Tour of Sri Lanka 2025 | Day 8 | Yala – Ella | 93 kms

Around 6am, I woke up, freshened up, and finished my diary. After morning tea, I packed, loaded my bike, and left by 8am. I had hoppers and egg hoppers for breakfast at the same restaurant from the previous night, finishing with a cup of tea.

I purchase some bananas and pineapple to eat along the way from the nearby market. Finally, around 9am, I actually hit the road towards Ella which is 80km away. I take the same route which we’d taken for safari the previous night. I encounter a wild elephant who’s blocking my way. I am the only one on 2 wheels. Others cross without any worry. My heart is really in my mouth just by seeing that giant. Locals advise me to drive past in a speedy manner and not to drive slow. I take the leap of faith and zoom past the elephant in a lightening fashion. Much relief but it is also short lived.

Actually, the bananas which I’d purchased were actually for them. I wanted to try and feed wild elephant but I just could not dare going closer to them. A car blocked the way between myself and the 2nd elephant as I overtook him from the oncoming side. This one really looked massive and I dare not cross in front of him just like that.

For the 3rd one, I cross from the behind as he is busy tearing away the branches with his trunk. From then onwards, it’s a relaxed drive as I don’t encounter them afterwards. After a short while, I take a left from the highway and pass through small villages to rejoin another parallel highway. The roads are good and this section can be seen with all around agriculture fields. I see people working on the farms. Mostly, paddy and sugarcane dominate the landscape. Large scale boulders can be seen jutting out of the ground just like yesterday’s landscape. I have marked a place on the map which I need to see and falls along the route before I push towards Ella. It’s just 4km off the grid. The place name is ‘Buduruwagela’.

I reach the place and at the parking lot I am told that I have missed to take the entry ticker a km backward. I request them of having not see the ticket counter. They listen and allow me to proceed towards the site but tell me to buy one while returning. It’s a 5 min walk towards the rock carvings of Buddha. The largest standing statue of Buddha in Sri Lanka. It’s a magnificent site to see and along with Buddha there are other forms of him carved on it’s left and right hand side.

It was once done in plaster and was colorful but over a period of time, the weather has taken a toll over it. I click some photos before returning to the parking lot. I munch on some bananas and pineapple slices before heading towards the ticket counter. I get the ticket and pay the money and thereafter proceed towards Ella. The last 30kms is all uphill as the flat landscape changes to a hilly one. There are twistys and twistys and I navigate slowly on the turns due to heavy traffic. Some sections can be seen affected due to landslides occurring in the previous month.

The hotel is already marked on the google as I reach my destination around 1pm. Check in is quick as I offload all my luggage and get ready to explore. My hostel owner sends me a list of ‘to-do’ things in Ella. Taking that as as reference, I head to the train station to check on the train timings as I wish to undertake the train journey as a part of my wish list.

I book the available route from Ella and return for tomorrow. The booking procedure is a cake walk as I just need to show my passport and pay the ticket amount. I get a copy of my to and fro ticket. Next, I head to the iconic ‘9 arch bridge’ on foot following the train tracks. Many can be seen walking on the tracks towards the bridge. I reconfirm with the railway person and he gives go ahead saying that it’s a 2.5km walk towards the bridge. I keep my helmet in the station master’s room and follow the track through misty weather and foggy clad mountain tops towards the bridge. It takes roughly 45mins for the walk.

The walk indeed is one of a kind and a thing to remember and experience. My first time walking over the tracks for such a long distance. The place is full of tourists when I reach there. Almost all are glued to their cellphones taking photos and selfies. I too take the photo of the bridge from various angles and also take selfie. After a lot of waiting, the train which was scheduled to pass through the bridge, crosses around 3:40pm amidst the cheering crowd.

Many were actually waiting for this event and almost everyone get’s dispersed when the train leaves. I too take my leave from the place and make my way back walking along the lines. I reach back around 5pm following which I head to my hostel room to get fresh. After freshening up, I head back to the town below for a evening stroll around the market and hotels which are lined on both the sides. There are large no.of hotels to cater to the foreign crowd.

Along with the bars, some souvenir and tea factory outlets are also present. I visit some of these to check the things out. I buy some of the interesting things and finally settle for dinner at a restaurant before returning back to the hostel for a comfortable night’s sleep.