Length 9.8 km Elevation gain 437 m Route type Point to point Explore this 9.8-km point-to-point trail near Kithal Ella, Badulla. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 19 min to complete. This trail is great for backpacking and hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Fantastic trail. Challenging, but easy to follow and rewarding. Starts in tea fields with views across to rice and vegetable cultivation and imposing Ella Rock always in view. Short downhill leads to an easy crossing of a boulder-strewn river. (If you have time, take a 200 meter detour up the riverside path to a lovely, secluded swimming hole.). If the river is up, your feet might get wet, but you walk across a small wide dam, so it’s always doable. Remove your shoes if you don’t want to get them wet. Then it’s up a well marked trail mostly in the shade, with occasional vistas looking back over the gorgeous Ambadandegama valley. We saw more butterflies flirting around on this trail than we’ve seen in years. When you reach the top it’s an easy and wide trail up a logging road. First stop is a little visited Buddhist forest monastery and meditation center with beautiful overlooks. Please no photography here without permission from the resident monk. Along past the monastery, it’s another 30 minutes easy walk to possibly the most beautiful viewpoint in Sri Lanka. Ella Rock juts out into a gorge called Ella Gap with 270 degree views. Across the valley is Mini Adams Peak and the imposing Namunukala Mountain Range. Up the valley is Ella Town nestled in the hills. The coup de grace, however, is looking right down the gorge. Here the mountains fall away to the dry southern plains. On a supremely clear day (very very rarely) you can see 100 km to a thin silver ribbon in the distance. That would be the southern Indian Ocean—next stop Antarctica. You are looking across the famous Yala National Park and the pyramid-shaped mountain you see is the holy Kataragama.    Rest here for an hour or longer if you can spare the time and perhaps visit the small rock temple and overlook on a spur that takes you around to the southern side of Ella Rock. Definitely get refreshed with some fresh coconut water (Thambili) sold by an enterprising soul. It’s pricey by Sri Lankan standards, but don’t forget someone had to heft it all the way up there!     At some point you’ll have to drag yourself away from the beauty and head onwards to Ella Town. Not 20 meters from the hut at the overlook is a steep trail down to the right. Fine in dry weather, it can be a bit treacherous if it’s rained recently so take your time. This leads sharply down with occasional overlooks until it leaves the forest cover and cuts across intermittent tea fields and vegetable cultivation. Then you hit another beautiful small river filled with boulders and a great swimming hole 150 meters downstream. This is only doable when the