Waterfalls you see from the train near Ella

The last hour of the hill country railway into Ella, from around Bandarawela, runs through steep cuttings and along wooded valleys where streams tumble down to the line. In the wet months, cascades appear on both sides, some just metres from the window.

Around Kital Ella station, the last stop before Ella from the Kandy direction, small falls appear near the line, including Kital Ella falls itself, glimpsed between trees depending on the season.

Beyond Ella, the line towards Demodara and Badulla crosses the Nine Arch Bridge and loops at Demodara, passing more streams and falls in the forested valleys.

Waterfalls along the railway near Ella are often unnamed on maps, known locally only by the estate or village nearby. Ask a fellow passenger or the guard; Sri Lankan travellers on the hill country line are usually happy to point out favourite views and share their names.

Waterfalls along the railway near Ella are fullest during and just after the October to December rains, when small streams that are dry for months suddenly pour into the cuttings. Heavy showers at other times bring brief revivals.

In dry spells, usually roughly February to April, many railway falls dwindle or disappear, leaving only damp rock. The view of the hills is often clearer then, which is its own compensation.

The famous stretch between Nanu Oya and Ella crosses the main watershed, so weather can change sharply along the way.

Waterfalls near Ella appear on both sides of the train, so there is no single best side for them. Watching from the side facing the valley gives the wider views, while the side facing the hillside gives close-up cascades in the cuttings.

If you are travelling with a companion, sit on opposite sides and call out what you see. Reserved observation and first-class carriages have large windows; second and third class have opening windows and doors.

Lankan Stays & Trails guests often ride the last stretch into Ella in reserved seats on the valley side, where both falls and views appear.

The open doors of second and third class carriages are popular for photographs, but leaning out causes serious injuries every year on this line. Tunnels, cuttings, poles and vegetation pass inches from the carriage, especially near Ella.

Watch and photograph through windows, keep your body inside the train, and hold on firmly if you stand near a door. Never let children sit in doorways.

Phone straps and camera straps help, because dropped phones are rarely recovered.

Railway waterfalls are glimpses rather than visits. To see a waterfall near Ella properly, combine the train with a walk to Kital Ella falls or a trip to Dunhinda near Badulla, riding the train out and returning by road.

The train from Ella to Badulla, roughly one to one and a half hours, makes a satisfying morning combined with Dunhinda Falls.

Waterfalls seen from the train near Ella also show how much water the hills hold after rain, and they help explain why the railway engineers needed so many culverts, bridges and drains. On the line beyond Ella, the Nine Arch Bridge itself spans one such wooded stream valley.