How to spend 2 days in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

Situated in central Sri Lanka at nearly 2,000 m above sea level, Nuwara Eliya is a picturesque town with lovely emerald tea slopes, misty mountains, enchanting waterfalls, and sparkling lakes. Unsurprisingly, it is also known as Little England with many colonial bungalows dotted around completing the image of an English countryside. If you love nature, mild weather, and lots of exploring this is a great choice. Discover how to spend 2 days experiencing most of the unique places in Nuwara Eliya.

Introduction

With a temperate climate than in other parts of Sri Lanka which makes Nuwara Eliya ideal for growing tea, you need to pack layers for a visit to this town to keep yourself warm especially if you are doing early morning hikes. Carrying a lightweight rain jacket is useful as it tends to get wet on certain days.

Although the town is a bustling hub at present, the presence of Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, the racecourse, Nuwara Eliya Gardens and Hakgala Gardens add to the scenic beauty enticing visitors.

The town itself is not big and most sites can be covered on foot, however, if you would rather get about using a vehicle the best mode is tuk-tuk rides. Agree on the hire before you commence the trip. Read on to discover the sites and attractions to be covered in the 02-day visit, you can pick the ones you want to do first as you prefer and try to cover most of them over the two days.

Explore the Nuwara Eliya Town

This scenic town has a few sites worth exploring such as Victoria Park, Lake Gregory, and the charming Post Office.

Victoria Park – Situated at the heart of the town, as you approach this park witness a beautiful vista of flora and fauna that is simply captivating especially if you are visiting from March to May or August to September when the park comes alive with blossoms and beauty. This is the first place to visit for families using holiday bungalows in Nuwara Eliya as the park also has a kid’s section to run about and play.

Lake Gregory – Situated very close to Victoria Park, Lake Gregory is a reservoir built in the 19th century, by the then British Governor in Ceylon. (Sri Lanka) It is a beautiful lake appealing to visitors like doing a stroll or a scenic boat ride or other activities.

Post Office – Built in the late 19th century, this public office styled like Tudor Manor is one of the oldest buildings and is very close to Victoria Park. It is an iconic pink building with a clock spire standing proud well worth a visit.

Visit Waterfalls

The following two scenic waterfalls can be covered together as they are not far from each other.

St Clair’s Falls – It is best to use a tuk-tuk to get to this waterfall and the ride itself is scenic, you can stop by to click some beautiful images. This is the widest waterfall on the island and many viewpoints offer a good view of the falls. This waterfall is visited by most guests using holiday bungalows in Nuwara Eliya like the Scottish Planter.

Devon Falls – Also known as the Little Niagara of Sri Lanka this waterfall can be viewed from different viewpoints, one of the best is from Tea Castle, a boutique teashop considered the largest teashop in the world offering world-class Ceylon Teas and a variety of eats.

Visit a Tea Estate/Horton Plains

Pedro Tea Estate – This estate is close to the Nuwara Eliya town, and the estate can be combined with a tour of their tea factory. Watch the female tea puckers in their brilliantly hued sarees expertly picking the tender tea leaves as you get to the factory. The tour is quite interesting, showcasing the entire process and the tour ends with a freshly brewed cup of tea in their café.

Visit Horton Plains National Park – This park includes many hiking trails, one of which must be experienced. Starting early is best to cover the hike and appreciate the view of World’s End, one of the best hiking trails at this park. The name has been coined due to the great drop-off one can witness from the edge of Horton Plains plateau.