The 15 Best Things to Do in Ella

Ella: Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class - Fresh ingredients and the Sri Lankan spice cupboard

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 788 reviews · 2 hours · from $19Our pick

Learn to cook Sri Lankan hoppers, curries, sambol, and string hoppers with Ranjani in Ella, then enjoy your meal on a banana leaf.

“We had such a wonderful evening helping Ranjani to prepare and cook some traditional Sri Lankan dishes. I learned loads about the health benefits of the various spices and the different cooking methods for the dishes we produced, which were absolutely delicious. Highly recommended if you want to learn how to recreate Sri Lankan foods when you get home”

Check availability →Read our full review

Ella Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Ella: Drop to Tangalle/Hiriketiya/Mirissa/Galle & Yala Tour

2.Drop to Tangalle/Hiriketiya/Mirissa/Galle & Yala Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 518 reviews · 3 - 9 hours · from $10Best value

Travel from Ella to Sri Lanka’s south coast with a three-hour Yala safari, shared transfers, leopards, elephants, and excellent value.

“Extremely well organised and communicated - pick up was clear and prompt - transfer to jeep was smooth - Yala - early morning safari was sadly not sharing it's wildlife today our driver Chathura was an excellent driver, friendly and polite throughout- we liked that jeeps were turned off if something was spotted, wildlife was fully respected and actually very few jeeps were around during our safari. The transfer was ok - a little confusing and very crammed- we were led to believe that we would be dropped at accommodation but we were dropped in the town and had to make our own way there”

Check availability →Read our full review

Adam's Peak Hikes, Ella Tours, Nine Arch Bridge & Ella Tours, Tour Reviews

Ella: Little Adam’s Peak, Nine Arches Bridge & Waterfalls

3.Little Adam’s Peak, Nine Arches Bridge & Waterfalls

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 402 reviews · 6 hours · from $37

Review of Ella’s six-hour tuk-tuk tour to Nine Arches Bridge, Little Adam’s Peak, Ravana and quiet waterfalls, with practical tips and value advice.

“Amazing trip! Our guide Jagen was so kind and helpful. He explained things very well and made sure we had the best possible experience. Sights were great especially loved the secret waterfall! 10/10 experience would recommend.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Ella Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

ELLA: Drop to Tangalle/Hiriketiya/Mirissa/Galle & Yala Tour

4.Drop to Tangalle/Hiriketiya/Mirissa/Galle & Yala Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 336 reviews · from $35

Travel from Ella to Sri Lanka’s south coast with a Yala safari, air-conditioned transport, wildlife spotting, and hotel drop-off.

“Naja was an amazing guide! He helped us see elephants and an elusive leopard. Truly help make the experience. It felt like once in a life time. Just a note, it is a lot of driving to get there, during the safari, and after. I would recommend doing something active before or after. Highly highly recommend”

Check availability →Read our full review

Ella Tours, Safari, Safaris in Ella, Tour Reviews

From Ella: Drop to Tangalle/Hiriketiya/Mirissa & Yala Safari

5.Drop to Tangalle/Hiriketiya/Mirissa & Yala Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 296 reviews · 4 - 10 hours · from $11

Combine an Ella to Sri Lanka’s south coast transfer with a three-hour Yala safari, seeking leopards, elephants, crocodiles, and birds.

“The Safari tour was really nice and our tour guide Sasanka made a lot of effort that we seee everything. We were lucky and even saw a leopard. Also the pick up and trop of was perfect for us from Ella to Mirissa.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Cooking Classes, Ella Tours, Tour Reviews, Workshops

Ella: Sri Lankan Cooking Class with Neranji at Homestay

6.Sri Lankan Cooking Class with Neranji at Homestay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 276 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $19Top rated

Cook Sri Lankan curries, sambols, roti, and seasonal dishes with Neranji in her Ella homestay kitchen for $19.

“An amazing experience!! Absolutely fantastic from Start to finish, Neranji was so kind and welcoming and explained everything so well to us. We learned so much about Sri Lankan cuisine and the food was so well prepared and we were involved in everything. Definitely the best cooking class in Ella and you won’t be disappointed, such good value for money and you enjoy the food afterwards. A must try when in Ella!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Cooking Classes, Ella Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Workshops

Ella : Cooking class with amazing Spice Garden Tour

7.Cooking class with amazing Spice Garden Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 239 reviews · 4 hours · from $32

Tour Ella’s largest spice garden, cook seven Sri Lankan dishes over a traditional fireplace, and enjoy a generous banana-leaf meal for $32.

“Absolutely loved this spice garden tour and the cooking class. Upulu’s knowledge was incredible and we learnt so much about all the types of spices in Sri Lankan cooking but also daily spices we use but don’t think about how they’re grown and made into what we know in the kitchen like cinnamon and nutmeg. The cooking class itself was fun and interactive. We learnt how to make quite a few dishes and the best part was the eating!! Our cooking teacher was absolutely amazing and Lahiru (the guy helping us, not sure if I’ve spelt his name correctly) was as the real hero making sure everything was smooth and…”

Check availability →Read our full review

Ella Tours, Safari, Safaris in Ella, Tour Reviews

From Ella: Yala Safari with Tangalle/Mirissa/Galle Drop-off

8.Yala Safari with Tangalle/Mirissa/Galle Drop-off

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 198 reviews · 9 hours · from $10

Review of the Ella to Yala safari with beach drop-off, including wildlife, guides, costs, timing, transport, and practical booking tips.

“Was great organized everything went as planned , we were lucky and we saw leopard in the first 10 minutes we reached Yala park! All around great experience and very value for money !”

Check availability →Read our full review

Adam's Peak Hikes, Ella Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Ella: Ella Rock, 9 Arch, Little Adams Peak, & Waterfall Tour

9.Ella Rock, 9 Arch, Little Adams Peak, & Waterfall Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 190 reviews · 1 day · from $34

Review of Ella's full-day tour covering Ella Rock, Nine Arch Bridge, waterfalls, train views, zipline, and Little Adam's Peak for $34.

“Rosemary was so friendly and great to spend the day with around Ella. He took us to his preferred rice and curry spot which we loved and barely broke a sweat when leading us up Ella Rock.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Ella Tours, Safari, Safaris in Ella, Tour Reviews

Ella: Shuttle to Tangalle/Mirissa/Galle w Udawalawe Safari

10.Shuttle to Tangalle/Mirissa/Galle w Udawalawe Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 166 reviews · 7 hours · from $48

Review of Ella to Sri Lanka’s south coast with a three-hour Udawalawe safari, elephants, crocodiles, hotel transfers, costs, and practical tips.

“Everything punctual, well organized. We saw many elephants and one crocodile, many birds, buffaloes. I highly recommend this trip”

Check availability →Read our full review

From Ella: Yala National Park Safari Tour in a 4x4 - Entering Yala National Park in a sturdy 4x4

Ella Tours, National Parks, Safari, Safaris in Ella, Tour Reviews, Tours

From Ella: Yala National Park Safari Tour in a 4×4

11.Yala National Park Safari Tour in a 4×4

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 155 reviews · 8 hours · from $49

Travel from Ella to Yala National Park for a private 4x4 safari with wildlife, sunrise views, air-conditioned transport, and expert guides.

“Sasanka was an excellent guide, we saw some fantastic animals, and overall it was a very memorable day!!!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Cooking Classes, Ella Tours, Tour Reviews, Workshops

Ella Sri Lanka : Mom’s Kitchen Cooking class

12.Ella Sri Lanka : Mom’s Kitchen Cooking class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 113 reviews · 2 hours · from $20

Cook Sri Lankan rice, curry, sambol, and papadum with a warm mother-daughter team in Ella's outdoor kitchen for $20.

“Would definitely recommend this experience to everyone that visits Ella! Truly authentic and Irosha and her mum were so kind and accommodating to our dietary requests! Traditional methods of cooking and gave us tips for cooking! The meal was delicious and we all had a part to play throughout the experience! A massive thankyou and would recommend to others!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Adam's Peak Hikes, Ella Tours, Private Drivers, Private Drivers in Ella, Tour Reviews

Ella Rock & 9 Arch Bridge, Little Adams Peak with Transfer

13.Ella Rock & 9 Arch Bridge, Little Adams Peak with Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · 8 hours · from $50

Hike Ella Rock, Nine Arches Bridge, and Little Adam’s Peak with a local guide, tuk-tuk transfers, lunch, tea-country views, and flexible cancellation.

“It was a wonderful trip with our guide Dino. He is a very good guide and explained many things. He had a lot of surprises for us along the road. He showed us many birds and plants which we would not have seen doing this alone. He served special tea, we hiked hidden paths, a short ride on the railroad and a good lunch.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Ella Tours, Safari, Safaris in Ella, Tour Reviews

Ella: Yala Safari with Drop at Tangalle/ Hiriketiya/ Mirissa

14.Yala Safari with Drop at Tangalle/ Hiriketiya/ Mirissa

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 74 reviews · 9 - 16 hours · from $11

Safari from Ella to Yala with leopard, elephant, crocodile and bird sightings, followed by a comfortable transfer to Sri Lanka’s south coast.

“For us the whole was a Great experience. We got picked up in Ella on time at our hotel, then the trip to Yala was good. The driver was very careful and not driving like crazy. The safari (afternoon) was great as we saw so many elephants, crocodiles, deer, birds, and even a leopard from very far though. You must know that no one can guarantee that you will see animals. The drivers communicate with other ones and try to get people see animals but that’s up to the nature. We got fresh always when arriving at the park and had a short stop for wc and drinks. The return…”

Check availability →Read our full review

Ella Tours, Scenic Train Rides, Tour Reviews, Tours, Train Experiences

From Ella: Ella Unfogettable Day tour & Train Ride Tour

15.Ella Unfogettable Day tour & Train Ride Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · 7 hours · from $37

Review of Ella’s 7-hour tuk-tuk tour with Nine Arch Bridge, Demodara train ride, waterfalls, lunch stop, and Little Adam’s Peak.

“This trip was the really the best we had until now. Mana thanks to our extraordinary guide, Shifar. He was incredibly attentive and did everything possible to fulfill our wishes. As a creative photographer, he captured countless beautiful images and provided us with fascinating information. Traveling in his comfortable tuk-tuk, he showed us all the highlights of the area, ensuring we were completely satisfied throughout the journey. We can really recommend Shifar as best guide EVER 🍀”

Check availability →Read our full review