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Lake Gregory, Nuwara Eliya

Town guide · the hill station

Nuwara Eliya, Hatton & the Tea Country: Our Favourites

The hill station of Nuwara Eliya and the tea country around Hatton: tea factories, Horton Plains, Adam’s Peak and colonial hotels.

The back story

The back story

Nuwara Eliya and the tea country, the back story

Nuwara Eliya·In depth: the regions

The cool hill station of the British planters, and the tea estates around Hatton and the high mountains.

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The back story

Ceylon tea: from the planters to your cup

Tea country·In depth: the regions

How a coffee disaster made Sri Lanka one of the world’s great tea producers, and how to visit a tea estate.

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The back story

Historic hotels of the hill country

Nuwara Eliya·In depth: the towns

A governor’s bungalow, a planters’ club and a 1930s tea factory: three hotels where the history of the hill country lives on.

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What to see

See how tea is made

Tea estates & factories

Nuwara Eliya & Hatton·Tea country

Working estates and factories in the hills, many with tours and tea rooms.

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Boats and walks

Lake Gregory

Nuwara Eliya·Lake

A lake on the edge of Nuwara Eliya, created in the British period, with paths and boating.

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Founded 1889

Nuwara Eliya Golf Club

Nuwara Eliya·Golf club·$$

A historic hill-country course in the centre of Nuwara Eliya, founded in 1889.

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Early-morning walk

Horton Plains National Park and World’s End

Horton Plains·National park

A high plateau of grassland and cloud forest, with a walk to World’s End, a sheer drop of hundreds of metres, and Baker’s Falls.

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Night climb

Adam’s Peak (Sri Pada)

Near Hatton·Pilgrimage mountain

The sacred mountain climbed by pilgrims at night to see sunrise from the summit, in the season from about December to May.

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Roses and ferns

Hakgala Botanical Garden

Near Nuwara Eliya·Botanic garden

A hill botanic garden below Hakgala rock, south-east of Nuwara Eliya.

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Hill-station park

Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya·Town park

The town park of Nuwara Eliya, with lawns, flower beds and birds.

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Where to stay

Victorian grandeur in the hills

The Grand Hotel, Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya·Colonial hotel·$$$

A Victorian-era hotel in the centre of Nuwara Eliya, beside the golf course.

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Restored planters’ bungalows

Ceylon Tea Trails

Hatton · Dikoya·Tea-planter bungalows·$$$$

Restored tea planters’ bungalows on working estates in the hills near Hatton, run by Resplendent Ceylon.

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Since 1876

The Hill Club

Nuwara Eliya·Historic club hotel·$$

A stone clubhouse in Nuwara Eliya from 1876, with log fires and formal dining.

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A converted factory

Heritance Tea Factory

Kandapola·Hotel in a tea factory·$$$

A hotel inside a converted tea factory high in the hills near Nuwara Eliya, surrounded by tea.

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Old Nuwara Eliya

Jetwing St. Andrew’s

Nuwara Eliya·Colonial-era hotel·$$$

A colonial-era hotel next to the golf course in Nuwara Eliya.

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Shopping

On the road to Nuwara Eliya

Labookellie Tea Centre (formerly Mackwoods)

On the Kandy–Nuwara Eliya road·Tea centre and estate shop

The roadside tea centre on the Labookellie estate, now run as the Damro Labookellie Tea Centre and long known as the Mackwoods tea centre.

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Getting there

Hill line partly closed in 2026

Trains & Sri Lanka Railways

Island-wide·Railway

The national railway: the coastal line to Galle and Matara, and the hill-country line, whose most scenic stretch runs from Nanu Oya (for Nuwara Eliya) to Ella and Badulla.

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Share your Nuwara Eliya & Hatton tips

Been there? Share your experience and tips with other visitors.

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