Sri Lanka’s Central Hills
Sri Lanka’s Central Hills are great territory for hiking, picturesque train journeys, and taking in the verdant and undulating tropical landscape against a backdrop of low mountains.
Taxis and private car hire are very affordable in Sri Lanka. I chose the two-hour taxi ride to get from Tissamaharama to the popular Hill Country town of Ella. Alternatively, it is a seven-hour journey on rickety buses.
Ella
Ella, like many towns in Sri Lanka, is based around a central through road. So there is plenty of passing traffic, but a good selection of bars and restaurants. Most of the shops offer the usual mass-produced souvenirs much of which I’ve seen for sale at home in Palma de Mallorca. Dig a little and you will find one or two shops that offer something different.
As you move away from the main road, you enter areas of hillside farms dotted with guesthouses and occasional clumps of trees. The views are still very impressive.
From where I stayed, the shortcut to town is a ten-minute walk along the railway track. It felt a little precarious, but at least coming trains gave a honk.
Little Adam’s Peak
The hike to Little Adam’s Peak is a relatively easy hike which I did in a couple of hours. For much of the way up there are views to the right of Ella Rock which is another popular but longer hike.
The final section to the look out is steep, but the views across the hills and plains below are rewarding.
The Train Journey Between Ella and Kandy
The train journey between Ella and Kandy is an event in itself. The train trundles through lower mountain forests and passes stations that still have a touch of England from their colonial past. The journey took about seven-hours. First class is comfortable and has air-conditioning, so you can’t open the windows.
