Rail & hill country
Sri Lanka Train Journeys
Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ella form the core of scenic highland routes through tea country, gardens, waterfalls and Nine Arch Bridge.
Highland route
From culture to tea country
The hill-country catalogue links Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ella, with selected routes continuing to Galle and Colombo.
- KandyTemple of the Tooth, cultural performance, Royal Botanical Garden
- Nuwara EliyaTea plantation, Gregory Lake, Hakgala Garden, Ambewela Farm
- EllaRavana Falls and Nine Arch Bridge
- SouthwardGalle Fort and Colombo on selected routes
Scenic rail country
Between rail and rain
The hill country is more than the train itself: waterfalls and steep green valleys create the landscape that makes the Kandy–Ella corridor so cinematic.
Read the travel guide ↗Scenic Sri Lanka train tours and highland itineraries
Two published hill-country tours range from 6 nights / 7 days to 8 nights / 9 days. Train-journey enthusiasts can use these itineraries as a starting point, while adventure, cultural, wildlife, wellness, honeymoon and family routes also feature Ella, Nuwara Eliya or Nine Arch Bridge.
For travellers searching for a Kandy-to-Ella style journey, the catalogue’s strongest route cluster is the central highlands: Kandy for heritage and gardens, Nuwara Eliya for cool-climate tea country, and Ella for waterfalls and the iconic railway landscape.
