Hakgala Botanical Garden is situated on the Nuwara Eliya – Badulla main road, 16 km from Nuwara Eliya. The garden has a cool temperature climate because of altitude and is 1620 meters (5,400 feet) above the sea level. From December to February it has a cold climate, while the slightly warm climate persists from April to August.

The garden was established in 1861 as an experimental cultivation of Cinchona, a commercial crop thriving at the time. Once after Tea replaced the Cinchona, it was turned into an experimental Tea Cultivation. In 1884 it transformed to a garden. Since then many sub-tropical and some temperate plants were planted in the garden.