Nanu Oya Railway Station

The Less-Explored Hidden Places In Nuwara Eliya

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Nuwara Eliya is a picturesque hill town nestled in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. The quaint place is known for its tea estates, waterfalls, and colonial architecture. While popular tourist attractions like the tea factories and botanical gardens are worth a visit, a few hidden gems are waiting to be explored in this town enveloped in serenity. 

In this blog post, we will take you off the beaten path to discover some of the lesser-known places in Nuwara Eliya that are equally captivating, if not more, and worth a visit., The locals reside in these places, and we request you travel responsibly without disturbing their daily routine. By visiting these places, you get a sense of the local ethos and truly experience the place as a traveler and not merely as a tourist.

Less-Explored Places In Nuwara Eliya

How To Reach?

Hop on a quick 15-20 minute bus ride from the Nuwara Eliya bus stand to Nanu Oya railway station. The buses are frequent and cost LKR 70 per person one way. From there, walking to all the places mentioned below is easy.

There are restaurants and shops near the railway station. So you can grab some snacks and a water bottle, or even have breakfast or lunch and embark on your adventure.

Edinburg View Point

Edinburg Tea Estate, Nanu Oya

Rather than visiting the touristy Damro Tea Estate, we explored the Edinburg Tea Estate, which spans over 50,000 hectares of land. It is a private property, not visited by tourists. We followed the Google Maps leading to the Edinburg Viewpoint, which offers breathtaking vistas of the tea estates on either side of the Nanu Oya village.

The spectacle of trains passing through the station and the estate mustn’t be missed. You can witness workers harvesting in the tea plantations, but ensure you do not get in their way by badgering them with too many questions or playing loud music. The atmosphere is peaceful, and you can stay here for a long while to soak nature’s tranquility. From here, you can head back to Nanu Oya station.

Note: The path between the plantations is infested with leeches, so be careful. Another important thing to note is that, unlike the Damro Tea Estate, you cannot purchase tea, and the tea-making process is not explained here. So if you’re a tea enthusiast and want to peek behind the lush green plantations, you must visit the Damro Tea Estate.

Nanu Oya Waterfall

Nanu Oya Waterfall, Nuwara Eliya

Nanu Oya waterfall is a unique waterfall that has a railway bridge running through it. Seeing the train crossing through the bridge while the water gushes down the hill is a sight to behold

Using Google Maps, we navigated toward the Nanu Oya waterfall, and along the way, we stumbled upon a picturesque bridge adjacent to the railway station. We were amazed by the number of people and children crossing the bridge. With slight drizzles accompanying us, we were invigorated by the beauty of this side of Sri Lanka that remained unexplored. It truly satisfied the adventurers within us, and we couldn’t be more thrilled.

After crossing the zigzag roads and passing through the small settlements, we finally arrived at the majestic Nanu Oya waterfall.

Train crossing the Nanu Oya waterfall at Nuwara Eliya

Fortunately, we reached there just in time to witness a train passing through the bridge amidst the waterfall. It was a sight to behold that would remain with us long after we left the place.

We spent some time observing the locals relax at the waterfalls. A note of caution: The path here might be uneven, marshy, and the rocks slippery. So be careful while you tread the path.

Glassough Waterfall

Glassough waterfall

Enveloped within the tea estates of Glassough is a hidden waterfall. A 2.5 km walk along the hilly roads will lead you to the Glassough waterfall, named after the area. When we visited in May, the water flow was less as the monsoon had just started. However, the sight of the surrounding tea estates and the grand waterfall was ethereal.

scenic railway bridges at Nanu Oya, Nuwara Eliya

On our way back, we took a different route and walked along the railway track like the locals. It was easier than walking along the zig-zag hilly roads. However, we recommend you use both paths, as each has a vibe of its own.

Aerial view of Nanu Oya Waterfall
Nanu Oya Waterfall seen while hiking back through the railway track route

This way, you get to see the different parts of the waterfall from various angles. The choice is yours to make. If you need the GPS file, drop an email to hello@twinsontoes.com.

Note: There is no entry fee or restricted timings, but visiting before the sun is out is better. Also, while crossing the track, watch out for the trains. Usually, you’ll get a good signal here from Dialog, and you can rely on Google Maps for navigation.

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