About 5 km away on the road south through Ella Gap. They're quite spectacular, especially during or after rainfall. Take your swimming costume for a refreshing dip, but beware of the touts selling tourist junk. You can catch frequent buses for about Rs 50, or better still walk (but catch a bus back up the hill). About half-way down the road you can stop off for a look at the small temple and a cave above it where, according to local legend, Sita was kept as a prisoner before being rescued by Rama. You are also quite likely to meet families of langur monkeys by the roadside.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
A more strenuous exercise than Little Adam's Peak. About 2 hours (each way) along the railway track (south of Ella) and through the tea plantations, for stunning views across the countryside. The first 1.5 km is along the railway track so keep an ear out for oncoming trains although they travel slowly. The locals who live near the bottom of Ella Rock have come up with the following idea: they obliterate existing tracks up the hill and create new ones every now and then. Tourists following guidebooks get completely lost, and suddenly, a local appears offering to guide them. Use an app that is based on Openstreetmap (Osmand, maps.me, komoot …) and follow the trails marked as Footpath to Ella Rock (or Footpath to Ella Rock (shortcut) for a shorter, but steeper track) and try to avoid walking to closely to the villagers' homes in order not to disturb them.
A relatively easy hike to the east of the town center. Walk along the main road for 20 minutes to reach the path, cutting across tea plantations before the final climb up. Great views on Ella Rock and Rawana Falls. You can see the Newburgh Tea Estate on the other side (north). Busy during high season. There is a zip line near the bottom of the trail, available for a fee, though it won't save you time.
Visit one of the few organic tea growers in Sri Lanka. You will get a short tour of the tea plantation, being introduced to several spices and fruits that grow there. After that, learn how the different types of tea are made and taste them all.
A bit further down Passara Road (after Little Adam's Peak path), and 30 minutes from the town center. Quick visit of the tea factory, including green tea tasting at the end.