St. Clair Falls, Nuwara Eliya - Timings, Swimming, Entry Fee, Best Season to Visit

At a distance of 25 km from Nuwara Eliya, St. Clair's Falls is a beautiful waterfall situated at Talawakele town in Nuwara Eliya district of Sri Lanka. It is one of the popular waterfalls in Sri Lanka and among the prime places to visit in Nuwara Eliya.

The falls are formed over the Kotmale Oya, a tributary of the Mahaweli River. This majestic waterfall cascades over three rocky outcrops into a large pool. It runs through Saint Clair Tea Estate, from which the falls got the name. The waterfall consist of two falls called 'Maha Ella' means 'The Greater Fall', and 'Kuda Ella', means 'The Lesser Fall'. The Maha Ella is about 260 feet high and 160 feet wide while the Kuda Ella is about 160 feet high and is located immediately downstream of the main fall. St Clair's falls is the widest waterfalls in Sri Lanka and is commonly known as the 'Little Niagara of Sri Lanka'.

It is one of six waterfalls affected by the Upper Kotmale Hydropower Project. The falls are located 2.2 km downstream from the dam. However, the Government has stated that they will release a limited quantity of water to ensure a continuous flow of 47,250 cubic meters water over the falls for 10 hours and 30 minutes daily.

The fall is located about 500 m away from the road, and one needs to walk to reach it. The trek is exciting as the walking trail goes through tea gardens at a steep gradient. The beauty of the green tea estate is an added advantage!

Timings: 6 AM - 5 PM

Entry: Free