Knuckles Mountain Range
Part of the UNESCO-listed Central Highlands, the Knuckles range is a wild landscape of cloud forests, waterfalls, river valleys and remote villages such as Meemure. Its trekking trails reward walkers with rich biodiversity, endemic species and sweeping viewpoints, offering an authentic and peaceful glimpse of traditional rural mountain life, far from the modern world.
Nuwara Eliya
Known as “Little England”, Nuwara Eliya charms visitors with colonial bungalows, rose gardens, Gregory Lake, a Tudor-style post office and a historic golf course. Surrounded by rolling tea plantations and cool, misty hills, it is the heart of Ceylon tea country, perfect for factory visits, tea tastings, boat rides, strawberry farms and leisurely garden walks.
Horton Plains
This high-altitude national park protects a unique landscape of misty grasslands and cloud forest. A circular trail leads to World’s End, a sheer escarpment with views towards the southern plains on clear mornings, and to the pretty Baker’s Falls. Sambar deer, endemic birds and rare plants are often seen along the way by observant walkers.
Haputale
Perched on a ridge at the southern edge of the highlands, Haputale offers some of the island’s most breathtaking views. Watch the sunrise from Lipton’s Seat, where Sir Thomas Lipton surveyed his estates, visit the historic Dambatenne Tea Factory and wander peaceful tea trails, far away from the crowds of better-known and busier hill towns.
Ella
Set in a lush mountain valley, Ella is the hill country’s most loved village, with easy access to the Nine Arch Bridge, Little Adam’s Peak, Ella Rock and Ravana Falls. Relaxed cafes, scenic hiking trails, tea estates and its stop on the famous railway make it a firm favourite with visiting travellers of every age.