In order to arrive before sunrise you’ll need to arrange tuk tuk transportation beforehand.
From Haputale: Around 45 Minutes
From Ella: Around 1.5 Hours
It’s also possible to catch the train from Ella to Haputale in the morning and then take a local bus to Dambatenne Tea Factory and begin the trek upwards. The benefit of catching the tuk tuk is being taken right to the entrance and getting to walk downhill.
It’s advisable to arrive as early as possible as the area becomes quite foggy by midday. To be fair, we had quite a foggy view even at sunrise (but it was still spectacular!).
Round trip cost from Haputale: 1,500 rupees