Olu Ella Falls (ඕලු ඇල්ල)

54 years ago2 days ago03 mins

RATE THIS LOCATION : 1 Star

(8 votes, average: 3.13 out of 5)

Height :	127 metres
District :	Kegalle

Olu Ella is the 6th tallest waterfall in the country and the tallest in the Kegalle District. This is also the highest waterfall connected to the Kelani River.

The source of the waterfall is Wee Oya originating from the 1200-meter Baranawa Mountain which later connects to Welihel Oya in the Parusella area and then on to the Kelani River at Yatiyanthota.

The waterfall is 18 meters wide, and 127 meters tall and falls in 4 segments. Counting the part of the waterfall below the bridge, the fall is measured as 200 meters in height. Even though you can drive up to this majestic waterfall without any walking, this has eluded the casual traveller due to its remote location. Therefore this is one waterfall which has not turned into a garbage dump of the tourists yet.

The waterfall is bisected by the road which goes to Seepoth. An ancient wooden bridge lies across the Wee Oya. This wooden bridge was made during the colonial era to transport tea leaves and it is said to be the oldest wooden bridge in use in the country today.

The Lanka Council of Waterfalls which has identified and listed 382 waterfalls in the country has listed this waterfall under Galle District by mistake. This mistake is now duplicated on hundreds of websites across the Internet. Kegalle and Galle are completely two different districts and don’t plan to visit Olu Falls during your next visit to Galle.

The old wood bridge across the Olu Ella waterfall

The list of waterfalls lying on the Yatiyanthota – Seepoth road is as follows

In addition, there are several waterfalls without names on this route.

Also See

Waterfalls of Sri Lanka
Other Places of Interest Within Close Proximity

Map of Olu Ella Falls

Please click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map (ගූගල් සිතියම් පහලින්)

Show Location (ගූගල් සිතියම)

The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites

Zoom out the map to see more surrounding locations using the mouse scroll wheel or map controls.

Travel Directions to Olu Ella Falls

The fall lies 12 km from the Yatiyantota town on the Seepoth Road

Route from Kegalle to Olu Ella Fall	Route from Avissawella to Olu Ella Fall
Through : Moronthota – Alawatura – Bulathkohupitiya – Parussella Distance : 45 km Travel time : 1.15 hours Driving directions : see on google map	Through : Dehiowita – Karawanella – Yatiyantota – Punugala – Amanwala Distance : 35 km Travel time : 1 hour Driving directions : see on google map

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Mihintale Slab Inscriptions and the Relic House (4වන මිහිඳු රජුගේ මිහින්තලේ පුවරු ලිපි)
The inscription of King Mahinda IV belonging to the tenth century is installed on the two sides of the entrance to this Vihara. The relic house is a square building. […]
Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila (දඹේගොඩ ටැම් ලිපිය)
Established by King Mahinda IV (956-972) Dambegoda Pillar Inscription in Maligawila narrates the religious acts of the king and lays down rules for the administration of certain religious establishments. […]
Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription (කෝට්ටපිටිය පුවරු ලිපිය)
The Kotttapitiya Slab Inscription is considered one of the 14 valuable inscriptions of the Anuradhapura Era. The pillar inscription is believed to have been placed by King Mahinda IV (956-972) and is 6 feet in height and 1.5 feet wide. 45 lines of text have been inscribed on this pillar. […]
Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription (රණව ආඬියාගල ටැම් ලිපිය)
Placed by King Dappula IV in the early part of the 10th century, this Ranawa Andiyagala Pillar Inscription declares a sanctuary for Animal, Plants as well as Humans in the Namal Uyana area. Even royal guards were prohibited from entering this area to apprehend criminals. […]
Dutugemunu Pillar at Ruwanweli Seya (දුටුගැමුණු ශිලා ස්ථම්භය)
Many do not pay special attention to this pillar which is generally called "Dutugenumu Pillar" but the story behind this pillar is interesting as the construction of the Ruwanweli Seya itself. This pillar was installed by King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BCE) on the advice of Mihindu Maha Thero. […]
Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Burial Site in Maduru Oya Valley
In this Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Cemetery, scattered across the landscape, lie between 15 to 20 graves. Unfortunately, the peaceful serenity of these resting places has been disrupted by thorn bushes, which have taken root amidst many of the tombs. Adding to the desecration, some graves have fallen victim to the destructive hands of treasure hunters, who have ransacked them in search of valuables. […]
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Burial Grounds
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Cemetery was initially uncovered and examined in 1896 by R. W. Levers. Subsequently, in the 1970s, Raja De Silva from the Department of Archaeology led excavations at Gurugalhinna. However, the burials at the site have not been scientifically dated. […]
Dalada Maligawa of Kurunegala Kingdom (කුරුණෑගල රාජධානියේ දළදා මාලිගාව)
The old city of Kurunegala Kingdom was spread between Kuruminigala and Ibbagala, bounded by Athugala. Even today ruins of the palace complex, the Temple of Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) and other buildings inside a semi-circular are found on this strip of land between Athugala and Kuruminigala. […]
Keragala Padmavathi Rajamaha Viharaya & Tampita Vihara Ruins (කෑරගල පද්මාවතී රජමහා විහාරය හා ටැම්පිට විහාර නටබුණ්)
Keragala Padmavathi Rajamaha Viharaya Pirivena was one of the most popular seat of learning of the ancient Kotte Kingdom. Establishment of the temple is attributed to king Vijayabahu IV (1270-1272) of Dambadeniya kingdom […]
Weragama Purana Tampita Rajamaha Viharaya and Gonamariyawa Ulpatha (වේරගම පුරාණ ටැම්පිට රජමහා විහාරය / ගෝනමැරියාව උල්පත)
According to legend, Weragama Purana Tampita Viharaya (also know as Diya Bubule Pansala) has been built during the time of Mihindu Maha Rahath Thero and has been renovated by 4 kings of different eras. […]
Raddalgoda Sri Jinendrarama Purana Tampita Viharaya (රද්දල්ගොඩ ශ්‍රී ජිනේන්ද්‍රාරාම පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
Raddalgoda Sri Jinendrarama Purana Viharaya is an ancient Temple hidden in Mirigama. The unique feature of this temple is the Tampita Viharaya Structure built during Kandyan period. […]
Metikotamulla Sadharma Thilakarama Purana Viharaya (මැටිකොටමුල්ල සද්ධර්ම තිලකාරාම පුරාණ විහාරය)
Metikotamulla is an ancient village with a history going back to period of regional king Sakalakala Vallabha of 15th century. Sadharma Thilakarama Purana Viharaya today does not show any history going back to this era but the Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era is one of the important structures of the Temple. […]
Ambareli Tampita Rajamaha Viharaya (අඹරැලි ටැම්පිට රජමහා විහාරය)
Ambareli Tampita Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple complex built on a rocky outcrop in Hinguru Wewa area off the beaten track. It is said that the Tampita Viharaya of this temple is the tallest in the country. […]
Vessagiriya Aramic Complex at Anuradhapura (වෙස්සගිරිය)
Vessagiriya is located few hundred meters left to the current Isurumuniya on the old Anuradhapura-Kurunegala road. This temple complex is located in and around 3 beautiful bolder formations spread across a large area in front of the Tissa Weva. On one these is a remains of a dagaba. […]
Kanugala Sri Pushparama Purana Tampita Viharaya (කණුගල ශ්‍රී පුෂ්පාරාම පුරාණ ටැම්පිට විහාරය)
The Tampita Viharaya is built on a wooden platform on six large granite stumps. A wooden ladder with 5 steps leads to the verandah of the vihara-ge. the walls of the inner chamber is adorned with clay figures of deities by the entrance. […]
Attanagalla Rajamaha Viharaya (අත්තනගල්ල රජමහා විහාරය)
Attanagalla Rajamaha Viharaya is one of the most famous ancient royal temples in Sri Lanka lying close to Gampaha, 48 km away from Colombo. […]
Detiyamulla Sri Jettatissa Rajamaha Viharaya Archaeological Ruins (දෙටියමුල්ල ශ්‍රී ජෙට්ඨතිස්ස රජමහා විහාරය පුරාවිද්‍යා නටඹුන්)
A large temple complex now reduced to granite pillar stumps and foundations has been preserved at this temple. Number of such buildings and few artifacts of the by gone era can be seen at this temple. […]
Lankagama Sangili Palama / Hanging Bridge (ලංකාගම සංගිලි පාලම)
Lankagama is a remote village on the boarder of Sinharaja Rain Forest which is considered the last village before Sinharaja.This village is bordered by the Sinharaja Rain Forest from north and Nilwala River from the south. Beyond the Nilwala River lies the Nilwaligama and the Dellawa Forest Reserve. A Sangili Palama (hanging bridge) connects Lankagama and the Nilwaligama across the Nilwala Ganga. […]
Ulapane Fool’s Bridge / Upside Down Bridge (උලපනේ මෝඩයාගේ පාලම / උඩ යට පාලම)
Built in 1904 by the British, the uniqueness of this steel bridge is the side arches generically found on steel bridges are built at the bottom of the bridge giving it a look of a bridge built upside down. […]
Ruwanwella Sangili Palama (රුවන්වැල්ල එල්ලෙන පාලම / සංගිලි පාලම)
The Ruwanwella Suspension Bridge across Kelani River at Ruwanwella is believed to be the longest of its type in Sri Lanka. Built in 2007, this foot bridge connect the Ruwanwella town with villages such as Nikawalamulla and Kurupaththa. The bridge is 550 feet (170 meters) long […]

Also See

Map of Olu Ella Falls

Travel Directions to Olu Ella Falls

Share this:

Like this:

Leave a ReplyCancel reply