Taxi in Ella

Getting to and from Ella

Ella sits in a gap in the hills and every road to it is a mountain road. From Kandy the route goes up through tea country and stays high; from the south coast it climbs from sea level in one long haul. Either way the surface is decent and the corners are constant, and the average speed is low no matter what the map suggests. Cloud comes down in the afternoon through much of the year and slows things further.

Arranging a pickup

The town is small and built along one main road, and parking near the centre is limited, so drivers usually wait at the top or bottom of it rather than outside a particular guesthouse. Many people ride the train in from Nuwara Eliya or Haputale and take a car onward from here — arranging the car to meet the train is common and the station is easy to find.