One of the world's most beautiful train rides climbs through Sri Lanka's misty hill country, past tea estates, waterfalls and the famous Nine Arch Bridge. Here's what the Kandy to Ella train is like, when to go and how long to stay.
UK passport holders need an Electronic Travel Authorisation, applied for online before you fly. Train tickets are very cheap, but reserved seats sell out weeks ahead. Check entry rules on GOV.UK before you book.
Temperatures are the average daytime high in °C.
The hill country is driest and clearest from January to March, the best time for views from the train. April is hot with some afternoon storms. From May to September the southwest monsoon brings showers, more on the Kandy side than around Ella, and October and November are the wettest months. At around 1,000 to 2,000 metres up, it's much cooler than the coast. Temperatures shown are for Kandy.
About seven hours from Kandy to Ella. Sit on the right going uphill for the best tea-estate views.
A stone viaduct in the jungle near Ella. Check the timetable and watch a train cross from the hillside.
An easy hike from Ella through tea gardens to a viewpoint over Ella Gap.
Kandy's most sacred temple, said to hold a tooth of the Buddha. Cover shoulders and knees.
See how tea is picked and processed near Nuwara Eliya, then taste it fresh.
A high plateau with cloud forest and the cliff-edge viewpoint of World's End.
Yes, especially for older children. The views are spectacular, but trains can be crowded and toilets are basic, so a reserved seat makes a big difference. Some families ride just part of the way.
About seven hours, though delays are common. Many people break it at Nanu Oya for Nuwara Eliya, or start at Nanu Oya to cut it to about three and a half hours.
Fly into Bandaranaike International Airport near Colombo, then take a car or train to Kandy, about three to four hours. From Ella, drivers reach the south coast beaches in about three hours.
Reserved seats in first, second and third class go on sale about 30 days ahead on the Sri Lanka Railways website and at stations, and sell out fast. Unreserved tickets are sold on the day, but you may stand.
Put Kandy to Ella train on standby with everyone's other ideas. You each spread your points in secret, get one veto, and the draw picks where you go.