If there’s one image that captures the spirit of our final days in Sri Lanka, it’s this one — Jeffrey leaning out of the train window, grinning, with the blue carriages curving through the green hills behind him. That’s exactly how it felt. Part 3 of this series covers the most visually spectacular stretch of our trip: the famous hill country railway from Ambewela to Demodara, the iconic Nine Arches Bridge in Ella, and a sunrise safari at Yala National Park where we spotted Sri Lanka’s most elusive predator. If you’re just joining, catch up with Part 1: Ancient Temples, Lion Rock & Elephants and Part 2: Village Life, Kandy & Tea Country.
Day 9: The World’s Most Scenic Train Ride
We woke early at Jetwing St. Andrews in Nuwara Eliya — Sri Lanka’s hill country feels almost like a different country entirely, cool and misty, with colonial-era churches and English-style gardens tucked between the tea estates. Before heading to the train station, we passed through town and I stopped to photograph a striking yellow church and its serene interior — a reminder that Sri Lanka’s religious landscape extends well beyond Buddhism and Hinduism.
The 17 km drive to Ambewela Station took about 40 minutes through some of the most beautiful morning scenery of the trip. Mist hung in the valleys between tea estates, and the light was that soft, diffused quality that makes everything look like a painting.
Ambewela to Demodara
The train ride from Ambewela to Demodara is widely regarded as one of the most scenic railway journeys in the world, and it absolutely lived up to the reputation. This stretch is part of the Main Line — specifically the upcountry section running from Kandy to Badulla — which was completed in 1924 after 52 years of construction by the British, originally to transport coffee and later tea from the hill country to Colombo.
The journey covers about 56 km and takes nearly 3 hours, which sounds slow until you understand why — the train climbs and descends through steep mountain terrain, passing through tunnels, crossing bridges, and hugging cliff edges with drops that make your stomach flip. The views are nonstop: high-altitude tea estates rolling to the horizon, waterfalls appearing and disappearing through the mist, and tiny villages perched on impossibly steep hillsides.
And everyone hangs out the doors and windows. That’s not an exaggeration — it’s essentially part of the experience. Passengers lean out with phones, cameras, and selfie sticks, the wind in their faces, the green blur of the hillside rushing past just inches away. I was right there with them, camera in hand, shooting everything I could.
A note on timing: Cyclone Ditwah caused severe damage to portions of the Main Line in late 2025, including landslides and washed-away tracks. While the Ambewela-to-Badulla section has resumed service, significant stretches of the hill country line remain under repair, and complete restoration could take over a year. Check current conditions before planning your trip.
The Nine Arches Bridge
The undisputed highlight of the train journey is crossing the Nine Arches Bridge — also known as the “Bridge in the Sky” — located between Ella and Demodara stations. Built in 1921 during World War I, this colonial-era railway viaduct was constructed entirely from stone, brick, and cement because steel was scarce during wartime. It spans 91 meters at a height of 24 meters, featuring nine massive arches that carry the tracks through a sharp nine-degree curve against a backdrop of tea fields and jungle.
Crossing it on the train itself is thrilling — you can feel the curve, see the valley drop away beneath you, and hear the collective gasp from passengers who suddenly realize how high they are. But some of the best photographs come from below, where you can take in the full scale of the structure against the surrounding landscape.
98 Acres Resort & Spa
From Demodara Station, it was an 11 km, 30-minute drive to the 98 Acres Resort & Spa in Ella — and this place deserves a mention. Nestled into a hillside surrounded by tea estates, the resort is beautifully designed with natural materials and has some of the most spectacular views I’ve experienced from a hotel room.
That evening, the sky put on a show. Storm clouds rolled in over the mountains, and from the hotel terrace I watched lightning illuminate the peaks and valleys in flashes of purple and white. It was one of those moments where you just put the camera down and take it in — though I did manage one shot.
Day 10: The Nine Arches Bridge — On Foot
The next morning, a few of us — Keegan, Jeffrey, Jenny, Libby, and I — headed back to the Nine Arches Bridge, this time on foot. A 9:30 train was scheduled to cross, and we wanted to see it from below.
What followed was one of those perfectly chaotic travel moments that you couldn’t script. Our guide Roshan seemed confused about who was going and where everyone’s luggage was. We took a bus down the hill to where tuk tuks were waiting — apparently pre-arranged. Roshan told the boys to get in a blue tuk tuk and the girls in a red one. Yes, boys and girls. We complied, with no further instructions, assuming Roshan was coming along since we had no idea where we were going. Of course, the answer was: to see the bridge.
We made it, the train crossed on schedule, and the view from ground level was worth every bit of the confusion. After that, we traveled on to our next stop — Cinnamon Wild, near Yala National Park — covering about 56 km through a landscape that gradually shifted from lush green highlands to dry scrubland.
Day 11: Sunrise Safari at Yala National Park
We were up at 5:45 AM and gathered in the pre-dawn darkness for our morning safari at Yala National Park. The jeeps were already waiting — black 4x4s with open sides, lined up in the golden dust of the early light.
Alt: A black 4×4 safari vehicle with “Off Road Express” branding photographed from behind in warm golden backlight, with dust particles visible in the morning sun and more vehicles lined up on the dirt road ahead
Yala is Sri Lanka’s most visited national park, and with good reason — it has one of the highest densities of leopards in the world. The Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) is a subspecies native to the island, listed as Vulnerable with fewer than 800 mature individuals estimated to remain. They’ve evolved to be somewhat larger than other leopard subspecies, likely because they sit at the very top of the food chain here — there are no tigers, no lions, no competing large predators. They’re solitary hunters, more active at night but also visible at dawn and dusk, and unlike African leopards, they don’t typically store their kills in trees.
And then — there it was. High in a tree, draped across a thick branch, half-hidden by foliage: a Sri Lankan leopard, resting in the morning heat. The jeep stopped. Everyone held their breath. I raised the camera slowly and started shooting.
Alt: A Sri Lankan leopard with distinctive tawny coat and dark rosettes lounging across a thick tree branch, partially hidden by green foliage, one paw dangling, eyes barely visible through the leaves
This is the kind of encounter that stays with you. The spotted coat blending into the dappled light, the absolute stillness of the animal, the barely visible eyes watching us from the canopy. Most visitors to Yala hope to see a leopard and many leave disappointed. We were incredibly lucky.
The rest of the safari didn’t disappoint either. We spotted sloth bears, crocodiles, iguanas, herds of spotted deer (otherwise known as leopard food), and of course — elephants. A family group crossed the red dirt road right in front of our jeep, moving with that calm, deliberate pace that makes you realize you’re on their turf, not the other way around.
Alt: A group of five Sri Lankan elephants crossing a wide red dirt road in Yala National Park, with dry scrubland and scattered trees in the background under an overcast sky
Alt: A solitary heron standing in shallow water among young green rice shoots in a flooded paddy field, with a distant tree line and hazy sky in the background
We were back at the hotel by 9:15 AM — a full safari before breakfast. That’s how you start a day in Sri Lanka.
Next: Down to the Southern Coast
Practical Notes for Part 3
- The Hill Country Train: Book seats in advance if possible — first class sells out quickly. However, second and third class offer a more authentic (and often more photogenic) experience with open windows and doors. The Ambewela-to-Demodara stretch is the most scenic. Check the Sri Lanka Railways website for current schedules, especially given ongoing cyclone repair work.
- Nine Arches Bridge: Accessible on foot from Ella — about a 30-minute walk from town. Train crossing times are approximate, so arrive early. The best viewing angles are from the tea estate below the bridge. It’s become very popular with tourists, so early morning visits are less crowded.
- 98 Acres Resort & Spa: Highly recommended for the Ella area. Stunning mountain views, well-designed rooms, and a great restaurant. Book well in advance during peak season.
- Yala National Park: Morning safaris (5:30–6:00 AM start) offer the best chance of leopard sightings. The park can get crowded with jeeps, especially near the entrance — ask your driver to go deeper. Block 1 has the highest leopard density. The park closes annually in September for maintenance.
- Cinnamon Wild: A solid safari lodge option near the Yala entrance. The rooms have a classic bush camp feel with mosquito-netted four-poster beds.
- Overall trip planning: Two weeks is the minimum to do Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, hill country, and southern wildlife parks justice. A driver-guide is essential — we used one throughout and it made the logistics seamless.
The Complete Sri Lanka Series
- Part 1: Ancient Temples, Lion Rock & Elephants — Dambulla Cave Temple, Sigiriya, Hurulu Eco Park
- Part 2: Village Life, Kandy & Tea Country — Inamaluwa, Temple of the Tooth, Bluefield Tea Factory
- Part 3: Scenic Railways, Ella & Yala Safari — Hill country train, Nine Arches Bridge, Yala National Park (you are here)
- Part 4: Stilt Fishermen, the Madu River & Galle
Follow me on Instagram at @rvincent for more images from Sri Lanka and beyond.