Laxapana Falls is 126m high and the 8th highest waterfall in Sri Lanka and 625th highest waterfall in the world. It is situated in Maskeliya area in Nuwara Eliya District, about 16 Kilometers from Maskeliya town on Maskeliya-Norton Bridge road, in a village called Kiriwan Eliya. It's formed by Maskeliya Oya near the confluence of Kehelgamu Oya and Maskeliya Oya which forms Kelani River. Popular folklore tells this the place where Buddha mended his saffron robe when he was visiting Sri Pada. The name of the Falls derived from Sinhala words of "Laxa" means Hundred thousand and "Pahana" or "Pashana" means rock.
The Queen Victoria Park was established at the 19th Century by a German Princes who visited NuwaraEliya, by planting an Oak Tree in the garden. The Park said to be named to comorate the 60th Jubilee Coronation of Queen Victoria in the year 1897. The Queen Victoria Park expanded in 27 acres and more than 90% of tree species and uncommon bird species are presentedfor nature lovers to admire the beauty of Sri Lanka. NanuOya and number of lakes which streams through this park enrich its magnificence more. Most of the foreign and local visitors prominently visit this place as it has anenormous magnetism.
During the 70 decade Lake Gregory was built by the Governor William Gregory.Gregory Lake is located about one kilometer away from BeautifulNuwaraEliyatown. It was by stopping the “Thalagala†stream which starts from the mount Pedro. It is about 91.2 hectares inmagnitude.It is consideredthat the main intention of creatingthis Lake is to generate Electricity to the town. It was said to be used for water sports and for entertainingactivities during the British rule. A boat yard now allows visitors to go boating and rowing.
Galway's Land Bird Sanctuary is a beautiful wildlife area for visitors. About 20 species of very rare foreign birds and not less than 30 species of Sri Lankan birds are exist in this bird sanctuary. Species found here includes the endemic bird species as well as migrant bird species. In addition to the birds this park has valuable tree species of both foreign and local.
Botanical Gardens at Hakgala were established in 1861.It is known as the highest set Botanical Gardens in the world because it lies under the Hakgala Peak, between 5000-6000 feet in elevation. The Botanical Garden is first as a cinchona plantation and then adapted to an experimental garden for the familiarization of plants from temperate zones in the tropics. Here can be found all the flowers of an English cottage garden in spring and summer, and much else furthermore- such as the oldest tea-bush in the island, an ornamental pond and charmingsummerhouse. Hakgala (Jaw Rock) rises a sheet 1500 ft/460 meters and offers one of the most eye-catching panorama sever.
Horton Plains National Park is the only Nations Park situated in Sri Lanka witnessed the panoramic beauty of the hill country. With some excellent walksthe Plains are a beautiful, silent, surprisingworld. Unusual high altitude vegetation shows the prosperity of the country. Especially Horton Plains National Park is a paradise for nature lovers, hikers and bird watching. One of the attractions of Horton plains is world's end. This is a chosen place for trekkers, as there are plenty of soft and hard trails. One could get anincredible view of the surrounding hills and the mountain ranges garlanded in mists and clouds from here. The grassy plains ofHorton Plains National Parkaccommodatemany wild lives. Leopard, Samba, endemic Purple-faced Languor and Endemic highland birds such as Dull-blue Flycatcher, Sri Lanka White-eye, and Yellow-eared Bulbulare some species found here.Flora - Trees & shrubs; up to now 744 species of flowering plants has been identified in the area out of which 112 species are endemic, and 78 species are identified to be endangered. Being a grassland more than 50 species of grass has been identified, majority of which are endemic. Fauna - 460 species of birds are recorded to be found in Sri Lanka, out of which 33 species are endemic - out of this number more than 100 species are confined to Horton Plains. 12 endemic species of these birds can be seen in Horton Plains.
Devon Falls is a waterfall in Sri Lanka, situated 6 km west of Talawakele, Nuwara Eliya District on A7 highway. The falls is named after a pioneer English coffee planter called Devon, whose plantation is situated nearby the falls. The Waterfall is 97 metres high and ranked 19th highest in the Island. The Falls formed by Kothmale Oya, a tributary of Mahaweli River. Altitude of Devon falls is 1,140m above sea level.
Pidurutalagalais the (2550m) highest mountain peak of Sri Lanka. To the north of the NuwaraEliya town rises Pidurutalagala. For a view of the summit and a superb panorama of the surrounding hills and plantations, you can walk to the top of the picturesquely named single Tree Mountain, south of town off the Badulla road. Though the summit is not open to the public, hiking is possible up to 7000ft only. There are several water falls along the track.
Ambewela farms are made up of two farms, Ambewela Farm and New Zealand Farm. Because of the perfect climate in the hill country, it boasts its superior breed of cattle, modern technology and top quality pastures where cattle graze freely. The farms have purebred cattle from Ayreshire and New Zealand. In order to maintain the quality of milk from the cows, the farm management takes great care to provide them with a balanced diet and sterilized water. They are also given excellent healthcare on a 24-hour basis. The largest grasslands of Sri Lanka are also a part of the Ambewela farms. In addition to the cattle, it has rabbits, pigs and goats.
NuwaraEliya Golf Course is one of the major attractions in NuwaraEliya, which was built in 1891spread over 90 acres.It is reputed to be the only Golf Course where all the holes are visible from the Club House or accessible by car. In the old British cemetery at the rear of the Club House is the memorial to Major Rogers, the elephant hunter credited with killing around 1500 elephants.
Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the relic of the tooth of Buddha. Kandy (Ancient Senkadagala) is the last capital of the Sinhala Monarchy the History of which goes back to at least five centuries before the beginning of the Common Era. The city is surrounded by a ring of mountain ranges and Sri Lanka’s largest river Mahaweli Ganga.Kandy enjoys a salubrious climate and still breathes the ancient lifestyle of the people. Today, Kandy is a city of many attractions. Its natural beauty with misty mountains, verdant slopes, landscapes with urban rain forests consorted by a congenial climate. The heritage of Kandy, Architecture, Sculpture, painting, Dance and Music, all such cultural traditions are endemic to Sri Lanka.And recognition of the sacred temple it has been declared Kandy as a World Heritage City by UNESCO.The annual pageant (EsalaPerahera) constitutes the greatest religious festival of Sri Lanka which attracts thousands of pilgrims as well as tourists from all over the world.
The Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens are the largest botanical gardens in Sri Lanka, Covering over 60 hectares. The garden was declared a Royal Garden by King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe during his reign. The garden is home to over 300 varieties of orchids, spices, medicinal plants and palm trees. In addition to the wide diversity of plants, a plethora of wildlife can be also found. More than 80 species of birds, including 10 endemic species, can be easily seen. It is also home to over 80 species of butterflies, 20 species of reptiles, 15 species of amphibians and 18 species of mammals, including flying squirrels and rusty spotted cats.Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, the finest of its kind in Asia, the largest of the botanical gardens of Sri Lanka, couldn't be better located. In the Mediterranean climate of Kandy, the gateway to the Central Highlands, the Gardens, at an elevation of 500 meters above sea-level, were tightly bounded on three sides by a loop of River Mahaweli (Great sandy river), the largest river of Sri Lanka.
The Kandy Lake is located next to the Temple of the Tooth. It is a large artificial lake built by Sri WickramaRajasinha in 1807. Being a protected lake, with fishing banned, the lake is the perfect place for a stroll or a jog. The shady path surrounding the lake provides a view of the hills and the town and boat rides around the lake can be arranged with the many boating services on the lake side.
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is situated northwest of the town of Kegalle, halfway between the present capital Colombo and the ancient royal residence Kandy. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Department in a 25 acre coconut property adjoining the MahaOya River. The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to the many orphaned Elephants found in the jungles of Sri Lanka. The aim of the orphanage is to simulate a natural habitat to these elephants. However, there are some exceptions: the elephants are taken to the river twice a day for a bath, and all the babies less than three years of age are still bottle fed by the mahouts and volunteers. The orphanage which boasts to have the largest herd of captive elephants in the world is very popular and visited daily by many Sri Lankan and foreign tourists. The main attraction is clearly to observe the elephants bathing which is quite aphenomenon.
Sigiriya is one of the most valuable historical monuments of Sri Lanka.Referred by locals as the Eighth Wonder of the World this ancient palace and fortress complex has significant archaeological importance and attracts thousands of tourists every year. It is probably the most visited tourist destination of Sri Lanka.In the second half of the 5th century king Kasyapa decided to construct a royal residence here.Sigiriya rock plateau, formed from magma of an extinct volcano, is 200 meters higher than the surrounding jungles. Its view astonishes the visitors with the unique harmony between the nature and human imagination.The fortress complex includes remnants of a ruined palace, surrounded by an extensive network of fortifications, vast gardens, ponds, canals, alleys and fountains.