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View all Ella toursDiyaluma Falls Infinity Pools and Buduruwagala Rock Temple Day Trip from Ella
A day south of Ella to Diyaluma, Sri Lanka's second-highest waterfall, with a climb to the natural infinity pools at the top, plus Ravana Falls and the seventh-century rock carvings at Buduruwagala.
Highlights
- Diyaluma, Sri Lanka's second-highest waterfall at 220 metres
- The climb to the natural infinity pools on the lip of the fall
- Buduruwagala's seven rock-cut figures, including a 16-metre standing Buddha
- A rare Mahayana site in a country of Theravada Buddhism
- Ravana Falls on the road back to Ella
Diyaluma Falls Infinity Pools and Buduruwagala Rock Temple Day Trip from Ella: Key Facts
| Price | From $48.98 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 9 hours |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
Diyaluma is 220 metres, the second-highest waterfall in Sri Lanka, and it drops off an escarpment about 45 minutes south of Ella. Most visitors photograph it from the road below and leave, which misses the reason to come.
The reason is the top. A steep path climbs about 45 minutes through rubber and scrub to a series of natural rock pools on the lip of the fall, where the water collects before it goes over. Sitting in one of them with the plain spread out 220 metres below is the single most photographed thing in the Uva highlands after the Nine Arch Bridge, and it is a genuine scramble rather than a stroll.
Buduruwagala, an hour further, is the counterweight. Seven figures carved into a rock face in the ninth or tenth century, the central Buddha standing sixteen metres, and traces of the original stucco and paint still visible. It belongs to the Mahayana tradition, which is unusual in Sri Lanka, and it sits in scrub with almost nobody there.
Ravana Falls near Ella closes the day on the way back.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Pickup in Ella
The drive south towards Koslanda.
Diyaluma from below
The roadside view of the full 220-metre drop.
Climb to the pools
About 45 minutes up to the infinity pools at the top.
Descent and lunch
Back down, then a stop to eat.
Buduruwagala
The seven rock-cut figures.
Ravana Falls
On the road back into Ella.
Drop-off
Back at your hotel.
Detailed Itinerary
[{"time": "07:30", "title": "Hotel pickup", "description": "About 45 minutes south."}, {"time": "09:00", "title": "The climb", "description": "Steep, on loose ground, roughly 45 minutes each way. Not suitable in flip-flops or after heavy rain."}, {"time": "10:00", "title": "The infinity pools", "description": "A series of rock pools on the lip. The drop is unfenced and people have died here — stay well back from the edge."}, {"time": "13:30", "title": "Buduruwagala", "description": "Shoes off at the site. Entry is a small fee paid at the gate."}, {"time": "16:30", "title": "Ella", "description": "Drop-off at your hotel."}]
Includes
- Private air-conditioned car with an English-speaking driver-guide, hotel pickup and drop-off in Ella, all driving, fuel and parking.
Excludes
- The Buduruwagala entrance fee, meals and drinks, a local guide at the falls where one is engaged, gratuities.
Important information
Meeting point
Hotel pickup in Ella; the exact address and time are confirmed after booking.
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts