Ticket Hall

Experience the best of Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya is Sri Lanka's best-known hill station, a cool town high in the tea country with colonial-style cottages, lakes and gardens.

Read moreShow less

Nuwara Eliya sits at about 1,900 metres in the central highlands, cool and often misty, with tea-covered slopes rolling out on every side. The British developed it as a retreat from the lowland heat in the nineteenth century, and its Tudor-style cottages, red post box, golf course and Victoria Park have earned it the nickname Little England. Gregory Lake, in the middle of town, is used for boating.

Tea estates and factories nearby offer tastings, and the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, a short way south, are full of ferns, roses and orchids. Horton Plains National Park, a UNESCO site, is a high plateau with a sheer cliff called World's End and Baker's Falls, and Mount Pidurutalagala, the highest in Sri Lanka, looms over the town. The railway through the tea country passes Nanu Oya, the station for the town.

Tea is the drink and the economy, and the cool climate also grows strawberries, carrots and leeks that are sold at roadside stalls. Scones with jam and cream appear in old hotel tearooms, with rice and curry for a heartier meal. April is the festival season, with horse racing and sports, and the drier months run from January to March.

  • Free cancellation on 93% of experiences
  • 4.9 across the top 8

Top experiences in Nuwara Eliya

Day trips from Nuwara Eliya

15

Guided tours in Nuwara Eliya

39

Walking and bike tours in Nuwara Eliya

8

Outdoor and adventure activities in Nuwara Eliya

16

Nature and wildlife tours in Nuwara Eliya

10

Go beyond Nuwara Eliya

  1. Kandy · 42 km

    Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa)

    7 days4.911k reviewsfrom $5
  2. Kandy · 42 km

    Alagalla Mountain Range

    2 daysfrom $275
  3. Udawalawa · 58 km

    Udawalawe National Park

    10–12 hr4.96k reviewsfrom $6
  4. Bentota · 105 km

    Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project

    2 days4.91k reviewsfrom $5
  5. Negombo · 105 km

    Negombo Beach

    10 days4.92k reviewsfrom $25
  6. Negombo · 105 km

    Negombo Lagoon

    10 hr4.91k reviewsfrom $15
  7. Colombo · 107 km

    Gangaramaya Temple

    6 hr4.97k reviewsfrom $15
  8. Colombo · 107 km

    Galle Face Green

    5–6 hr4.95k reviewsfrom $14
  9. Sigiriya · 112 km

    Sigiriya Rock Fortress

    5 days4.910k reviewsfrom $5
  10. Sigiriya · 112 km

    Dambulla Cave Temple (Golden Temple of Dambulla)

    7 days4.96k reviewsfrom $5
  11. Galle · 118 km

    Galle Fort

    6 days4.96k reviewsfrom $5
  12. Galle · 118 km

    Galle Lighthouse

    1 day4.8972 reviewsfrom $6

Questions about Nuwara Eliya

What is there to do in Nuwara Eliya?
We list 122 experiences in Nuwara Eliya. The largest groups are day trips (18), city tours (7).
What is the most popular experience in Nuwara Eliya?
By number of traveller reviews it is "Nuwara Eliya Tea Plucking and Tasting Waterfalls Tours", rated 4.9 out of 5 from 351 reviews.
How long do tours and tickets in Nuwara Eliya take?
The typical experience in Nuwara Eliya lasts about 5 hours; the middle half run between 4 hours and 7 hours.
Can I cancel a booking in Nuwara Eliya?
The operator lists free cancellation on 93% of the 122 experiences we hold for Nuwara Eliya. The cut-off differs by experience and is shown on each product page before you choose a date.

Why book here

  • Compare before you buy

    Every ticket, tour and pass we carry for a city, side by side on one page.

  • Free cancellation on most experiences

    Where the operator offers it, the card says so before you click.

  • Real reviews, real photos

    Ratings and reviews are collected from travellers by our booking partner and Tripadvisor; nobody pays for placement.

  • Secure checkout on our partner’s site

    Card details are entered on our booking partner’s site, never on ours.

Three steps to add it

Plan with AIYour trip, day by day