Nuwara Eliya; The Charming city in the Central Hills
Nestled high-away in the mountains of Sri Lanka’s Central Hills, the charming city of Nuwara Eliya is one of the most magical places in the island. Blessed with acres of emerald green tea yards, cascading waterfalls, cool weather and quaint colonial-style buildings, this destination is a fantastic location to spend the day in relaxation and pleasure.
Whether to relax or to have some fun and make exciting memories with your family filled with adventure, Nuwara Eliya is a definite destination to check out if you’re planning a visit to Sri Lanka this April. Here are some of the most renowned activities to engage in while at Nuwara Eliya.
- Trek the Horton Plains
A renowned UNESCO World Heritage in Sri Lanka, the Horton Plains National Park is perched on the edge of the Central Highlands and consists of the highest plateau of the country. Horton Plains is a paradise for bird watchers, nature lovers and especially hikers. The precipice that falls vertically for over 1050 meters at the southern edge of the highlands to the lowlands below, called “World’s End”, is an excursion that should not be missed if you’re at Nuwara Eliya.
- Visit Pedro / Labookelle Tea Estates
Given that Nuwara Eliya is blessed with relatively cooler climate, it is the noted destination for lush tea plantations in Sri Lanka. Of the many factories ranging from small scale to large scale, the Pedro and Labookelle tea estates offer opportunities to get on-site knowledge regarding tea industry of Lanka. The resident guide at the Pedro Tea estate explains and elaborates on the process of growing and manufacturing Ceylon Tea while the expansive Labookelle estate, is fully geared to host visitors with a tour around the entire property.
- Visit the Hakgala Botanical Gardens
Established in 1861, the Hakgala gardens is one of Sri Lanka’s most stunning parks to visit. While the roses that bloom during April to August steal the limelight at Hakgala, it also hosts a wide variety of foreign trees such as Californian Cypresses, fine old cedars, gigantic tree ferns, Japanese camphor, pines eucalyptus and bark-shedding Australian melaleucas. Additionally, this garden is also home to a considerable flock of endemic mountain bird species including the dull-blue flycatcher, Sri Lankan whistling thrush and Sri Lankan bush warbler.
- Visit the Lover’s Leap Waterfall
Lover’s Leap in Nuwara Eliya is a massive rocky cliff with a waterfall of the same name. Its name is derived from the fate of a young couple who decided to be bound together forever by jumping off the cliff to their demise. The Lover’s Leap waterfall is a spectacular sight, cascading at a height of 30m long. Located on a tea estate, the Lovers Leap waterfall is only 2km from Nuwara Eliya town, making it the closest waterfall to visit on a bustling tour when in Nuwara Eliya!
- Fun and Frolic at Gregory lake
Lake Gregory is a picturesque, man-made Lake nestled at the bottom of small hills, bordering Nuwara Eliya and a visit or tour of Nuwara Eliya would not be complete without a visit to this scenic lake, with perhaps a boat ride or a walk along its shores. Lake Gregory is especially popular for water-based activities including boat rides, sculling, fishing and paddle boating and you can easily get an opportunity for some boat riding through the boat house at Lake Gregory.
Escape to the serene and picturesque Central hills and enjoy the multitude of activities that Nuwara Eliya has to offer! Cinnamon Air offers exclusive flights to this charming city from the until 30th September 2020 at just USD 150, landing right at the tranquil Gregory Lake. Moreover, the flight time between Colombo and Nuwara Eliya is only 25 minutes as opposed to a tiresome 6 hours of driving time, so you can save time to enjoy all the above fun activities!