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Ella Rock rising above green hills near Ella, Sri Lanka

Hiking in Sri Lanka

Start with the best-known places: Ella Rock, Ella, Sigiriya and Haputale.

33 guides9 itineraries pass throughChecked 5 Oct 2026

Plan your route

Where to find hiking

  • Central Province 18 guides
  • Uva Province 16 guides
  • Southern Province 6 guides
  • Sabaragamuwa Province 4 guides
  • North Central Province 3 guides
  • Western Province 2 guides
  • Northern Province 1 guide
  • Eastern Province 1 guide

Top places for hiking

Map of Hiking

The 14 places with coordinates in their guides; numbers match the top places.

Map of 14 places
  1. 1Ella Rock
  2. 2Sigiriya
  3. 3Horton Plains
  4. 4Sri Pada
  5. 5Lipton's Seat
  6. 6Little Adam's Peak
  7. 7Pidurangala Rock
  8. 8Sinharaja
  9. 9Udawattakele
Open in Google Maps© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap

Around Ella, by distance

Road distance from Ella to each guide's map point. Places without a road route show the straight-line distance.

© openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Hiking in pictures

Photos from the guides, credited on each page.

  • Ella Rock rising above green hills near Ella, Sri Lanka
  • View over Ella's green valley and wooded hills from the top of Ella Rock
  • Blue train crossing the Nine Arch Bridge near Ella, Sri Lanka
  • Sigiriya rock rising above the forest, seen from Pidurangala, with mountains on the horizon
  • Morning mist in the valleys below Haputale, with tea estates and small villages on the green slopes
  • Herd of elephants with a calf grazing on green grassland in front of forest in Kaudulla National Park
  • Sigiriya rock rising above the forest, seen from Pidurangala, with mountains on the horizon
  • Open grassland and a small pool in a hollow at Horton Plains, ringed by cloud forest under a cloudy sky
  • The forested cone of Adam's Peak against a blue sky, with the summit buildings on top and the path cut into the upper slopes

Viewpoint in hiking

Forest in hiking

Mountain in hiking

Where to go for hiking

Experiences: hiking

Weather in Ella this week

  1. TodayThunderstorms26° 17°100%
  2. TueThunderstorms26° 18°100%
  3. WedThunderstorms24° 19°100%
  4. ThuShowers25° 18°99%
  5. FriShowers25° 17°100%
  6. SatThunderstorms25° 17°100%
  7. SunThunderstorms26° 17°100%

Daily high and low in °C, chance of rain. Forecast for the guide's coordinates, refreshed every few hours. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Itineraries for hiking

What recent visitors report

Lines from the guides' 2025–26 visitor reports.

Frequently asked about Hiking

How long does the Ella Rock hike take?

Allow 3–4 hours from Ella railway station and back, including time at the top. The round trip is about 10 km. From the Ella Rock guide

Can I take the train to Ella?

Yes: trains between Nanu Oya and Badulla, which stop at Ella, restarted on 20 June 2026 after Cyclone Ditwah. For trains from Colombo or Kandy, see the travel update at the top of this page. From the Ella guide

Is two days enough in Ella?

Yes, for most people. Two mornings let you climb both Little Adam's Peak and Ella Rock early, when the views are clearest, with time left for Nine Arch Bridge, tea and Ravana Falls. From the 2 days in Ella guide

How much is the Sigiriya entrance fee?

The Central Cultural Fund lists USD 35 for a full ticket and USD 20 for children aged 6 to 12. Both include VAT, and you pay in rupees at the CCF rate (price list updated 24 September 2026). From the Sigiriya guide

Can I get to Haputale by train?

Yes, from the Badulla side: trains between Nanu Oya and Badulla, through Haputale, have run again since 20 June 2026. For the line west of Nanu Oya, see the travel update at the top of this page. From the Haputale guide

When is the best time for a wildlife safari in Sri Lanka?

It depends on the park. December to April suits the south: whales off Mirissa, Yala open and Sinharaja in season. May to October is the time for the elephant Gathering at Minneriya and Kaudulla, and for the east coast. From the Wildlife safari guide

Before you go

Header photo: Matt Dany / Unsplash.