Ella day tours with a private driver
The day trips most people take from Ella are the Nine Arches Bridge and Little Adam's Peak, Lipton's Seat with Diyaluma Falls, Horton Plains, Nuwara Eliya by car or by train, and the Yala and Udawalawe safaris. You pay one fixed price for the whole car or van, from Rs 15,000, and the driver collects you at your Ella hotel. Entrance tickets, safari jeeps and train tickets are paid separately.
- Price per vehicle, not per person
- Pick-up at your Ella hotel
- English-speaking driver
- Book online or on WhatsApp
Ella day tour prices at a glance
Each tour starts and ends at your hotel in Ella. Prices are for the whole vehicle with driver and fuel. Distances are for the car's full round trip.
| Tour | How long | Round trip | Sedan, up to 3 | Van, up to 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ella Sightseeing Tour | About 5 hours | 21 km | Rs 15,000 | Rs 22,000 |
| Lipton's Seat and Diyaluma Falls | 9 to 10 hours | 112 km | Rs 22,000 | Rs 30,000 |
| Horton Plains | 8 to 9 hours | 87 km | Rs 23,500 | Rs 32,000 |
| Nuwara Eliya | About 9 hours | 112 km | Rs 23,000 | Rs 32,000 |
| Train to Nuwara Eliya | About 10 hours | 137 km by car | Rs 25,000 | Rs 34,000 |
| Yala Safari | 11 to 12 hours | 183 km | Rs 28,000 | Rs 38,000 |
| Udawalawe Safari | 10 to 11 hours | 182 km | Rs 28,000 | Rs 38,000 |
Tours and prices
Seven day trips from your hotel in Ella, in a private air-conditioned car or van with an English-speaking driver. Each price is for the whole vehicle, not per person. Press Book to send a booking request.
Ella sights: Nine Arches Bridge, Little Adam's Peak & Ravana Falls
Watch a train cross the Nine Arches Bridge, walk up Little Adam's Peak for the view over Ella Gap, stop at Ravana Falls and finish at a tea factory.
- Little Adam's Peak walk (about 1.5 hrs)
- Nine Arches Bridge, timed for a train
- Ravana Falls
- Halpewatte tea factory
- Nine Arches, Little Adam's Peak, Ravana Falls
- free
- Tea factory tour
- small fee
Lipton's Seat, Dambatenne Tea Factory & Diyaluma Falls
Sunrise over the tea estates at Lipton's Seat, the Dambatenne tea factory below it, then a swim in the natural pools at the top of Diyaluma Falls.
- Sunrise at Lipton's Seat
- Dambatenne tea factory
- Diyaluma Falls, upper pools
- Lipton's Seat
- approx. Rs 100 to 550
- Dambatenne tea factory
- approx. Rs 250
- Diyaluma Falls
- approx. Rs 350
Horton Plains National Park & World's End
A 9 km loop walk across high grassland to World's End, a sheer drop of about 870 m, and Baker's Falls. Mornings are clearest, so the tour leaves Ella before dawn.
- Park gate at 6 am, start the loop walk
- World's End and Baker's Falls
- Breakfast at the park
- Back in Ella around 1 pm
- Park ticket
- USD 25 + 18% tax
- Vehicle fee
- small extra
Nuwara Eliya & tea country by car
Over the hills to Nuwara Eliya: Hakgala Botanical Garden, the Seetha Amman Temple, a walk around Gregory Lake and a tour of the Pedro tea factory.
- Hakgala Botanical Garden and Seetha Amman Temple
- Gregory Lake, town and lunch
- Pedro tea factory
- Hakgala Garden, Gregory Lake, tea factory
- small fees
Train to Nuwara Eliya, sightseeing & car back to Ella
Ride the hill-country train out of Ella past Haputale and Ohiya while your driver goes ahead by road. The car meets you at Ambewela or Nanu Oya station for an afternoon in Nuwara Eliya, then drives you back to Ella.
- Morning train from Ella (about 2 to 2.5 hrs)
- Driver meets you at Ambewela or Nanu Oya
- Ambewela farm or Nuwara Eliya town, Gregory Lake and lunch
- Hakgala Garden, then about 2 hrs back to Ella
- Train, reserved 2nd class
- approx. Rs 4,000 pp
- Train, observation saloon
- approx. Rs 5,000 pp
Yala National Park safari
Down from the hills to Yala, best known for its leopards. Your driver takes you to the park near Tissamaharama, and a safari jeep takes you in for the afternoon drive.
- Lunch in Tissamaharama
- Afternoon jeep safari (about 4 hrs)
- Back in Ella around 8 pm
- Park ticket
- approx. Rs 13,000 pp
- Safari jeep
- extra, per jeep
Udawalawe National Park safari
The best park for elephants, with a herd of at least 250 living there all year. Add the Elephant Transit Home, where orphaned calves are fed.
- Morning jeep safari (about 3 hrs)
- Lunch
- Elephant Transit Home feeding
- Back in Ella around 5:30 pm
- Park ticket and jeep
- extra, check with us
Day tour
Transport only: vehicle, driver and fuel. Entrance tickets, safari jeeps, train tickets and lunch are not included.
Which Ella day tour should you choose?
It depends on how early you're happy to get up and whether you want a walk, a view or wildlife. This is what we tell guests who ask.
Ella sights
The Nine Arches Bridge, Little Adam's Peak and Ravana Falls in a morning. Good on your arrival day or before a train.
Lipton's Seat and Diyaluma
Tea estates at dawn, then the natural pools at the top of Diyaluma Falls. An early start, but an easy day.
Horton Plains
A 9 km loop to World's End on high grassland. The earliest start of all, and back by lunchtime.
Train to Nuwara Eliya
Ride the most scenic part of the line, then the car takes over. No second train and no change of hotel.
Yala or Udawalawe
Leopards at Yala, elephants at Udawalawe. Both are long days, so most guests choose one.
What the tour price includes
Our Ella day tours are transport only. The price covers the vehicle and driver for the day, so you only pay for the places you actually go into.
Included
- Private air-conditioned sedan or van for the day
- English-speaking driver
- Fuel
- Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel in Ella
Not included
- Entrance tickets
- Safari jeeps at Yala and Udawalawe
- Train tickets
- Lunch and drinks
- Tips for the driver, if you'd like to leave one
Tickets to budget for
| Place | Tour | Foreign adult, approx. |
|---|---|---|
| Nine Arches, Little Adam's Peak, Ravana Falls | Ella sights | Free |
| Lipton's Seat | Lipton's Seat and Diyaluma | Rs 100 to 550 |
| Dambatenne tea factory | Lipton's Seat and Diyaluma | Rs 250 |
| Diyaluma Falls | Lipton's Seat and Diyaluma | Rs 350 |
| Horton Plains National Park | Horton Plains | USD 25 + 18% tax |
| Train, Ella to Ambewela or Nanu Oya | Train to Nuwara Eliya | Rs 4,000 (2nd class) to Rs 5,000 (observation) |
| Yala National Park ticket | Yala safari | about Rs 13,000 |
| Safari jeep | Yala and Udawalawe | Per jeep, ask us |
These are 2026 rates for foreign adults and they change often. Sites that price in US dollars take rupees at the gate rate on the day.
How to book an Ella day tour
Pick a tour and vehicle
Press Book on the tour you want. Choose a sedan for up to 3 guests or a van for up to 7.
Send the short form
Add your date, pick-up time and hotel. There's nothing to pay at this point.
We confirm
You get a booking reference straight away, and we confirm the tour by email and WhatsApp.
Your driver collects you
The driver meets you at your hotel at the agreed time. If you chose cash, you pay the driver on the day.
Good to know before a day tour from Ella
Ella sits high in the hills, so 40 km can take an hour and a half. The times on this page already allow for that.
Horton Plains and Lipton's Seat are cold before sunrise, and Nuwara Eliya is cooler than Ella all day.
Reserved seats on the Ella line open 30 days ahead, and the observation saloon sells out within hours.
Yala's main block usually closes for a few weeks between September and mid October. Udawalawe stays open.
Cover your shoulders and knees at the Seetha Amman Temple and other shrines, and take your shoes off at the entrance.
Afternoons in the hill country often bring mist or showers, which is why the viewpoint tours start early.
Questions about Ella day tours
How much does a day tour from Ella cost?
A private day tour from Ella with Ceylon Taxi costs Rs 15,000 to Rs 28,000 in a sedan for up to 3 people, or Rs 22,000 to Rs 38,000 in a van for up to 7. That covers the vehicle, an English-speaking driver and fuel. Entrance tickets, safari jeeps and train tickets are extra.
Is the price per person?
No, it's for the whole vehicle. Two people sharing a sedan to Horton Plains pay Rs 23,500 between them, about Rs 11,750 each, plus their own park tickets.
Are entrance tickets included?
No. The tours are transport only, and you pay tickets at each site. Horton Plains is USD 25 plus 18% tax for a foreign adult, Lipton's Seat and Diyaluma are a few hundred rupees, and the safaris need a park ticket and a jeep.
Can I visit Horton Plains as a day trip from Ella?
Yes. It's 87 km there and back on mountain roads, about three and a half hours of driving. We pick you up around 4 am so you start the 9 km walk to World's End when the gate opens at 6, and you're back in Ella around 1 pm.
Can I take the train from Ella to Nuwara Eliya and come back the same day?
Yes. Take the morning train from Ella to Ambewela or Nanu Oya, about 2 to 2.5 hours. Your driver meets you at the station, shows you Nuwara Eliya and drives you back to Ella. The car costs Rs 25,000 for a sedan; train tickets are about Rs 4,000 to 5,000 per person and sell out early.
Is Yala or Udawalawe better from Ella?
Yala is best for leopards and Udawalawe for elephants. Both are about 90 km from Ella. Yala's main block usually closes for a few weeks in the dry season, roughly September to mid October, while Udawalawe is open all year.
What time do the tours start?
Horton Plains leaves around 4 am and Lipton's Seat around 5 am for sunrise. The Ella sights tour starts at about 7 am, and the safaris leave in the morning or late morning depending on the drive. You choose the pick-up time when you book.
What vehicles do you use?
An air-conditioned sedan for up to 3 guests or a van for up to 7, each with an English-speaking driver. For a bigger group, message us on WhatsApp.
How do I pay?
When you book, choose cash to the driver on the day or card. We confirm the payment details along with your booking.
Plan your day out from Ella
Tell us the tour and the date, and we'll take care of the car and driver. If you're not sure which tour fits, send us a WhatsApp message and we'll help you choose.
Need a transfer instead of a tour? See our Ella taxi service, Kandy day tours or airport transfers.
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