The train ride you have dreamed of,and a village in the clouds.

For many travellers, Ella is the reason they came to Sri Lanka. Getting there is half the magic: the train from Kandy winds for hours through emerald tea estates, past waterfalls and over mountain passes. At the end of the line waits a laid-back village in a gap between the hills.

The journey from Kandy to Ella is one of the most beautiful train rides in the world — around seven slow, unforgettable hours. Pickers in bright saris move through the tea rows, children wave from the tracks, and travellers lean out of the open doors to feel the cool mountain air.

Just outside the village, the Nine Arch Bridge curves through the jungle on tall stone arches, completed in 1921. Time your visit with a passing train and you will see why it has become one of the island’s most loved images.

Ella is made for walking. Little Adam’s Peak is a gentle climb rewarded with sweeping views, while Ella Rock is a longer half-day trek. Afterwards, there are tea factories to explore, Ravana Falls to cool off in, and cosy cafés to linger in as the mist rolls through the gap.