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Srí Lanka V: Ella – the best place to hike to the mountains - VIDEO

Published: 10.2.2015

Sleepy town in the south of mountains in Sri Lanka is a magnet for holidaymakers. It offers an ideal place for trips into the vicinity, and pleasant homely-like atmosphere. There are many guest houses with great food, and great climate. When I get off the train from Kandy, I planned to stay over one night. Eventually I stayed there for a week.

The best experience was the sunrise at Little Adam`s Peak, a hill with three summits only 30 minutes by walk from the center of Elly. The road goes mostly through tea plantations, at the last part there is one difficult passage which is actually an ascend to the very top.

From the top on the left, there are large tea plantations . In front of you, couple of hundred of meters lower there is a steep and hilly area at the south of the island. On the right side, there is a steep slope to the valley on the opposite side of which looms Ella Rock and other high mountains.

Weather changes dramatically in the mountains, generally mornings are very bright. By Little Adam’s Peak, when you get up at 5 o’clock and won’t see moon, or stars you can go get back to sleep and leave the climb for another day

Ella

You can get to the top on Ella Rock, a higher mountain. It would take you about 3 hours. It is better to have a guide with you when you want to get to the top. Unlike Little Adam’s Peak and Adam’s Peak, there go no stairs to the top, not even any sort of a marked trail.

Ella

Near Ella, you can find two large waterfalls - Ravana Ella Falls and Ella Gap Waterfall. You will pass by one of them while on the route to Ella Rock. The other is to be found by the road off Ella to the village of Tissa. I recommend you to visit at least one of them. Both are truly amazing.

Ella

The town of Ella has a really big perk. It is one of the places that are the most visited by tourist in all mountains. Yet it is very calm. More than 10 restaurants offer you to sit down and enjoy coffée, juice, lunch, or dinner. Accommodation could be booked in a relatively luxurious hotel, and countless of guest houses. You can have a room for even 1500 rupees (with warm water and mosquito net).

Should you get tired of climbing to the mountains, you can try some of Ayurveda massage or bath at Elle. You have couple of options where to go. A head massage is simply fabulous...

Ella

Still, I recommend you to not to miss it when you are on Srí Lanka !

Text/photo/video: Matouš Vinš

Music: Coldnoise

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