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View all Ella toursElla Hidden Gems Day Tour: The Loop, the Secret Waterfall and Both Peaks
A private Ella day that includes the parts most tours skip: the Demodara Loop, an unmarked waterfall, a train leg, alongside Little Adam's Peak, Ella Rock and the Nine Arch Bridge.
Highlights
- The Demodara Loop, where the railway spirals under itself to gain height
- An unmarked waterfall down a track you would not find from a map
- A short leg on the hill railway rather than a view of it
- Both Ella walks, with a guide for the unsigned Ella Rock route
- A private booking, so the day flexes around the trains and the weather
Ella Hidden Gems Day Tour: The Loop, the Secret Waterfall and Both Peaks: Key Facts
| Price | From $32.93 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 9 hours |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
Ella's famous sights are famous for a reason and they are also, by nine in the morning, full of people. The parts of this day worth paying for are the ones that are not on the standard list.
The Demodara Loop is the best of them. The railway spirals a full circle to pass beneath the station it just left, purely to gain height, and it is a genuine piece of engineering from the era when this line was cut. Almost no visitors make the short trip out to see it.
The secret waterfall is down an unmarked track through tea and rubber below the town. You will not find it from a map, and in the wet season it is considerably more impressive than Ravana Falls, which sits beside a road and has a car park.
A short train leg between Demodara and Ella puts you on the hill line rather than beside it — twenty minutes, and the section everybody photographs.
Alongside those, the day covers the two walks: Little Adam's Peak at first light, and Ella Rock, which is the one that needs a guide because the junction where the route leaves the railway has no sign and several plausible alternatives.
Private, so if the train runs late or cloud comes down, the day reshuffles instead of collapsing.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Little Adam's Peak
Pickup and the walk up for sunrise.
Ella Rock
The longer walk with a guide.
Demodara Loop
The railway spiral.
Train leg
A short ride on the hill line.
Nine Arch Bridge
The viaduct below town.
Secret waterfall
Down an unmarked track through tea.
Drop-off
Back at your hotel.
Detailed Itinerary
[{"time": "05:30", "title": "Hotel pickup", "description": "A long day. Say in advance if you want to drop a section."}, {"time": "08:00", "title": "Ella Rock", "description": "Three hours return on unmarked ground. Moderate fitness and proper shoes."}, {"time": "15:00", "title": "The waterfall", "description": "An uneven track, slippery after rain. Your driver decides on the day whether the pool is safe to swim in."}, {"time": "16:30", "title": "Ella", "description": "Drop-off at your hotel."}]
Includes
- Private vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide, hotel pickup and drop-off in Ella, guiding on both walks, all driving.
Excludes
- Train tickets, the zipline fee if added, entrance fees, meals and drinks, 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