Horton Plains
At 2,100 metres, the 9-kilometre circuit trail ends at a sheer escarpment where the plains 900 metres below open out on a clear morning. Cloud closes the view by mid-morning, which is why the dawn departure is non-negotiable.
Mihintale
Where the monk Mahinda met King Devanampiyatissa in the 3rd century BC. Approximately 1,840 steps to the summit, with lower terraces accessible without the full climb.
Knuckles Mountain Range
Cloud forest above 1,500 metres, endemic wildlife, river crossings and ridge routes. Almost none of Sri Lanka’s standard itineraries include it.
Nuwara Eliya
A Victorian post office, a racecourse, a hill club and tea estates across every hillside. The cold air and estate landscape combine into something unlike anywhere else in South Asia.
Ella
Ella works because several things coincide – a dramatic valley gap, the Nine Arch Bridge, tea estates within walking distance and a genuine independent cafe culture.