Sri Lanka’s Hill Country

With its steep mountains, lush green tea estates, scenic waterfalls, gurgling streams, and quaint towns with Victorian-style mansions and bungalows, Sri Lanka’s hill country is one of the most picturesque regions in the country. The towns and villages dotted around the hill country were developed mainly by the British following the development of tea plantations. Once a British summer retreat, Nuwara Eliya is a bustling town at the heart of the hill country. The town is an ideal base to visit Horton Plains National Park. The highlight of a trek through the park is the ‘World’s End’, where the plateau abruptly drops 1,200m.

To the south of Nuwara Eliya, the lesser-known towns of Ella, Haputale, and Koslanda offer spectacular views, scenic walks and soft treks through tea estates and hill-side villages where time seems to move more slowly. In the hill country, it is also possible to visit working tea estates to learn first-hand the process and the journey of tea from leaf to cup. Soft treks or mountain bike rides through remote villages taking in the mountain scenery are very popular.

However, a train journey from Kandy to Nanu Oya is a more relaxing way to sample the dramatic scenic beauty. An unforgettable experience is the opportunity to stay in a luxuriously converted colonial bungalow, enjoy its beautifully manicured gardens, and sample the elegant lifestyle of Victorian tea planters.