Excursions

St. Clair's Falls

St. Clair’s is perhaps Sri Lanka’s best known waterfall. It is located about 26 km from Nuwara Eliya on the Kotmale Oya and is a treat for nature lovers.

Pidurutalagala

To the north of the Nuwara Eliya town rises Pidurutalagala (in Sinhala this translates as straw plateau rock), the highest mountain in Sri Lanka with a peak 2524m above sea level. For a view of the summit and a superb panorama of the surrounding hills and plantations, you can walk to the top of the picturesquely named single Tree Mountain, south of town off the Badulla road, in about 90 minutes.

Hakgala Botanical Gardens

Hakgala Botanical Gardens lie just 10km from Nuwara Eliya town. Hakgala is an essential part of any holiday in the hill resort of Nuwara Eliya. According to legend, it was once the pleasure garden of Ravana of the Ramayana epic, and was one of the places where the beautiful Sita was hidden by the demon king. The extant botanical gardens were founded in 1860 by the eminent British botanist Dr. G.H.K. Thwaites, who was superintendent of the more famous gardens at Peradeniya, near Kandy.

Hakgala was initially the site for experiments with cinchona, whose bark yielded quinine, esteemed as a tonic and febrifuge. Quinine at that time was widely used as a remedy for malaria. This may have been the reason for the popularity of gin and tonic in these parts - quinine being the principle ingredient of tonic water.

The cool, temperate climate of the Hakgala area, whose mean temperature is around 16ºC, was conducive to the introduction of temperate zone plants, both ornamental and useful. These included conifers and cedars from Australia, Bermuda and Japan, and cypresses from the Himalayas, China and as far as Persia, Mexico and California. New Caledonia gave Hakgala a special variety of pines and there are specimens of this genus from the Canary Islands as well.

An English oak, introduced around 1890, commemorates the "hearts of oak" of Britain's vaunted sea power. There is also an excellent specimen of the camphor tree, whose habitat is usually in regions above 12,000m elevation. In the Rose garden, you can experience the sights and scents of these glorious blooms in their infinite variety. From here it is a short stroll to the exotic sophistication of the orchid House. A special attraction here is the variety of mountain orchids, many of them endemic to Sri Lanka.

The fern's delicate fronds conjure up visions of misty grottoes, lichen-covered stones and meandering streams. The secluded Fernery at Hakgala lies in the shade of the Hakgala Rock, which is shaped like the jawbone of an elephant, from which it gets its name. Sri Lanka's ferns are well represented here, as are those of Australia and New Zealand.

The languid low-country lotus and water lily also float in their serene loveliness at Hakgala. Pinks and blues emerging from a background of floating leaves evokes the calm of saffron-robed monks, white-clad devotees and flickering oil lamps. The highlands' bracing breezes are sure to transport the nostalgic tourist from temperate climates back to their homeland. The gardens are located about 45 minutes (22km) from the hotel.

The Hakgala Natural Reserve

Hakgala Natural Reserve, which is adjacent to the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, is the only Strict Nature Reserve (SNR) in the wet zone and was declared in 1938. It can be found at the end of the gardens and is home to a variety of wildlife including bears, purple-faced leaf monkeys and sambur. Bird life includes Ceylon Wood Pigeon, Ceylon Hill Munia, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Indian Blue Robin, Black Bulbul, Pied Flycatcher-Shrike and Ceylon Whistling Thrush. There are many other endemic species at Hakgala.

The Horton Plains National Park

This is a misty grassland plateau at an elevation of more than 2,000m (6,500 ft), located about 20 km from Nuwara Eliya. It consists of grassland interspersed with patches of forest and some unusual vegetation that grows only at high altitudes. From this plateau rises Sri Lanka's second and third highest mountains. The plains afford some excellent walks. The silence of the plains is strange and mysterious. The most amazing feature of Horton Plains is World's End where the southern part of the plains comes to a sudden end and drops almost straight down for 700m. Dawn is the ideal time to view this site when the mountains are free of mist and the sun is just rising. The dense forests are home to deer, jackal, the shaggy bear-monkey, sambur and the occasional leopard. The plains are also popular with birdwatchers. Travelling time from the hotel is 1.5 hours (45km).

Randenigala Dam and Wildlife Sanctuary

Randenigala is a modern hydropower and irrigation scheme in Sri Lanka, part of the massive Mahaweli Accelerated Development Programme. It is also the reservoir with the largest storage capacity having a gross storage of 860 million cubic metres (697,000 acre ft.) at full supply level. The project is expected to generate about 525 GWh of electrical energy. The reservoir itself offers a picturesque scene. The wildlife sanctuary is ideal for viewing wild elephants. Travelling time from the hotel is 2 hours (56km).

Mahakudugala Peak

The peak offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding valleys. Travelling time from the hotel is 45 minutes (14km).

Kurundu Oya Falls

The picturesque Kurundu Oya falls, the third tallest in Sri Lanka with a drop of 189m, is a one and a half hour drive from the hotel (25km).

Sita Eliya Temple

The Temple is located about 1km away from the Hakgala Gardens. According to legend the temple is believed to mark the spot where Sita, the heroine from the Indian epic Ramayana, was held captive by her abductor, King Ravana. Some people call this the only Sita temple in the world. The recently constructed complex, which is modeled on the modern South Indian temple, is set in the idyllic countryside beside a clear stream. Adjacent to it is another new temple dedicated to Hanuman, the monkey-god, who according to mythology was instrumental in rescuing Sita. "There is a rock on the opposite bank where Sita sat and meditated. Also this ashoka forest is a clear indication that she came here when she was brought to Lanka," says G.T. Prabhakaran, who is in charge of the temple. There is also a belief that at a particular point in the stream, the water has no taste. "This is the spot she cursed. You cannot drink the water. Drink it further downstream," one temple worker said. Temple workers are keen to show visitors the spot where Sita bathed, the stone she sat on, and where she prayed. Beliefs here are evidently strong and devotees are convinced that this episode of the Ramayana epic did indeed take place here. Travelling time from the hotel is 1 hour (about 43km).

Sripada (Adam's Peak)

Sripada (sacred footprint) or Samanalakande (butterfly mountain) has been the object of worship and pilgrimage for centuries for persons of all major religions. The British referred to this mountain as Adam's Peak. Watching the dawn from Sripada is a rare experience. On clear days you can see the shadow of the peak cast on the surrounding forest canopy as the sun rises. The 'pilgrim season' begins on the poya (full moon monthly Buddhist holiday) day in December, and runs until the start of the April monsoon. Travelling time from the hotel is 2.5 hours (100km).