Visiting the tea plantations of Sri Lanka
Visiting the tea plantations of Sri Lanka
The iconic tea plantations of Sri Lanka originate from the British colonisation of the island hundreds of years ago, when the jungle-clad mountains were cleared to make way for their favourite beverage – tea.
The tea from Sri Lanka is world renowned and the tea estates which produce the popular leaf are a magnet for tourists. And it’s little wonder – the sweeping plantations perched across the misty Sri Lankan mountains are a truly beautiful sight and make for an educational trip. Visiting one of the vast tea estates, taking a tour inside the tea factory or simply enjoy a cup of your own in one of the local tea shops is a must when you travel to Sri Lanka!
Dambatenne Tea Factory
Easily accessible via bus, the Dambatenne tea factory is the most popular tea factory on the island and comes highly recommended. Built in 1890, the factory remains in action to this day where tours are available to visitors who wish to learn about the processes involved, including the fermentation, rolling, drying, cutting, sieving and grading of tea. The tours makes for a truly educational experience and sitting down at the end to sip on your own freshly brewed cuppa makes a perfect way to end the unique trip.
Dambatenne Tea Factory
Easily accessible via bus, the Dambatenne tea factory is the most popular tea factory on the island and comes highly recommended. Built in 1890, the factory remains in action to this day where tours are available to visitors who wish to learn about the processes involved, including the fermentation, rolling, drying, cutting, sieving and grading of tea. The tours makes for a truly educational experience and sitting down at the end to sip on your own freshly brewed cuppa makes a perfect way to end the unique trip.
Ceylon Tea Museum
If you have a thirst for knowledge, the Ceylon tea museum is a visit you’ll not want to miss out on.
The museum itself is located within the refurbished vintage Hantane tea factory, south of Kandy. There is much to see and learn, including exhibits about the leading tea pioneers, antique tea-processing items and interesting guides. Once you’ve finished in the museum you can head up to the top floor to enjoy your free, freshly brewed tea in the lovely tea room.
Pedro Tea Estate
To get a true glimpse of a Sri Lankan tea estate head to the Pedro tea estate located near Nuwara Eliya where you can take a guided tour of the 130 year old factory which still contains much of the original 19th century machinery.
It’s worth noting that photo taking is not permitted inside the factory and the processing of the tea actually takes place at night time in the cooler temperature so you’ll not see any of the processes happening during your visit, although the guided tour shows you all around the factory.
Looking to visit the Sri Lankan tea plantations?
Many of our Sri Lanka tours include trips to the tea plantations and factories, including:
If you’re a bit more a tea fanatic, or if there are particular tea plantations, factories and museums you’d like to visit in Sri Lanka, we can create your very own tailor-made tour of Sri Lanka which will have a custom-made itinerary to suit your exact needs.
