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Hakgala Botanical Garden — Nuwara Eliya

Cover photo: Ramlan Junkeer (Unsplash)

District

Nuwara Eliya

Province

Central

Best for

Garden lovers and photographers; hillside garden of roses and orchids below Hakgala Rock

Map

See it on the map

About this place

Second-largest botanical garden in Sri Lanka, about 10 km south of Nuwara Eliya on the Ella road. Allow 1-2 hours; mornings December-April are clearest. Small entrance fee; linked in legend to the Ramayana Ashok Vatika.

Visitor brief

Good to know before you go

• Open daily roughly 7:30/8 AM-5:30/6 PM; allow 1-2 hours and go in the morning (December-April clearest).
• Foreign entry fee applies (a few thousand LKR; rates change, confirm at gate).
• Bring a jacket: at ~1,700 m it is cool and misty even at midday.
• Linked in legend to Ramayana Ashok Vatika; an adjacent Hindu shrine area is active worship space.
• Paths are steep in sections; wear walking shoes.

How to travel there

Base in Nuwara Eliya town; the garden is ~10 km south on the Nuwara Eliya-Badulla (A5) Ella road. Reach by tuk-tuk, local Ella-bound bus, or taxi; pair with Seetha Amman Temple next door.

Where to stay

Stay in Nuwara Eliya town (guesthouses to colonial heritage hotels, budget-luxury); visit as a half-day trip.

Nearby places

Seetha Amman Temple (Seetha Eliya), Lake Gregory, Victoria Park, Single Tree Hill / Moon Plains

Scams to watch for

• Tuk-tuk day-hire drivers may push commission tea shops and gem outlets on the Ella road; fix the itinerary and price first.

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