Horton Plains

 Horton Plains

Its name translates to "city of light" or "city on the plain (table land)". The city, which has a gorgeous environment and a temperate temperature, serves as the administrative center of the Nuwara Eliya District. It is thought to be the most significant area for tea production in Sri Lanka and is located there, at an elevation of 1,868 m (6,128 ft). The tallest peak in Sri Lanka, Pidurutalagala, guards above the city. The coolest region in Sri Lanka is Nuwara Eliya, which is recognized for its moderate climate.

Samuel Baker, an explorer of Lake Albert and the upper Nile, founded the settlement in 1846. Due to its favorable climate, Nuwara Eliya quickly rose to prominence as the British planters and public servants' preferred retreat in Ceylon. In Nuwara Eliya, often known as Little England, British colonialists could indulge in their passions of fox hunting, deer hunting, elephant hunting, polo, golf, and cricket.

Many of the structures, including the Queen's Cottage, General's House, Grand Hotel, Hill Club, St. Andrew's Hotel, and Town Post Office, still have colonial-era characteristics. The colonial style is frequently used to construct and decorate new hotels.

Climate

 Because of its highland location, Nuwara Eliya has a subtropical highland climatic (Köppen climate classification Cfb), with a mean annual temperature of 16 °C (61 °F), no discernible dry season, and a foggy season akin to the monsoon.

Although there may be frost at night during the winter, the high sun angle during the daytime causes temperatures to rise quickly.

Festivals

For the Sinhalese and Tamil New Years in April, the town really comes to life. Accommodations are hard to come by because Sri Lankan tourists are in the area at this time. Every year on April 1, the festive season officially begins. All of the local school bands take part in a band show that makes up the majority of the ceremony.

Races for cars and horses are the main events in April. The Mahagastotte and Radella Hill Climbs, the first of which has been held since 1934, bring motor racing to life. A good number of enthusiasts attend the Nuwara Eliya Road Race and the 4X4 Lake Cross on the edge of Lake Gregory. The season culminates with the nine-furlong (1811 m) Governor's Cup at the Nuwara Eliya Racecourse, golf tournaments at the Nuwara aya Golf Club, and the flower exhibition at the end of the month. Parties are organized every night in the hotels.

Attractions 

The golf course, trout streams, Victoria Park, and boating or fishing on Lake Gregory are some of the town's attractions. Victoria Park is a lovely, frequently visited refuge. Because of the excellent prospects for observing species, particularly the Indian blue robin, pied thrush, or scaly thrush lurking in the deeper undergrowth, it is well-liked by birdwatchers during quieter periods. Another lovely bird in the park is the Kashmir flycatcher.

A few kilometers east of the town, adjacent to Lake Gregory, is the Galway's Land Bird Sanctuary, which is a mountainous wooded area. Its 0.6 km2 is home to numerous bird and mammal species that are unique to Sri Lanka, such as wild boar and barking deer.

For trips to Horton Plains National Park, the city serves as a base. This is a crucial habitat for species in an open, grassy woods. The leopard, sambar, and the rare purple-faced langur are among the species that can be found here. The Sri Lanka white-eye, yellow-eared bulbul, and dull-blue flycatcher are examples of endemic highland birds. The lowlands' World's End, a sheer cliff with a 1050 m plunge, is a popular tourist destination. The picturesque Baker's Falls are seen on the way back. It is preferable to go early in the morning to see the wildlife and view World's End before the morning mists shut in.

The abundant cultivation of vegetables, fruit, and flowers often associated with temperate Europe is one of the defining characteristics of the landscape in Nuwara Eliya. This "Little England" is covered in terraces where potatoes, carrots, leeks, and roses are grown, and on the higher slopes, tea bushes are intermingled with tea bushes.

Some of the best orange pekoe tea in the world is produced by the highland region's slow-growing tea bushes. Numerous tea plantations in the area of Nuwara Eliya provide guided tours, as well as the chance to try or buy their goods.