Nuwara Eliya which is at an elevation of 1890 meters above the sea level is the highest city in Sri Lanka and it lies beneath the tallest peak of the island, Pidurutalagala or Mount Pedro (2555 meters).

Spring in Nuwara Eliya

The salubrious climate has branded Nuwara Eliya into a sanatorium that attracts Sri Lankan tourists as well as foreign travellers to the seasonal event during February to April. Golf tournaments, horse racing, motor cross, clay pigeon shooting and carnival features are some of the main festivities. The downside of the season is the accommodation rates that shoot up above all. With thousands of local tourists flocking to Nuwara Eliya filling up hotels and guest houses that provide budget accommodation in the season and narrowing the accommodation options, foreign tourists would find it necessary to have the hotel bookings sorted out well in advance.

The Establishment of the city of Nuwara Eliya

Though Nuwara Eliya had been inhabited during the early period of the kingdom of Kandy, the existence of the spectacular “Eliya” (Sinhala: opening or clearing) valley set amidst the wooded green mountains wasn’t known to the Colonial British until the accidental discovery by the colonial civil servant John Davy in the year 1819. However it took another decade for the British to realize the potential of the city as a whole.

Governor Edward Barnes converted Nuwara Eliya into a commercial and a coffee planting centre during the 1830s. In the year 1847 the great colonial explorer Samuel Baker introduced the gardening of English vegetables in Nuwara Eliya. To date, Nuwara Eliya is the leading producer of European vegetables in Sri Lanka and it distributes all vegetables to the rest of the island.

Following the Coffee Blight in Sri Lanka during the 1870s, the plantation of tea was introduced by Sir James Taylor resulting in the development of the Nuwara Eliya district as the heart of the tea growing region of the central highlands of Sri Lanka, then called Ceylon. The first plantation on experimental stages was established in 1867 at the Loolecondera Estate situated between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. In the year 1885 the highland railway track was extended to Nanu Oya, a town 5km south of Nuwara Eliya.

Victoria Park at Nuwara Eliya

In the centre of the town is the local Central Market. South of the market is Victoria Park spreading over an expanse of 27 acres with well maintained shrubs and trees. The cluster of exceedingly tall eucalyptuses is a main feature therein. Victoria Park though is located at close proximity to the city centre, is an ornithological hot spot where bird lovers would spend long hours. River Nanu Oya that runs through the Victoria Park and a number of lakes within it supports the endemic birds of Sri Lanka as well as migrant birds from neighbouring countries and regions such as the Himalayas. Among the birds are Kashmir flycatcher, Indian blue robin, Pied thrush, Dull-blue flycatcher and the yellow-eared bulbul.

Race Course and Golf Course at Nuwara Eliya

To the South of the Victoria Park is the Racecourse and behind the Race course is Lake Gregory. Nuwara Eliya’s finest Golf Course is located just opposite the Victoria Park. Built in 1891 by the British colonialists in Sri Lanka, then called Ceylon, this 18-hole golf course is well maintained by the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club. The club rents golf equipment and charges a fee for playing at its golf course.

Single Tree Mountain

A path from the race course leads to Single Tree Mountain that affords a bird eye-view of the surrounding hills. Single Tree Mountain unravels the spectacular sceneries of the entire town of Nuwara Eliya including the Pidurutalagala Mountain, Hakgala Mountain, Lake Gregory as well as the Northern section of Horton Plains.

Pedro and Labookelle Tea Estates at Nuwara Eliya

Pedro and Labookelle tea estates afford opportunities to get on-site knowledge regarding the tea industry of Sri Lanka.
Located 3 km east of Nuwara Eliya, beneath a flank of Mount Pedro is the Pedro Tea estate. The resident guide at the estate explains and elaborates on the process of growing and manufacturing Ceylon Tea. Labookelle Tea Estate which is located 20 km north of Nuwara Eliya, is set at an elevation of 2000 meters. The expansive estate is fully geared to host the visitors with a tour around the entire property. The café is a fine place to enjoy a cup of Ceylon tea while having a delicious slice of cake.

Soft adventure at Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya’s scenic mountainous terrain provides visitors with numerous hiking possibilities. Mount Pedro or Pidurutalgala rising to a height of 2555meters above the sea level is a great place for hiking enthusiasts, although the summit isn’t open to the public Waterfalls around Nuwara Eliya make the hiking and trekking all the more pleasant: Ramboda Falls; Devon Falls; Lakshapna Falls are to name a few. The Turf Club is also located within the city and affords visitors horse riding and pony riding. Boating opportunities are made possible by the boat house at Lake Gregory.

Horton Plains

The Horton Plains National Park, A UNESCO World Heritage is perched on the edge of the Central Highlands midway between Nuwara Eliya and Haputale, another hill country retreat, which consists of the highest plateau of Sri Lanka at 2000 feet and a paradise of bird watchers, nature lovers and hikers. The precipice that falls vertically for over 1050 meters in the park at the southern edge of the highlands to the lowlands below, called World’s End, is an excursion that wouldn’t be missed at all by the holiday makers at Nuwara Eliya.

Since the grand view from the World’s End is clouded with mist from 10 am onwards, particularly during April to September, timing on arrival at the escarpment needs to be planned. Horton Plains can be reached from Haputale too.