from Ella, Horton Plains National Park is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. It is one of the most beautiful World Heritage Sites in the world and among the prime places to visit in Nuwara Eliya during Sri Lanka Tour.

The great Horton Plains was discovered by the planter Thomas Farr in the early 19th century. The original name of the plains was Maha Eliya, meaning 'great open plains,' but it was renamed in 1834 after Robert Wilmot-Horton, the then Governor of Ceylon. Horton Plains was designated as a wildlife sanctuary in the year 1969 and was elevated to a national park in 1988. The Peak Wilderness Sanctuary which lies in the west is contiguous with the park. And, in 2010, the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka which incorporates Horton Plains National Park, Peak Wilderness Sanctuary and the Knuckles Mountain Range was inscribed on the World .....

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At a distance of 25 km from Nuwara Eliya, Ramboda Falls is a spectacular waterfall situated at Ramboda near Nuwara Eliya town of Sri Lanka. It is one of the beautiful waterfalls in Sri Lanka and among the must-visit places in Nuwara Eliya.

Also known as Ramboda Ella or Puna Ella, Ramboda Falls is originally two separate waterfalls that have two different sources and combines at the base to form a Y shape. One cascade is the Puna Falls or Ramboda Falls that has its source from the Puna Oya and the second cascade is called the Dunsinane Falls that has its source from the Pundalu Oya, the tributaries of Kothmale River. Cascades down from a height of about 358 feet, it is the 11th highest waterfall in Sri Lanka and 729th highest waterfall in the world.

It is situated in the Pussellawa area on the A5 highway at Ramboda Pass. There are three recognizable falls very close to each other. Middle falls lies right by the side of the A5 highway. The upper part and bottom parts are on .....

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At a distance of 10 km from Nuwara Eliya Bus Stand, Strawberry Farms can be reached via Hakgala - Ambewela Road. This is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Nuwara Eliya as part of Sri Lanka Packages.

These fields are a great backdrop for the photographers who are trying to capture the scenic beauty of Nuwara Eliya. During the strawberry season, the visitors can go around the plantation and pick up their own strawberries. It is also possible to arrange a tractor tour around the premises. Some of these fields also have an attached shop where freshly picked strawberries along with jams, juices, and other strawberry-based products are readily available.

Two of the most popular plantations are located in Ambewela and Ragala, both approximately 30 minutes' drive from Nuwara Eliya town. Here, strawberries are grown in open fields and poly tunnels. The prominent Sun grown Strawberries hoarding displayed on the Nanu Oya - Radella shortcut road is the brand name of Jagro .....

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At a distance of 25 km from Nuwara Eliya, St. Clair's Falls is a beautiful waterfall situated at Talawakele town in Nuwara Eliya district of Sri Lanka. It is one of the popular waterfalls in Sri Lanka and among the prime places to visit in Nuwara Eliya.

The falls are formed over the Kotmale Oya, a tributary of the Mahaweli River. This majestic waterfall cascades over three rocky outcrops into a large pool. It runs through Saint Clair Tea Estate, from which the falls got the name. The waterfall consist of two falls called 'Maha Ella' means 'The Greater Fall', and 'Kuda Ella', means 'The Lesser Fall'. The Maha Ella is about 260 feet high and 160 feet wide while the Kuda Ella is about 160 feet high and is located immediately downstream of the main fall. St Clair's falls is the widest waterfalls in Sri Lanka and is commonly known as the 'Little Niagara of Sri Lanka'.

It is one of six waterfalls affected by the Upper Kotmale Hydropower Project. The falls are located 2.2 km downstream .....

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At a distance of 7 km from Talawakale and 30 km from Nuwara Eliya, Devon Falls is a stunning waterfall situated at Dimbula village in Nuwara Eliya district of Sri Lanka. Situated very close to St. Clair's Falls, it is one of the popular waterfalls in Sri Lanka and among the major places to visit in Nuwara Eliya.

Also known as the 'Veil of the Valley', Devon Falls is cascading down from a height of about 97 m (318 feet) and is considered to be the 19th highest waterfall in the island country of Sri Lanka. The falls are formed by Kothmale Oya, a tributary of Mahaweli River. It has three drops, each progressively broader and is named after a pioneer English coffee planter called Devon, whose plantation was situated nearby the falls.

One would have to walk roughly up to a kilometer through the lush green tea plantations from the 20th-mile post in order to get closer to the waterfall. However, one can also get a clear view of the falls from the main road. There are two viewpoints .....

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At a distance of 5 km from Nuwara Eliya Bus Stand, Lover's Leap is a mesmerizing waterfall situated near Pedro Tea Estate in Nuwara Eliya town of Sri Lanka. It is one of the popular waterfalls in Sri Lanka and among the major places to visit in Nuwara Eliya.

The Lover's Leap Falls is formed from a brook that originates from the Piduruthalagala, the highest mountain in Sri Lanka. It is a spectacular sight to see the waterfall falling from a height of 30 meters amidst the lush greenery. The water flows through hard ledges of granite and is stored in a tank which is then used for drinking purposes. The hike to the waterfall is stunning and those who want to soak in the beauty of nature should definitely visit this place.

The fall is said to derive its name from the tragic tale of a prince, who once lost his way in the jungle while hunting. He was rescued by a beautiful girl. The two fell in love and became inseparable lovers. But the king and the queen of Eliya didn't allow them .....

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At a distance of 17 km from Maskeliya, 31 km from Hattan and 70 km from Nuwara Eliya, Laxapana Falls is a mesmerizing waterfall situated at Kiriwan Eliya village in Nuwara Eliya district of Sri Lanka. Located on Maskeliya-Norton Bridge road, it is one of the popular waterfalls in Sri Lanka and among the major places to visit in Nuwara Eliya.

The picturesque waterfall that cascades down from an enormous height of 413 feet, is formed by Maskeliya Oya, a major tributary of the Kelani river. This is the 8th highest waterfall in Sri Lanka and 625th highest waterfall in the world. According to legend, this is the place where Buddha mended his saffron robe when he was visiting Adam's Peak. The name of the falls derived from Sinhala words of 'Laxa' means Hundred thousand and 'Pana' translates to lamps.

The waterfall is a cascade of silvery foam amid lush greenery that flows to form a fabulous natural pool at the bottom. The fall gives its name to twin hydroelectric power stations, .....

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At a distance of 13 km from Hagkala Botanical Gardens and 19 km from Nuwara Eliya Bus Stand, Bomburu Ella is a waterfall at Uva-Paranagama Divisional Secretariat of Sri Lanka. Located near the border of Nuwara Eliya and Badulla districts, Bomburu Ella is the widest waterfall in Sri Lanka and among the must-visit places in Nuwara Eliya.

Also known as Perawella Falls, it is falling from a height of about 165 feet (50 m). The waterfall is a collection of about 10 little-known jungle waterfalls, situated between 1500 and 2000m above sea level in the Sita Eliya Kandapola Forest Reserve. They are served by the upper segment of the principal tributary of the Uma River, known as the Duulgala River. The waters of the Bomburu Ella Fall has been diverted to a powerhouse located in the area and is utilized for cultivation purposes.

The starting point of the trek to the top of Bomburu Ella Fall will be at the Bomburu Ella village, which can reach by public transport, tuk-tuk or private .....

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At a distance of 71 km from Nuwara Eliya, Adam's Peak is a conical mountain located in the Sri Pada Wilderness Sanctuary, which is one of the largest sanctuaries in Sri Lanka. It is one of Sri Lanka's most striking natural landmarks and among the most celebrated places of pilgrimage in Sri Lanka.

Also known as Sri Pada and Samanala Kanda, Adam's Peak is standing at 2,243 m (7,359 feet) tall in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. Trekking up the mountain is extremely popular with both tourists and locals, who are allured by its mystery as well as the enchanting beauty they are rewarded with at the top. The mountain is also known for the spectacular sight of thousands of beautiful butterflies gracing the area annually.

The mountain has accumulated a number of legends centered around the curious depression at its summit, the Sri Pada or Sacred Footprint. The original Buddhist story claims that this is the footprint of the Buddha himself, made at the request of the local god Saman. .....

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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 .....

Distance (From Nuwara Eliya): 72 Kms
Trip Duration (From Nuwara Eliya - Including Travel): Full Day
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At a distance of 39 km from Negambo, 116 km from Kandy, 126 km from Galle, 150 km from Mirissa, 161 km from Dambulla, 167 km from Nuwara Eliya, 202 km from Anuradhapura, 205 km from Ella, 230 km from Polonnaruwa and 395 km from Jaffna, Colombo is the commercial capital and the largest city of Sri Lanka by population. Located in the western province of the Island, it is one of the must-include places in Sri Lanka Tour Packages.

With rich colonial heritage and very scenic and popular attractions, Colombo is arguably the most popular tourist destination in Sri Lanka. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the legislative capital of the country, is within the urban area of the city, hence Colombo is often called the capital of Sri Lanka as well. It is also the administrative capital of the Western Province and the capital of Colombo district. The name 'Colombo', is believed to be derived from the classical Sinhala name Kolon Thota, meaning 'port .....

Distance (From Nuwara Eliya): 168 Kms
Trip Duration (From Nuwara Eliya - Including Travel): Full Day
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