Nestled in the shadows of Mount Pidurutalagala—Sri Lanka’s highest peak—Nuwara Eliya feels thousands of miles removed from the tropical coconut palms of the coast. Founded in the 1820s by British explorer Sir Samuel Baker as a sanatorium for colonial officers seeking respite from malaria and equatorial heat, the town earned the enduring nickname "Little England".
With average temperatures hovering around a cool 16°C (and dropping to single digits on winter nights), log fires burn in hotel drawing rooms, vegetables grow in neat hillside plots, and misty clouds regularly tumble through the streets.
1. Key Sights on a Walking Tour
- The Nuwara Eliya Post Office (1894): One of the oldest functioning post offices in Sri Lanka, built with striking red bricks and a clock tower in the Tudor style. Pop inside to write and post handwritten postcards home with vintage Ceylon stamps.
- The Grand Hotel High Tea: A celebrated culinary tradition. Savor fresh warm scones with homemade strawberry jam, delicate cucumber sandwiches, and single-estate Ceylon Pekoe tea served on fine porcelain in manicured rose gardens.
- Victoria Park: A 27-acre urban park created in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, famous for towering Himalayan conifers and migratory Himalayan birds.
- Lake Gregory: A scenic reservoir where visitors can rent swan paddleboats, take pony rides along the promenade, or enjoy roadside roast sweet corn and spiced tea.
- Hill Club of Nuwara Eliya: Founded in 1876 as a gentleman’s club; historical dress codes and taxidermy trophies still adorn its timber-paneled billiards rooms.
2. What to Pack for the Highlands
Many travelers forget that Sri Lanka has true mountain climates:
- Bring a fleece jacket, warm cardigan, or windbreaker.
- Pack long trousers and comfortable walking shoes.
- Hotels here rarely have air-conditioning; instead, they provide electric heaters and plush down duvets.
“The drive up from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya takes about three hours. As we climb through Ramboda Pass, you will feel the temperature drop by ten degrees. We always make a stop at Ramboda Falls for a steaming cup of fresh ginger tea overlooking the cascading water.”
Clarence
