Nuwara Eliya is one of Sri Lanka's most affordable stops. A baseline of €50 per person per day covers a double room in a decent guesthouse, three local meals, tuk-tuk transport and a tea plantation visit.
Accommodation covers every band. A family guesthouse on the outskirts costs £22-35/night with breakfast. A good 3-star hotel (Galway Heights, Araliya Green Hills) runs £50-90/night. The colonial institutions (Grand Hotel, Hill Club) cost £90-160/night depending on the season. The Heritance Tea Factory (15 km south, former tea factory converted into a one-of-a-kind 5-star hotel) starts at £170-260/night — an experience in itself, with tea tasting included and visit of the adjoining tea fields. In April (local peak), all these prices multiply by 2-3.
Dining is very cheap in local cuisine (rice and curry £2.50-4.50/person, kottu roti £1.70-3.50) and reasonable in tourist restaurants (£9-13/person for a Westernised meal). Afternoon tea at the Grand Hotel costs 3,000 LKR (£8) for the full set — one of the city's best gourmet experiences. Dinner at the Hill Club (smart dress required) costs £22-35/person for a classic colonial menu.
Entry fees vary: Pedro Estate 1,000 LKR (£2.70), Mackwoods Labookellie free, Horton Plains National Park 4,500 LKR (£12) + vehicle fees.
Transport from Kandy: Kandy-Nanu Oya train 1,500 LKR in 1st class (£4, 4 hours), direct bus 800 LKR (£2, 4 hours), private driver £50-65 (3 hours). For Horton Plains, a private driver is almost essential: £40-60 return with waiting, or tuk-tuk negotiated at £32.
Read also
- Sri Lanka — Full country guide: entry rules, budget, when to visit, itineraries.
- Hill Country — Sri Lanka's tea country and central mountains.
- Ella, backpacker village — Nine Arches Bridge and Little Adam's Peak, 50 km southeast.
- Kandy, last royal capital — Temple of the Tooth and sacred lake, 2h30 north via the mythical train.