About this experience
Board a Landmaster vehicle from your hotel and head into Etili, a traditional farming village tucked near Ella. Your English-speaking local guide walks you through Chena cultivation — the slash-and-burn farming technique that has shaped Sri Lankan highland agriculture for centuries — before you push off on a boat safari to spot the wildlife and birdlife that inhabit the surrounding waterways. A home-cooked village lunch is included, giving you a genuine taste of rural Sri Lankan cuisine.
The afternoon takes you further into the landscape: plant a sapling as a small contribution back to the land, then hike up to the area's best scenic viewpoint to take in a sweeping panorama of the countryside. The day closes with the sunset over the hills before your private transfer returns you to your hotel. The full tour runs nine hours, with water provided throughout. Minimum age is seven.
The day runs roughly like this: 09:00 pick-up, 10:00 arrival at the chena with a welcome drink, 11:00 boat trip on the lake, 12:30 village lunch, 13:30 tree planting, 14:00 short hike, 16:00 back at the lake for the sunset and 17:00 drop-off at your hotel.
