The Viceroy Special
The Hill Country
Tea Covered Hills And Waterfalls
Miles upon miles of carefully tendered tea gardens lead
to mist covered Hill Stations of the British tea planters like Nuwara Eliya. These provide quaint but fading echoes of
the British Raj.
Roads leading to the Hill Country pass beautiful
cascading waterfalls and spectacular mountain passes as
they wind their way through dramatic scenery to the
main plateau at 6000ft above sea level.
The less visited eastern Uva Hills contain breathtaking
views through ‘gaps’ in the mountain massif such as the
glorious Ella Gap, and Haputale Gap.
More adventurous travellers are attracted by the ascent
of Adams Peak for sunrise, or try White Water Rafting in
river gorges surrounding Kithulgala.
The Hill Country is famous for its collection of British Era colonial style hotels, while luxury travellers can stay in
style at various British Tea Planter’s Bungalows that have
been coverted to boutique hotels that have gained
glowing reviews in travel magazines.
The railway journey from Kandy through the mountains is simply breathtaking!
Tea Plantations Of The Hill Country
Tea Covered Hills
Tonacoombe Tea Plantation Bungalow
TEA PLANTATIONS
Much of highland Sri Lanka is covered by estates that
supply the tea consumed in Western Europe. These
carefully tended tea gardens provide a unique and
highly picturesque landscape. Tea estates such as
Labookellie welcome visitors with free guided tours.
Tea Plantation Bungalows
Fast becoming a sought after experience are numerous
British Tea Planter’s Bungalows that have been converted
into luxurious retreats in the middle of tea estates.
Nuwara Eliya – The Hill Station Of The British Raj
The Grand Hotel At Nuwara Eliya
NUWARA ELIYA
A ’Little England’ at 6000ft above sea level that was the
heart of the British tea planting community until the end
of Empire and independence in 1948.
Home to the legendary Hill Club, the town has Asia’s oldest golf course, a race course, the Grand Hotel and
boating in Lake Gregory.
Nuwara Eliya is now the island’s premier hill resort and
comes alive each April for the start of the ‘Holiday
Season’.
The Railway Journey Through The Hill Country
Train Travelling Trough Tea Gardens
The Hill Country Express
KANDY PERAHERA (ELEPHANT PAGEANT)
One Of The World’s Great Festivals
A 10 day spectacle of over 100 elephants, drummers and
dancers where a mighty tusker carrying the Buddha’s
tooth relic casket is paraded around the streets of Kandy at night.
The whole spectacle culminates with the final Randoli
Perahera during the July/ August Full Moon.
Grandstand seats are available for visitors to watch the
ceremonies in comfort.
Sri Lanka's Beautiful Waterfalls
St Clair’s Falls Laxapana Falls
DELIGHTFUL WATERFALLS OF THE HILL COUNTRY
Sri Lanka’s Hill Country contains some 382 waterfalls!
probably the highest density for any country in the world.
Some of the island’s famous waterfalls include:
Devon Falls (318ft) and St Clair’s Falls (263ft)
Easily observed by road or train near Nuwara Eliya in
close proximity to each other.
Diyluma Falls (721ft)
The island’s second tallest waterfall. A beautiful cascade
of water falls during the wet season.
Dunhinda Falls (210ft)
Wild, dramatic and beautiful, the most impressive
waterfall in Sri Lanka, located in the eastern Uva Hill
Country.
Horton Plains And World’s End
Stunted Tree At Horton Plains
Alpine Lake On Way To Horton Plains
HORTON PLAINS AND WORLD’S END
The island’s highest plateau at 6500ft above sea level is a
fascinating wilderness of Rhododendron forest and
expanses of grassland containing large herds of Sambar deer.
The plains end abruptly at the magnificent viewpoint of
World’s End with a sheer drop of 3000ft leading to the
plains below.
Roads leading up to the plains pass through Alpine meadows, pine forests and even a Dairy Farm!
Adams Peak
Pilgrim Routes Converging On Adams Peak
TREK TO THE SUMMIT OF ADAMS PEAK
The overnight trek to the top of Adams Peak (7415ft) for
sunrise is probably the most magnificent sight in Sri Lanka.
Venerated by all faiths for the stone footprint and temple
at the summit, sunrise at 6:30 am each morning casts a
pyramid shaped shadow over the hills, often described
as a mystical, near-religious experience by travellers.
The climb is only possible from December-April when
the weather is clear and the ‘pilgrim season’ is in full
swing.
Kithulgala
White Water Rafting At Kithulgala
WHITE ATER RAFTING AT KITHULGALA
If you have seen Sir David Lean’s epic film The Bridge On
The River Kwai, you will instantly recognise the tropical
mountain scenery at Kithulgala, as the film was shot on
location here in the 1950’s.
The same stretch of river is nowadays used for White
Water Rafting, and conditions are ideal even for
complete beginners.
The rafting course is 6.5 km in length and takes about
90 minutes to complete. There are seven rapids to tackle,
each with their own unique names and character.
The Magnificent Eastern Hill Country
Stunning Views At Ella And Haputale Mountain Gaps
A Cup Of Tea At The Ella Gap
THE EASTERN HILL COUNTRY
The magnificent hills of Uva contain ‘gaps’ or breaks in
the mountain ranges giving stupendous views of the
plains below.
The view of the Hill Country at Ella is without doubt the
most beautiful in Sri Lanka. This pretty village is also a
great starting point for rambling and walking on
numerous tea estate trails in the vicinity.
The Haputale Gap has views that are even more
awesome including a 360 degree panorama from the
ridge on which the hamlet is located.
Bandarawela is a Hill Station that is reputed to possess
the best climate in Sri Lanka.
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