Allison Wallace 2/16/26 Allison Wallace 2/16/26

Epic views and wild roads: an adventure in Ella’s mountains

A trip to the mountainous centre of Sri Lanka in Ella is always going to dish up epic views – but sometimes they don’t come without a little effort!

We arrived on the iconic train from Nuwara Eliya as the light was starting to fade, unprepared for the chaos of drivers touting for our business. In hindsight, we should have booked a transfer to our accommodation, but we didn’t realise what the roads in these mountains were like and everything looks much closer on a map…

We booked a driver through the popular Pick Me app that could fit three people and our luggage, and it all started well as we climbed higher in the mountains. As we got closer to Awesome Place (our accommodation), the road became dirt, full of potholes, and quite literally on the edge of a cliff.

Our driver was naturally cautious and after he got out to check the size of some of the holes in the dark, I am pretty sure my eyes were closed for the last, very bouncy section of our trip.

It was all worth it and for all remaining trips to and from Awesome Place, we used drivers from the villa!

Awesome Place may only be 10km from the train station, but it can take about 40 minutes to travel the distance. The pay off is, the views from this 3-villa boutique stay are epic, and the staff could not be more accommodating. With only three rooms, it also never felt busy and we always got the best spot to enjoy coffee with the sunrise.

It was an incredible place to start your day with coffee and breakfast overlooking lush mountains and finish it with a swim or a drink by the pool that looks like it is sitting on the edge of the world.

Being in the mountains always makes me want to climb to the top of them, so that is exactly what we did. We could see Ella Rock from our pool so started early one morning with a drive down to the starting point at Kithaella Railway Station.

From the station, you cross the train tracks and then head across a small creek before actually getting to the official trail head. We attempted to make our way up on our own from there with instructions from blogs but the paths around here can be a bit confusing and there is definitely more than one way up!

We took a few wrong turns, ended up on someone’s backyard but managed to gain a guide to lead us all the way to the top from here.

The trail starts easily enough through some tea plantations but before long, I felt like I was hiking at home through eucalypts! It is through here that the path gets a little steeper (and sweatier).

Coming out of the bush, you will reach a clearing at the top of Ella Rock. Here, you will see a small hut, with wooden fencing around it. This is where you will need to pay a small fee to access the viewpoint above. It is totally worth it.

There are two viewpoints from the top. The first looks out over Ella and the railway, the second is about 10 minutes around and you can see incredible waterfalls from here. We probably spent close to an hour just enjoying the views (and catching our breath) before heading back down.

On the way back down, I managed to pick a few leeches on the way trying to get into my shoes through my shoelace holes. Thankfully, they were quite easy to flick off but something to look out for!

Instead of getting a drive back to Ella town, we decided to walk the extra 5km along the railway tracks which seems crazy for a westerner but is very common and we saw a few other locals doing the same.

It took about 40 minutes but was very hot with limited shade so make sure you keep enough water and sunscreen. All up our trip up Ella Rock took about four and an half hours.

We wandered around town and had a bite to eat before heading to our cooking class at Ella Spice Garden.

This is hands down the best cooking class I have ever done and Theeka is so friendly, personable and funny. Plus, the vegan food we made was amazing.

It starts with a guided tour of the spice garden so you can see all the ingredients you will be cooking with. You then get to make seven dishes that are so layered with flavour that I have tried to re-create it at home.

On our last day in Ella, we started to head up Little Adam’s Peak but it was raining quite heavily and we could see after a couple of kilometres that it was quite touristy and the views from the top would not be any better than those we had at our accommodation.

Our final stop on the way out of town was to check out Ravana Waterfall. These epic falls are literally on the side of the road which does make them very busy and surrounded by stalls selling fresh fruit and grilled corn. Perfect for a snack enroute to our next destination.

Allison Wallace 12/22/25 Allison Wallace 12/22/25

Sigiriya, Sri Lanka: Come for the views, stay for the vibe

If you’ve seen photos of Sri Lanka, it is likely you have spied Sigiriya Rock Fortress jutting up, but it is not the only thing worth exploring in this scenic and uncrowded part of Sri Lanka.

First things first, how do you get to Sigiriya?

It’s a small, yet spread out, town without a train station or main bus stops so to get here by public transport, you will need to travel by bus to nearby Dambulla. From there it is an easy Tuk Tuk ride.

However, we found the easiest, and most comfortable, way was with a driver from Colombo for the three of us and our luggage. It was nice to have someone to point out things along the way and we also stopped to visit Dambulla Cave Temple before arriving in Sigiriya – right at our accommodation.

We stayed at 3-star Sigiriya Sunshine Villa and it was lovely and there are so many similar options around the place. I do recommend getting somewhere with a pool though – the days were 35-degrees.

On arrival, it is impossible to miss the towering 200m rock jutting up from a mainly flat landscape, but it wasn’t our first stop!

We decided to head up a nearby rock for sunset to give us a panoramic view of Lion Rock (Sigiriya Rock Fortress).

Pidurangala Rock

Pidurangala Rock is a nearby hike (about a kilometre from the ‘town’) that is definitely a popular option for good views. Note that there is a small entrance fee here, but much cheaper than Lion Rock itself.

Before you ascend the hike itself, you have to walk through Pidurangala sacred site, so modest clothing is required - shoulders and knees must be covered. Free sarongs are provided that you can use as you walk through this section, which is great because in October, this was a warm hike.

To make it to the top is around a 30-45 minute hike which is good to keep in mind if you want to time your arrival with sunrise or sunset. We packed some head torches for the trip down.

The path to the top is well maintained up until you reach the Pidurangala Cave Temple where there is a reclining Buddha. After the cave temple, it becomes more of a scramble and you must find your own path to the top over some large rocks and boulders. At certain points you will have to give way to those making their way down as there is only room for one person at a time.

At the top, you can wander around for 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside and an amazing view of Sigiriya Rock.

While there was no amazing sunset for us due to low-lying clouds, we still had an incredible view and spent at least half an hour at the top before making our way back down.

Sigiriya Lion Rock

After a relaxing afternoon, we got up early (before sunrise) the next morning to head up the iconic Lion Rock. We were hoping for sunrise but we also wanted to avoid the hottest parts of the day.

It costs US$35 for foreigners to enter Sigiriya which isn’t cheap, but it really is a beautiful place to visit.

Sigiriya Fortress is not a temple or a sacred place, so you don’t have to cover your shoulders and knees for this walk.

This incredible site is where King Kassapa I (477-495 CE) built his fortress-palace and definitely worthy it’s UNESCO World Heritage status.

You pass through some of the landscaped royal gardens as you walk towards the giant rock, impressive even in the misty early morning light.

The first set of steps through the rocks will take you up to the famous lion paw staircase, which is how the Lion Rock Fortress got its name.

From there, staring up at the narrow metal staircase seems daunting but there are places to rest along the way – even if the stairs seem to be precariously nailed into the side of the rock.

At the top, you can wander around exploring the ruins of the fortified palace and enjoying different vantage points along with some monkey spotting.

The views from the summit are breathtaking – especially once the clouds clear!

Kaudulla National Park

On the advice of our driver (shoutout to Amila who also runs guided tours), we also made a spontaneous trip to nearby Kaudulla National Park.

We just booked an afternoon trip through our accommodation and didn’t regret it for a second.

This park is known for massive seasonal elephant gatherings around the ancient Kaudulla Reservoir, making it a prime spot for safaris, especially August to December. It is one of 10 parks in Sri Lanka where elephants roam freely.

Within minutes of us entering the park, we spied our first elephants in the distance, hiding in the brush.

Not long after that we saw a herd swimming, washing and playing in the water. We weren’t close but it was awe-inspiring to see.

We spent several hours admiring these guys at a respectful distance before making our way out of the park, passing bird and Langur monkeys too.

On our drive back to Sigiriya, we passed several elephants on the side of the road… I guess they don’t know where the national park boundaries are!

In our spare time in Sigiriya in the heat of the day, we lazed by our accommodation pool and found cute spots to eat – some of which like Sigiriya Lion Face have incredible views of the iconic rock while you enjoy your food.

Getting around was easy despite the town being so spread out, booking Tuk Tuks through our hotel was a breeze.