As our group dwindled in size, we caught yet another bus and followed the twisting, winding road up into the lush green hills of Central Sri Lanka.
Ella was our destination for the next few days because there is stunning landscape and some incredibly beautiful hiking. After beach bumming it for so long, we were all pretty excited to lace up our hiking boots and hit the trails.
We arrived late in the afternoon after finishing our safari in Tissa so instead of hiking, we found a perfect, bustling hangout where we would come to spend lots of time over the next couple days.. Café Chill has an amazing menu with an assortment of Western treats and local delicacies as well as killer cocktails and delicious coffee. There are 3 levels to the place, the first level has a patio facing the street and more intimate 2 to 4 person seating. The second floor has an open kitchen and longer, more communal style tables. The top floor was our jam, it’s more of a lounge where the bar is located, it’s decked out with a couple sofas, large cushions, bean bag chairs and low tables for heavy relaxation and enjoying their fantastic cocktails.
After gorging ourselves on classic Sri Lankan curries, pizza and English-style battered fish and chips, we somehow managed the walk home to our guesthouse.
For our time in Ella, we had chosen the very welcoming and comfortable Rustle Hill Homestay, just outside the little town center. We were greeted on arrival (and every morning) with a fresh pot of tea and plenty of warm, friendly smiles.
After a good night’s sleep and a nice, energizing breakfast of omelettes, fruit and Sri Lankan pancakes stuffed with sugar and shredded coconut, we reconvened with the group at the train station and we set out along the tracks in search of the path to Ella Rock. It’s easily the most popular hike around Ella as virtually every step of the hike showcases incredible views of the hills in every direction, and the valleys below. Some of the time you wander through tea plantations and farm land, and some parts of the path, towards the top get quite steep.
It’s well worth the effort though, as soon as you get to the top, you’re rewarded with a panoramic view of the entire area, some of it is shrouded in mist and fog, adding a little drama.. but the sun playing off the many shades of green below is such a stunning sight.
Once we’d relaxed and enjoyed the view a little, we ventured back into the forest to find the cliffside Buddha cave. A little ways away from the crowded summit, we found him, sitting in lotus meditation pose, peacefully serene with not another tourist in sight. This side of the mountain offers equally stunning views of the sheer drops below and the adjoining seas of green.
There are a few big boulders at the very edge for anyone looking for an adrenaline-fueled peek over the edge, into the abyss!
We took our time here, enjoying having the whole place to ourselves. Eventually we said a little prayer of gratitude to the peaceful Buddha and we started our descent back into town.
First stop back in town was for some tasty and filling lunch at 360 Ella, our favorite roti joint in town. After stuffing ourselves with goodies, we decided to split up, boys enjoying a few cold beers at Café Chill while the girls did a little shopping.
For such a small town, there are a ton of little ayurvedic massage centers and lots of unique little shops selling everything from selections of the wonderful teas grown in the area, to handmade clothing and handicrafts.
After a few hours poking around town, we reconvened for another epic meal at Chill and practically had to roll ourselves home to bed for the night.
The next morning after another hearty breakfast prepared by our wonderful hosts at Rustle Hill, we embarked on another stunning, although much shorter, hike through the hillside. This time we were exploring Little Adam’s Peak, a very TINY version of the sacred mountain found further inland in a town called Dalhousie.
First we wandered through a tea plantation enjoying the deep green of the leaves against the clear blue sky. Soon we found our way to a foot path that eventually led to a steep staircase that would lead us right up to the top of the little mountain. From that summit, there is a secondary viewpoint that we think is actually more stunning than the original.
It’s another scramble down a rocky hillside and up the opposite side, but it’s well worth the effort. There are a few big boulders jutting out over the sheer drop and it’s SO enjoyable to sit here with the slight breeze cooling you down after the exertion. We sat enjoying the view for quite a while before we headed back to town.
We were the remaining 6 of the group, and it was our LAST night together. We thought a pub crawl through all of Ella town’s happy hours would be a fitting way to finish our time together.
We started at Café Chill because we love it there and they make some mean Gin Tonics and tasty Mojitos, among their many other specialties! Next we tried out a bar called Ice Cubes where they offer 3 very strong cocktails for the price of 2. Needless to say, it was a little tough to pull ourselves away from there when it was time to move on.
After that we were ready for a little dinner and went to La Ella, a two-storied gem that offers beautiful curries and cooking classes if you’re so inclined. They also have a great happy hour, so we sampled a number of their tasty cocktails while we waited for our amazing curry dinners to arrive.
Our final stop for the night was 360 Ella again to enjoy their beer special and to enjoy the live music they offer almost every night of the week. Their musician is an incredibly talented local man playing guitar and singing all kinds of oldies ranging from The Beatles to Abba and everything in between! We sipped and sang along until it was time to say our goodbyes and head home to bed.
The TravelFreaks loved Ella so much that we decided to stick around for an extra day to enjoy the cool country air, the friendly people, and the delicious food we hadn’t had a chance to sample yet!
Next time we’re off to enjoy the famous train ride through stunning tea country!!! Stay tuned for some more incredible views of the Sri Lankan countryside.
We have to make a small apology as we've been a little inactive lately because we've been separated from our laptop while doing some trekking in the Himalayas of Nepal.. We are reunited now though and we have some great stories and photos of the Nepalese scenery, people, and diverse animal life.. All coming very soon!!! Thanks for being patient with us!!!