Luxury Villas in Ella

Ella sits at around 1,000 metres in the hills of Uva Province, on the eastern edge of Sri Lanka’s central highlands. The village lies at the head of a deep valley, the Ella Gap, which opens dramatically towards the lowlands and, on clear days, the distant south coast. The air is fresh and noticeably cooler than on the beaches, and the slopes all around are covered in tea, forest and small vegetable plots.

It is one of the best places in the country for walking. Little Adam’s Peak is an easy, rewarding climb with wide views over the valley, while Ella Rock is a longer, steeper hike for those who want a challenge. The Nine Arch Bridge, a graceful stone railway viaduct built during the British era, curves through the jungle just outside the village, and Ravana Falls tumbles down beside the road a short drive below.

Ella is also on the hill-country railway, often described as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. The line climbs through tea estates, tunnels and cloud forest between Kandy, Nanu Oya for Nuwara Eliya, and Badulla, and many travellers arrive in Ella by train for at least part of the way. Tea factories in the surrounding hills offer tours and tastings, showing how the leaf is withered, rolled and dried.

Villas around Ella tend to be set on hillsides away from the small, busy main street, with terraces and pools looking out across the valley. It suits couples, families and active travellers who want a cool, green break between the beaches and the national parks: Udawalawe and Yala are both within reach to the south, which makes Ella a natural stop on a longer journey around the island.