Ella, Sri Lanka: Things to Do, Where to Eat & the Train 2026 – Pipin & Mire - Travel Guides

Ella is a small town in Sri Lanka's highlands, surrounded by mountains and tea plantations, and for lots of travelers it's the favorite stop of the whole trip. Here we share what we recommend seeing, the places to eat from our guide, where to stay and, above all, how to get there by train in 2026, because the famous mountain ride has changed since Cyclone Ditwah.

Everything in this post comes from our Sri Lanka PDF travel guide, updated in October 2026, and it's all pinned on our Sri Lanka map on Google Maps.

How to get to Ella by train in 2026

The highland train is one of the most beautiful experiences in the country, and in the guide we say it loud and clear: if you can, arrive in Ella by train. That's how we did it and it was a one-of-a-kind experience. But before you plan it, it's worth knowing the current state of the line.

State of the line after Cyclone Ditwah

In late 2025, Cyclone Ditwah damaged the mountain line linking Colombo and Kandy with Badulla. It's being rebuilt in phases:

Nanu Oya – Ella – Badulla: the section through Ella reopened on June 20, 2026.
Kandy – Nanu Oya: as of October 2026 it's still under repair, so right now there's no direct train from Kandy to Ella.
Colombo – Kandy: trains are running again from Colombo Fort to Peradeniya, but the last stretch to Kandy was still suspended in early October 2026.

In other words: today the train to Ella leaves from Nanu Oya, the station for Nuwara Eliya. Since the work is moving forward section by section, check the status of the line a few days before you travel.

How to do the Kandy – Ella trip right now

The easiest way is the one we suggest in the guide's itinerary: go from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya by road (about 2.5 to 3 hours), spend the night there and take the train to Ella the next day from Nanu Oya, which is about 8 km from central Nuwara Eliya. That way you can also visit a tea plantation and factory along the way.

The train ride from Nanu Oya to Ella takes about 2.5 to 3 hours, though delays are common. If you're short on days, you can also go straight from Kandy to Ella by car with a driver, but you'll miss the most beautiful part of the trip.

Tickets: how to reserve a seat

Reserved seats are sold online on the official Sri Lanka Railways website starting 30 days before travel. The most popular trains fill up fast, so don't leave it to the last minute.
At the station, only unreserved tickets are left, sold on the day.
Watch out for anyone trying to resell you tickets at a markup at the station or online.
Bring water, something to eat and a sweatshirt: it gets chilly in the highlands, especially in the morning.

What to see and do in Ella

Ella is best enjoyed on foot. The town itself is small, very pretty and welcoming, and it's the starting point for the hikes to the area's best-known viewpoints.

Little Adam's Peak

It's the easiest hike and the one we recommend most if you only have an afternoon. The trailhead is about 15 minutes from town (on foot or by tuk-tuk) and the climb takes around an hour, with a final stretch of stairs. At the top you get views over the whole valley and the tea plantations. If you can, go at sunset: that's when it's most beautiful and it's not as hot.

Ella Rock

It's the toughest hike and the one with the widest views. It's about 10 km round trip, around 3 hours of walking plus however long you spend at the top. The classic route starts at Ella station and follows the train tracks for about 40 minutes to Kithalella station; keep in mind it's an active line, so watch out for trains. The last part is steep and slippery after rain.

For Ella Rock it's best to set off early, before 9 a.m., to avoid the midday sun. Since August 2026 there's an entrance fee for the main viewpoints (about 930 rupees per adult).

Wander the town and the plantations

Ella has a main street packed with cafés, restaurants and shops, and you only need to walk a little way out to be surrounded by tea fields. It's a great place to slow down for a couple of days after the cities and temples of the Cultural Triangle.

Day trips from Ella

Yala National Park: in our itinerary it's the next stop. Honestly, if you've already been on a safari you can skip it: it's packed with tourists and the experience ends up feeling pretty impersonal. If you go, start around 5 a.m. and finish around 11; look for a savvy guide who goes his own way, and bring water, food, sunscreen, a cap and sunglasses.
Nuwara Eliya: if you're coming by train from there, take the chance to visit a tea plantation, see how tea is made and stroll around its gardens and colonial architecture.

Where to eat in Ella

These are the places we have in the guide. Ella has plenty of options for travelers, so you'll easily find everything from breakfast cafés to local food. If it's your first taste of Sri Lankan cooking, try rice and curry, kottu roti and hoppers (appa); it's usually spicy and very aromatic.

Cafés and brunch

Cafe Chill: one of the best-known spots in town, open all day and until late, with an upstairs area. We had dinner here; it's touristy, but it does the job.
The Barn by Starbeans: good coffee, Western food and wood-fired pizzas.
360 Ella: local and international dishes; the burgers are the most popular order.
Rainbow Inn: Western food and Sri Lankan specialties.
Raha Ella Sri Lanka
Beyond Nomad
Matey Hut
Café Namaste
Café Ella Gap

Restaurants

Matey Hut: home-style Sri Lankan food in generous portions, near the tunnel. It's also known for its cooking classes.
AK Ristoro: mostly Italian food, in case you want a change after a few days of curry.
Cafe Guru
Ella Flower
Adam's Breeze
Art Cafe
Sunflower

All of these places are pinned on our Sri Lanka map for Google Maps, so you can see which ones are close to where you're staying before heading out to dinner.

Where to stay in Ella

Ella is small and almost everything is a short tuk-tuk ride away, so what matters more than the area is what you're after: being in town, close to restaurants, or somewhere more secluded with views. These are the places to stay we include in the guide:

New Cabin Ella
Ella Alpine Resort
9 Arch Jungle Inn Ella
Ella Red Rock
Ella Mount View Guest Inn
Golden View Guest
Ella Nature Nest
Ella Mount Relax Cottages
Hotel Levon
Arana Eco Lodge & Yoga Center

In high season (December to March), book ahead, especially if you're arriving by train mid-afternoon and don't want to go room-hunting with your backpack on.

How many days to stay in Ella and when to go

In the guide's 10-day itinerary, Ella gets one day and one night: arrive by train, hike Little Adam's Peak or Ella Rock and have dinner in town. If you want to do both hikes at a relaxed pace, two nights is ideal.

The dry season, from December to March, is the most comfortable for hiking. In the highlands the weather changes fast and it gets cool at night, so bring a rain jacket, hiking shoes and a sweatshirt, as we recommend in the guide's packing list.

How Ella fits into your Sri Lanka route

The route we suggest in the guide is Colombo (or Negombo) → Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Ella → Yala → Mirissa → Weligama → Ahangama. Ella is where you switch from the mountains to the south coast, so it's a good place to rest before your last few beach days.

If you're just starting to plan your trip, these might help too:

And if you want it all in one place (itinerary, cafés, restaurants and hotels in each area, practical info and our favorite plans), take a look at our Sri Lanka PDF travel guide. With the Sri Lanka map on Google Maps you'll have every spot one tap away on your phone.

We always recommend traveling with travel insurance; we use IATI Seguros.

Ella (Sri Lanka): What to See, Where to Eat and How to Get There by Train (2026)