A long day trip from Ella but worth the effort if the weather holds. The site sits at 1,970 metres above sea level on the edge of the Haputale ridge, with views across rolling tea country to seven provinces on clear days. Most visitors do the eight-kilometre walk from the Dambatenne Tea Factory at dawn, when the cloud sits below the ridge — by mid-morning the view often closes in.
The drive from Ella takes about ninety minutes each way. Combine the visit with a tour of the Dambatenne factory itself, founded by Lipton in 1890 and still producing tea today. A tuk-tuk can be hired for the whole circuit.