The Beauty of ‘Little England’ – Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

The Beauty of ‘Little England’ – Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” 

Augustine of Hippo

My family and I travelled to Nuwara Eliya in December 2016.These hills was discovered by the British colonial officer John Davy back in 1819. Nuwara Eliya, which means “City of Light,” soon became a favourite cool-climate escape for the British as well as a “home away from home” where they could grow English vegetables and fruits. Due to its cooler climate, it is the most important area for tea production in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for her impressive lush green tea plantations.

The most scenic way to get to Nuwara Eliya is by train. Nuwara Eliya is located between Kandy and Ella. The nearest railway station is ‘Nanu-Oya’.From there you can take a 3 wheeler vehicle(like Indian Autorickshaws)

However we had taken a car from Kandy to this place. You can include 2-3 days in your itinerary for Nuwara Eliya.

Some places that we visited:

Glenloch Tea Factory:

You get a chance to see the various process involved in the production of tea powder. You can also buy different varieties/grades of tea powder from this factory. Obviously, there are many other tea factories in this area.

Devon Falls:

Tea Castle, St. Clair:

Pass through Kotagala Tunnel:

White Water Rafting in Nuwara Eliya:

Shri Bhakta Hanuman Temple:

Trip to Horton Plains and World’s End:

The Horton Plains National Park is bigger and more famous than Moon Plains and offers some great hiking opportunities over plateaus covered with grass, areas of thick forest, rock landscape, waterfalls, and lakes. The end of the plain, called World`s End, is an 880 m deep ravine and an excellent viewpoint overlooking tea plantation villages down below in the valley. However we couldn’t reach till the World’s end, as there were some restrictions. World’s End is located in the Horton Plains National Park which has a UNESCO status.

Ambewala Farms:

The Ambewela farm was started by the British about 80 years ago, while the New Zealand farm was started in 1960. Both farms are managed by Ambewela Farm. In order to maintain the quality of milk from the cows, the farm management takes great concern towards them in order to provide them with a balanced diet and sterilized water. This is becoming a popular destination for visitors of Nuwara Eliya, especially those who love an unusual experience away from frequently-visited tourist destinations.

Seetha Amman Temple, Nuwara Eliya:

One of the more uncommon places to visit in Nuwara Eliya is the Seetha Amman temple. It’s quite a special place as it’s the only Sita temple in Sri Lanka. It is also quite a sacred spot.

Some other places worth mentioning here:

• Victoria Park
• Gregory Lake
• Moon Plains

We had stayed in Villa Cassandra. I would personally suggest this place for a stay. It has 4-5 rooms and is very clean. However the Breakfast spread is very limited.