After the safari in Yala national park, I packed up my stuff in Tissa and wanted to hop on a bus to Wellawaya to change there for Ella. Unfortunately, the next bus to Wellawaya was only going to be 2h later – but there was an option to take an (expensive) tuk tuk to Pannegawmuna junction where a direct bus to Ella was gonna pass by soon. I didn’t fancy either option but in the end went to the junction… to be picked up by yet the fullest bus I had experienced in Sri Lanka. It was a very exhausting journey during which I had to stand the entire 2.5h. My arm muscles were hurting from constantly holding on really hard by the time we reached Ella and I must have been the most excited person getting off that bus. After another tuk tuk ride, I reached my hostel high up on a hill with great views (but a little too remote maybe). Luckily I met some people in the hostel and we immediately buddied up to walk into town for dinner and share a tuk tuk back up.

I only had one full day in Ella, so next day was busy! After breakfast, Maddie who I had met in the hostel and I headed out to climb Ella Rock. It looks easier than it is! First of all, finding the correct trail in a network of trails running up the mountain is tricky. We got lost a couple of times before we were on the right track. Then it got quite exhausting, with the trail leading up the mountain steeply for longer than we had anticipated. But when we arrived, it was all worth it – the views are simply stunning!!

We took loads of pictures, then headed down a different route to Ella town, following the GPS and Maps.Me. This was an adventurous trail, sometimes leading through grass higher than we were tall! We finally arrived back in town for a lunch snack and drink, before I continued my trekking day with Little Adam’s Peak which is muuuuch easier than Ella Rock but with nevertheless amazing views! 360° views – something you don’t get on Ella Rock.

I then continued to the Nine Arch Bridge, in fact just a railway bridge – but in a pretty setting. I found a cafe with the perfect view of the bridge and sat there with a cold coke, waiting for the train to pass to get the typical shot. It was nice – but in the end just a bridge. If you don’t have enough time for all 3 treks I did – this is the one to skip. There are also many pretty waterfalls in the area, caves, temples, tea plantations,… If I had more time, I really could have imagined staying longer in Ella.

But…I had to keep going to manage to see all the places I wanted to see!

So next morning, I went to the train station with Maddie, Leah and Jenny who I had met in my hostel. We wanted to take the train to Hatton – along the very much recommended train route Ella – Kandy. Let me tell you: While the train is overcrowded when starting from Kandy, we got perfect 2nd class seats starting from Ella. You just need to be a bit lucky as in where the nearest door is when the train stops in Ella. We were the first ones to jump onto an almost empty train and quickly took some good seats. If you can – sit on the right: it gets the better views most of the way!

We also went to stand in the open doors for a while, taking many nice pictures. The scenery was simply amazing for most of the time: mountains, rolling hills and tea plantations – with the train riding right through all of it! I was doubtful about how good this train journey was gonna be since you hear so much about it that your expectations are already set high. But, it didn’t disappoint! On contrary – one of my highlights of Sri Lanka to date.

In Hatton we got off the train and onto a bus bringing us in 2h to the little village of Dalhousie where you stay to start the trek up Adam’s Peak next day. If you can afford it, take a tuk tuk instead of the bus with some photo stops along the way, as the scenery is incredible!! Unfortunately I had to stand both ways, so couldn’t take any pictures.

It was an early night and a super early morning then for us to climb up Adam’s Peak which is a sacred place for Sri Lankans who try to climb it at least once in their life and bring some offerings to the temple at top. More and more tourists join in the fun of climbing the 5.200 steps up the 2.243 m high mountain. Yes, it’s all steps up there! And they’re all of different heights as well which doesn’t make it any easier. In short: it’s an exhausting climb! When you think you’re almost there, there’s another flight of stairs and another one and… For the last bit we were stuck in a people jam and only moved one step at a time. So budget that into your trekking time as you can’t pass by. Annoyingly this was also the part of the mountain where it got really cold – an icy wind was blowing and we were shivering, already wearing all the clothes we had. On the top, there were masses of people everywhere! It was crazy and reminded me of that evening in Hanoi when we got stuck in the crowds. Fortunately again no-one panicked. All the good spots to see the sunrise were already taken so I took my pictures holding my camera up high and kind of leaning over the heads of people, somehow trying to aim and hold the camera straight. Oh well – you can see prettier sunrises on mountain tops where you’ll be all by yourself in Austria!

Going down was (as usually for me) much more fun – Leah and I ended up running down all the way! And of course snapping some pics along the way. After a well deserved breakfast, we took an overcrowded bus back to Hatton where we just managed to jump onto the train to Kandy. A looong day – we definitely slept really well that night!