A must-witness Sri Lanka Train Journey – Kandy to Ella
Are you searching for a Sri Lankan train journey so enthralling that you do not want to take your head out of the window? In our previous blog, we spoke of the Kandy to Ella journey. This focuses on the Colombo to Badulla train experience that will make you feel constantly in awe. You are surprised approximately what comes next – is it a waterfall? A stupa-like tea lawn? Or is it mist-clouded peaks? You just ought to keep looking!
A Historical Glimpse of this Sri Lankan Train Journey!
The Colombo to Badulla railway line, also called the Main Line, was built at some point in British colonial technology during the overdue 19th and early 20th centuries. The British built the railway usually to move tea and coffee from the luxurious highlands to the bustling port of Colombo. The creation of this railway line changed into a monumental feat, cutting through dense forests, steep mountains, and deep valleys. Today, the railway serves as an essential hyperlink between the industrial capital of Colombo and the hill country.
The Sri Lankan Train Journey Route
The journey starts at Colombo Fort Railway Station, a bustling hub that showcases the vibrant power of Sri Lanka’s biggest town. As the educate departs from the station, passengers are handled to views of the city landscape. The education winds its manner through suburban areas, rice paddies, and coconut plantations. undoubtedly, this journey provides a glimpse into the ordinary lifestyles of Sri Lankans!
For those of you, whose first time in Sri Lanka, this is a 291km journey that takes in a mixture of deep gorges, craggy cliffs, cascading falls, lakes and rivers from Sri Lanka’s west coast into its mountainous interior. Amazingly it twists and turns via forty-six tunnels, snaking beyond the excessive montane cover!
The exact Route!
As the train ascends into the gorgeous highlands, the scenery transforms dramatically! The air will become cooler and more energizing, and the panorama modifications to a tapestry of rolling hills, tea plantations, and dense forests. One of the highlights of this section of the adventure is the ascent to Kandy, Sri Lanka’s cultural capital.
Kandy, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a common stop at the Colombo to Badulla railway line. Whilst this is home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, it’s the most revered Buddhist sites. Travellers regularly take a spoil in Kandy to find out its wealthy cultural background, go to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya. The railway station itself, with its colonial architecture, is a charming mirrored image of Kandy’s ancient significance.
Leaving Kandy, the train continues its journey into the heart of Sri Lanka – Nuwara Eliya. This segment of the Sri Lankan train journey often appears as the most stunning, because the train passes through verdant tea plantations that stretch as some distance as the attention can see. The sight of tea pluckers in colourful apparel operating at the steep slopes is a testament to the island’s wealthy tea background. Stations like Nanu Oya, serves the hill station of Nuwara Eliya. Hence, it provide travelers a hazard to experience the cool weather and colonial appeal of Sri Lanka’s “Little England.”
The Iconic Highlight of this Sri Lankan Train Journey!
Another iconic highlight of this journey is the Nine Arches Bridge, additionally known as the Bridge within the Sky. Located between the stations of Ella and Demodara, this excellent stone viaduct is ready amidst dense jungle and tea plantations. Unquestionably, the bridge’s architectural splendour and the encompassing surroundings make it a popular spot for photographers and tourists alike. Additionally, watching the train move the Nine Arches Bridge is a mystical moment that epitomizes the charm of the island.
This Sri Lankan train journey concludes inside the city of Badulla, nestled inside the Uva Province. Badulla is a serene vacation spot with its unique sights, including the Muthiyangana Temple and the Dunhinda Falls. The town’s relaxed ecosystem provides a great ending to a journey that has traversed bustling cities.
Conclusion
Evidently, this 10-hour railway journey is convenient for solo travellers. Furthermore, it is so enchantingly scenic that it ends up a bucket listing adventure for plenty of visitors. It’s not simply the views that have guests in awe. After all, this Sri Lankan train journey itself has emerged as an Instagram sensation in recent years, with journey bloggers risking their lives to take pix of themselves hanging off the door as the educate rumbles beyond rickety bridges (a number of them were criticised for their dramatic poses). Yet, the journey is also tied to Sri Lanka’s colonial history and gives passengers deeper information about the island kingdom.