Don’t you love it when you stumble across a total hidden gem when on your travels? Today, en route from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya (part of our adventurous Sri Lanka itinerary) our driver told us about Ramboda Falls, an amazing waterfall just 20km from Nuwara Eliya. I had never heard of it before, but it turns out it’s one of the highest waterfalls in Sri Lanka and thanks to the insane amount of rainfall they are getting at the moment, it was pretty spectacular.
Ramboda Falls Hotel and Restaurant
We drove through a small tunnel called Ramboda Tunnel, then our driver pulled over right away at the side of the road, in this small car park. Then you walk down a very steep hill to the Ramboda Falls Hotel. It’s a bit weird and confusing as you have to walk through the hotel lobby (this seems to be the ONLY way to get to the waterfall), take a glass elevator down 4 floors, and walk out into an open plan restaurant.
You then walk out of the restaurant and BAM this insane, gushing, powerful, breathtaking waterfall is right there in front of your eyes. It really is spectacular!
You can walk down the winding path and get super close to the falls, close enough that you can feel the water spray on your face. They also have a uniquely positioned cafe on the viewing platform in case you want to enjoy a cup of tea or a beer with a view.
READ MORE: Unique Things To Do in Nuwara Eliya
We decided to have lunch in the restaurant, for convenience sake, and thanks to the fact that there was incredible views of the Ramboda Falls AND another spectacular waterfall in the distance called Puna Falls. The buffet lunch, with starters, mains and a choice of desserts, was 1,500 rupees each, which is about €7.50 or maybe $8.
You don’t have to pay to see the waterfall, but it does feel kind of weird walking through the hotel and restaurant and then not buying anything, but if you’re on a budget you could totally do that.
Once you leave and drive on towards Nuwara Eliya, there’s a small viewpoint on the righthand side of the road to get better shots of Puna Falls, which you can see below. The whole way along this stretch you will see waterfall after waterfall after waterfall. Some even flow right down through the tea plantations!
How to get to Ramboda Falls
The easiest way to get here is to drive or have your driver stop off here. It’s a perfect stop when driving from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya. You could also take the train to Nuwara Eliya (Nanu Oya train stop) and get a taxi or Tuk Tuk to take you there. Once there park in the hotel car park by the road and walk down to the hotel as described above.
Where to stay
We checked into Jetwing St Andrews in Nuwara Eliya, about a half hour drive from the waterfall. The hotel is a former mansion from the colonial times and is beautifully decorated and quite luxurious. The kind of place with lots of open fires, afternoon team and hot soup on arrival!
Tomorrow we plan to check out Lovers Leap waterfall and later some waterfalls close to Ella, so stay tuned for the next update from Sri Lanka!
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