Ravana Falls Waterfall in Ella

Ravana Falls Waterfall in Ella

Ravana Falls, or what some locals call ‘Ravana Ella, is one of the most famous tourist attractions in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka. It is situated in the Ella area of the Badulla District. With a height of 25 meters (82 feet), the waterfall is considered one of the widest waterfalls on the island. Locals also refer to this waterfall as “Bambaragama Ella.” Ravana Falls is formed by a branch of the Kirindi Oya River and is located at an elevation of 1050 m. The waterfall is also part of a Ravana Ella wildlife sanctuary.

 

Location

The place is not far from Ella tourist city, and the distance from the Ella railway is around 6 km. If you travel from Colombo or either Nuwara Eliya, you must first come to the Kumbalwela junction through Bandarawela. From the junction, you should head towards Wellawaya, where anyone can easily find the Ravana Falls. It is just near the main road and the places called 12–13 mileposts on the route.
If you are coming by train, then you should drop off at the Ella Railways station. Then you can easily pick up a bus in the Ella,which should go towards the wellawaya, to reach the waterfall. It is not very expensive, and the ticket price is around 50 rupees. As well, hiring a tuk tuk is a great option, but you will have to spend around 400–500 rupees.
Here is the Google Maps location of the waterfall:

 

 

Ravana Falls Story

Ravana Waterfall also has a folktale, which combines with the epic tale of the Ramayana, which is a famous Indian historical book. The name of the waterfall, ‘Ravana’ comes from this folklore. This happened before 6,000 years ago. According to them, King Ravana was the king of Sri Lanka, and King Rama was the king of India. The brother of King Rama, whose name was Laxmana, and Prince Rama were slicing off the nose of the sister of King Ravana.

As a result, King Ravana has kidnapped Price Sita (the wife of King Rama) into a cave behind this waterfall’. According to the tale, King Ravana and Princess Sita have bathed in the pool of the Ravana Fall. Some tales say that the King Ravana has played Ravanahaththa (a musical instrument) over here. The story is much longer and can’t be explained in a few words. If you are interested in going deeper on that, we recommend further reading the epic tale of ‘Ramayana‘.

 

Ravana Caves

Today, you cannot find such a cave near or behind the waterfall. A cave called ‘Ravana Cave’, 11km away from the  Bandarawela, is also connected to the Ravana folklore. Somebody believes it was the place where King Ravana was hiding Princess Sita. The place is not far from here and is a popular travel attraction for locals. It is located at an elevation of 1370 m, where you need to pass a temple and a small cliff to reach those caves. The historians have found evidence of humans who lived near these caves around 25,000 years ago. Therefore, it is a major historical location for the country.

Somebody believes there was a tunnel connecting the waterfall and the caves. But nobody has found such a tunnel sofar. If you are someone who loves to explore Ramayana places in Sri Lanka, then you must not forget this Ravana Waterfall and the Ravana Caves.

 

Beauty of the Waterfall

Ravana Falls cascades with a few drops, which include three major tiers. It is so beautiful that you can see its beauty from different angles. There is a nice viewpoint near the main road. Somebody says that the waterfall is cascading from a concave rock outcrop, which is oval-shaped and resembles an areca flower with withering petals during the wet season.

Anyhow, if you love to go near the waterfall, then you can hike to its upper parts. If you are lucky enough to visit the top of the Ravana Falls, you can experience a marvelous picture of the surroundings. The picture towards the Wellawaya and the other low, elevated valleys is so charming.

 

Hiking, Swimming and other Activities

If you are someone who likes to bathe, then this is a good spot for that. There are a few good spots to swim. But you must be concerned about your safety during the swim because there are some deep areas. Further, Ravana Falls is a great spot for a hiker or trekker where they can climb to the second or third tiers. It is a nice activity to try.

 

Tickets and Entrance Fees to Ravana Falls

You are lucky that there are no tickets or entrance fees for Ravana Falls. It’s completely free with no charges.

 

Weather and Climate

October to February is considered the rainy season in the Ella area. There, you can watch the actual beauty of the waterfall during that season with a lot of water. But from May to September, it is considered the dry season in the area where there is not much water. But it is the best time to go to the top ties and go swimming. Anyhow, there are some sudden weather changes in the area that you must note. We believe, February to April is the perfect time to visit Ravana Falls.

 

Bambaragama Falls

There is another waterfall just below the main road. Locals called it the ‘Bambaragama Falls’ as well as the ‘Lower Ravana Falls’. It is not much height, and it is around 9m. The closet village called ‘Udunuwara’ is’ where this waterfall is ideal for a fresh dip. From there, the waters of the Ravana Falls combine to form the Kirindi Oya in the lower areas.

 

Ravana Ella Photos

Here are some of the photos which was captured by our guests during their visit to Ravana falls and their Ella tour:

 

Other Places to Visit Nearby

Ravana Falls is situated near a major tourist destination in the country. Therefore, you have many travel destinations around the Ella region. Here are a few:

 

Things to Consider before visit Ravana Falls :

  • Ravana Falls and the surrounding areas are very busy during the holidays. A lot of locals and foreigners come to watch this beautiful waterfall on those days. Therefore, it’s better if you can go there early in the morning to enjoy the beauty of the waterfall and for photography.
  • The upper areas of the waterfall have a sudden changing climate, therefore, you can expect a sudden water increase at Ravana Falls. Therefore, you must be careful while you are trekking or swimming.
  • There are some vendors and a few local shops near the waterfall where you can buy fruits, foods, and other essentials.
  • There are so many monkeys around the place. Beware of touching or dealing with them.
  • If you are someone who doesn’t like to go hiking or trekking, you can enjoy the beauty of the Ravana Falls while watching it from the stage near the main road.

 

Conclusion

Ravana Falls is a beautiful waterfall in Sri Lanka that has a huge history and is connected to the epic tale of the Ramayana. If you are someone who explores Ramayana places in Sri Lanka, then you must visit here. At Mahaweli Tours and Holidays, Ravana Waterfall is a must visit destination in most of our tour packages. If you are someone reading this post from abroad, who is planning to visit Sri Lanka, you can choose us as your Sri Lanka tour agency to cover this beautiful place.

Just send us a WhatsApp message for more details: +94777 111553
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( Cover Image Source: Serendib | Credit Goes to Original Owner)

Lipton’s Seat in Haputale

Lipton's Seat

Lipton’s Seat is a popular high observation point in Sri Lanka among local and foreign travelers. It is situated at the top of the Poonagala Hills at an elevation of 1970m. This is also a viewpoint from which you can observe five major provinces in Sri Lanka. The route to Lipton’s seat is absolutely beautiful with greenish tea estates. We can suggest that it is another must-visit place near the Ella tourism city.

 

Location

Lipton’s seat is situated in the Badulla district of Uva Province. Haputale and Poonagala are the closest town to the area. Distance to here from Haputale is 16km and from Ella is 27km. There are two major routes to reach the place.

  • Bandarawela, Poonagala and through Nayabedda Estate
  • Hapuatale and through dambethenna tea estate

 

Those two routes are very scenic with lush and greenish tea plantations. It’s no matter whether you select one from them,

If you are starting from Ella, then the Poonagala – Nayabedda route is ideal for you. The surround is amazing to watch. Tuk Tuk is the most suitable vehicle for this route and it takes around 1 ½ hours to reach there. If you come from Colombo or from the Upcountry railway, then the Haputale-Dambethenna route should be your selection. The public transport busses are available on that route. But Tuk Tuk or a scooter are the most ideal vehicle for too this route. It also takes one hour to reach the destination.

However, you should buy a ticket to enter the Lipton’s seat. After the entrance, you have to walk around 1.5km to reach the actual viewpoint.

 

Amazing View

As we mentioned earlier, you can observe five major provinces in Sri Lanka from here. Those five provinces are; Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern, Southern and Central. As well as you can clearly identify some of the key places. In a clear day you can identify Chandrika Lake, Udawlawa Lake, Handapanagala Lake, Hambanthota Harbour, Wedasitikanda Mountain, Devinuwara Lighthouse, South Coast and Tricomalee Lighthouse.

Early morning is the best time to visit Lipton’s Seat. On that time you can observe the beauty of the sunrise from the distance. It is actually a fantastic picture and you don’t forget to capture it with your camera. Sometimes, the mist will cover the place and it will destroy your stunning view. In such a time, you can see the clouds under you. If you are lucky person then you will see clear picture of the surrounding. If not you will be unhappy with the mist.

 

History

Lipton’s Seat and the surrounded Dambethenna tea estate was established by the Scottish tea planter Sir Thomas Lipton around 1890s. He was also contributed in development of the tea industry in Sri Lanka. He managed all the surrounded tea estates and lived on there. After his duties, he came to this view point and sited on their leisurely by observing the scenic view. Sir Thomas Lipton also started the Dambethenna Tea Factory for the manufacturing of tea. On those time this was the estate produced the best Black Tea in the country.

 

Other Facts about Lipton’s Seat

  • Catherine Seat is another nice view point near the Lipton’s seat. It is few kilometers away and which is situated in the Nayabedda estate. This view point also generate a scenic picture and you can clearly identify the places like Bandarawela, Diyathalawa, Uva Valley and Namunukula Range.
  • Lemathota Waterfall is a nice waterfall that you will meet it in the Dambethenna estate. But it is not popular among most of the travelers. However, it is another nice place to wait for few minutes.
  • Lipton’s seat is a place with cool climate. You should be ready for that before go there. As well as you can expect sudden changing weather.
  • There is a nice statue of the Sir Thomas Lipton near the viewpoint. You can sit neat it and enjoy the beauty of the atmosphere.
  • The place is open from 6am to 5pm. Anyhow, Morning is the ideal time to go there.
  • You can visit Dambethenna Tea Factory and further can analyze the tea manufacturing procedure.

 

(Cover Image Source & Credit: Lanka Classy Tours Twitter) 

Best Time to Visit Ella-Sri Lanka

Best Time To Visit Ella

In this post, we are going to bring you the information to choose the best time to visit Ella, Sri Lanka. Before we move into the topic, let us give you some brief information about Ella.

 

About Ella

Ella is a small town in the Uva province of Sri Lanka. It is situated 216km (kilometers) away from Colombo. The distance between Kandy and Ella is 136km. You can either visit this beautiful city by train or by any kind of vehicle. Ella is a mountainous city with an elevation of 1041m.

Ella City Tour

The Kandy to Ella train trip is considered one of the best railway journeys in the world. It takes around seven hours and crosses greenish tea plantations, mountains, rivers, forests, and bridges. The view is absolutely amazing and you will never forget that memory. Ella is a tourist-based city where you can do many activities. You can do hiking, trekking, adventure activities, and waterfall watching in Ella. There are so many accommodation and other facilities available for visitors too.

Places to visit in the Ella area:

 

Climate of the Ella;

Climate is an important factor that you should consider before going on any kind of trip or tour. If you are thinking about the best time to visit Ella, the given climate information will be important.

The average annual rainfall of the Ella area is around 1750mm. The July to November time period is considered the rainy period for the area, while October is the wettest month. March is considered the driest month. But you can expect fewer rainy days in the January and February months.

The average annual temperature of Ella is between 18 and 22 Celsius. January is the coldest month, while April is the warmest. Anyhow, Ella is a place where you can always expect a friendly temperature. The wind speed is much higher in the June, July, and August months. As well as that, March is the month with the highest sunshine hours.

 

What is the best time to visit Ella?

After considering the above climate information, we can suggest that January to March is the best time to visit Ella. However, climate is not a big issue when selecting the best time. But you can visit Ella throughout the year.

If you have already decided on your best time to visit Ella, then you can plan your Ella City Tour with Mahaweli Tours & Holidays. Call 077 711 1553 or email info@mahaweli.lk for more information.

 

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(Please visit our Mahaweli Pinterest Page for more pictures about Ella City)

Nine Arch Bridge in Demodara

Nine Arch Bridge in Demodara

Nine Arch Bridge in Demodara is one of the most famous travel destinations in Sri Lanka. Most of the travelers who come to the Ella region will not forget to visit this place. It’s an old bridge that was built in the British Era in Sri Lanka. The bridge is also called the “Bridge in the Sky’.

The Nine Arch Bridge is 300m in length and 80ft in height. There you can see nine spans. The width of the bridge is 25 ft and the elevation of the place is 3100 ft from sea level. This is located halfway between Ella and the Demodara Railway Station.to the Nine Arch Bridge from Demodara Railway Station is 9km and from Ella it is 4km. If you are starting from Ella town, you can easily hire a tuk tuk to reach this place. But you have to walk a few meters to meet the bridge.

The bridge connects two mountains and the Badulla–Colombo Railway. It was opened in 1921. This construction demonstrates the excellence of the architecture and engineering of the early 20th century. During the construction of this project, the First World War happened. It has affected the import of steel from abroad. The British rulers then decided to finish the project without using any steel or metal.The only materials used were stones, bricks, and cement.

P.K. Appuhami and D.J. Wimalasurendra are two Ceylonese who vastly helped to succeed in this project. Then they finished the work and opened the Nine Arch Bridge in 1921. Laterally, they finished the Colombo–Badulla Railway in 1924.

The Nine Arch Bridge in Demodara is normally crowded during holidays. The best time to go is between 9 and 11 a.m. in the morning.It’s an ideal place to take some beautiful photos. A few of the cafes are available in the area for visitors. The train journey between Colombo and Ella is considered one of the most beautiful train rides in the world. So, you should not miss it.

Read More: Ella City Tour with Mahaweli Tours & Holidays

(Cover Image Credit:@choineczkaa from Instagram) 

Ella City Tour with Mahaweli Tours & Holidays

Ella City Tour with Mahaweli Tours

Looking for an Ella City tour? If so, you are in the right place. Before we get started, let us give you a quick overview of Ella and its tourism.

 

Visit Ella-Sri Lanka!

With many natural treasures and beauties, Sri Lanka is considered one of the most beautiful islands in the world. For all kinds of tourists, there are things to see and do. This tour is specially designed to entertain nature lovers and tourists who love to explore. This tour includes a guide with excellent knowledge of the city and local aspirations. With its opulent nature, Ella is filled with many sightseeing spots. It is named as one of the most beautiful cities in the country.

Ella is a small town located in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka and is rich in diversity. It belongs to the Badulla District, and it is 225km away from Colombo. Ella is a major railway station between Colombo and Badulla on the train route. The Kandy to Ella train ride is a nice experience to take in Sri Lanka. It is considered one of the best train rides in the world. The January to March time period is considered the perfect time to visit Ella.

Our guides will take you through the Ella City Tour, providing you with valuable and informative knowledge of the city and of the country. They are proficient and fluent in English, and upon special request, language-specific guides can be arranged too.

 

What is included in the Ella City Tour?

Once you are in Ella, there are things that come under “absolute-must-see” and let us see what places you can visit and enjoy.

Little Adam’s Peak

It is an opportunity to see the valleys down below with fresh air. It takes around 45 minutes to reach the top of the peak. During the climb to the Little Adams Peak, you will come across breathtaking views of tea plantations and local villages.

 

Nine Arch Bridge,

This is a world-renowned architectural piece that is hidden among the lush green plantations in Ella. It is located just outside the town, and for all who go on the city tour, this is a must. It is a beautifully constructed bridge that stands mightily among the greenery of the island. This is a must-visit place on your Ella city tour.

Diyaluma Falls

Diyaluma Waterfall is the second highest waterfall in Sri Lanka. It is a miracle of nature to see, especially if you are seeing it from the top. It has scattered ponds and pools on the way down, and you can even have a swim in one of them.

Ella Spice Garden

Are you a foodie? Do you like experimenting with spices? This is the place for you to experience authentic Sri Lankan food and learn about the secret ingredients that make food smell so good and yummy.

Ravana Falls

Ravana Waterfall has become a popular stop for all tourists, both local and foreigners. A quick dip in it can rejuvenate you for the rest of the adventurous tour. The waterfall will meet you when you travel to Wellawaya from Ella.

Ella Rock

If you are up to hiking, Ella Rock will just do the job right. It is approximately a two-hour hike, and you will experience the majestic beauty of the entire city from the top.

 

For all of you who love nature, this tour will satisfy your travel desires. It is a complete meal for all nature lovers. Starting from the little Adam’s Peak, Ella gives you a treat that is matchless. Come and enjoy the spectacular flora and fauna of the city with the informative knowledge provided by our guides. Make sure to breathe in as much fresh air as you can and take as many pictures as you can. Do not pass up this one-of-a-kind city of beauty!

Ella City Tour with Mahaweli Tours & Holidays

A tour to visit the most important places in Ella

Possible starting/pick-up locations include Ella, Badulla, Bandarawela, Haputhale, and Nuwaraeliya (please let us know your exact location so that we can check and confirm the possibility).

duration of 3–4 hours on average.

Tour Type: Our Ella City tour is a private tour. The vehicle and the guide/chauffeur guide are dedicated to you / your group. The safari tour will be done by an off-road vehicle and traveling to the starting point and back will be done by a comfortable car, van, or mini coach.

So, if you are happy with our Ella city tour guide, then don’t hesitate twice to contact us. For more information, please contact +94777 111 553 or info@mahaweli.lk.

 

(Feautured Image Credit: 𝐋𝐢𝐮𝐛𝐨𝐯 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐚 from Instagram)