Southern Expressway to Ella (A2/A4)
🌍 Sri Lanka
The route from Galle to Ella via the A2 and A4 roads is one of Sri Lanka's most scenic driving journeys, covering approximately 230 kilometers from the historic colonial fort town of Galle on the southwest coast up into the misty tea country of the central highlands. The road climbs from sea level through dense tropical jungle, rubber plantations, and spice gardens before reaching the spectacular tea estates of the hill country at elevations above 1,500 meters.
The final stretch approaching Ella is particularly dramatic, with the road winding along precipitous ridgelines offering views across valleys filled with tea plantations and punctuated by waterfalls including the 263-meter Bambarakanda Falls, Sri Lanka's tallest. Ella itself sits at a gap in the mountains with sweeping views south to the coast on clear days. The route passes through a remarkable range of ecosystems and cultures, from Muslim fishing villages on the coast to Sinhalese Buddhist temples in the lowlands to Tamil tea-picker communities in the highlands.