10-day fragrant Sri Lanka tea tour

Negombo

Day 1: Arrival in Sri Lanka

On arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed and transferred to your hotel in Negombo. The remainder of the day is free for you to relax at leisure before enjoying dinner at your hotel.  

Negombo - Kandy

Day 2: The green hills of Kandy

Set off from coastal Negombo into the lush green hills around Kandy to get your first taste of Sri Lankan tea culture. Stop en route at Peradeniya's Royal Botanical Gardens for a lesson in tea history. Peradeniya was the birthplace of Ceylon tea in 1824, and here you'll learn about Scottish planter James Taylor who established the first seedlings, 28 years later at the Loolecondera estate. Afterwards, you’ll visit the Ceylon Tea Museum near Kandy for an introduction to tea production. Located in a 1925 tea factory, the museum features exhibitions on luminary tea pioneers James Taylor and Thomas Lipton, as well as offering insight into vintage tea processing. Take a stroll through the grounds, which have been cleverly landscaped with different varieties of tea.

Kandy

Day 3: More tea & the Temple of the Tooth

This morning, take a tour of the Orange Field Tea Factory. Owner and third-generation tea grower Sebastian will give you a tour of his factory and explain their tea production process. You will also be able to taste tea of the highest quality, grown on site. Afterwards visit the Sacred Tooth Relic, housed in the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy - an object of veneration to Buddhists and the most important sacred relic in the country. In the afternoon, retreat to your bungalow for a cup of warm tea and as you laze by the fireplace, play with resident dogs, or enjoy some board games.

Kandy - Nuwara Eliya

Day 4: Train journey to Nuwara Eliya

Your tea journey continues today, heading further south into the verdant green hills of Sri Lanka’s most scenic region and to the colonial city of Nuwara Eliya. The cool air, magnificent waterfalls, thriving tea culture and enchanting beauty of these hills have to be seen to be believed. A ride by local train is the best way to see the countryside and is a highlight of any Sri Lanka visit. ‘Clicketty-clack’ through dark tunnels on winding tracks, past tea bushes trimmed so neatly that, from a distance, the hills look as if they’re covered with a thick-pile rug. While on board you will encounter food vendors and local musicians who will serenade you for a few rupees. As you step off of the train, you’ll be met by views of stunning tea estates and perhaps tea pluckers harvesting in the fields.

Nuwara Eliya - Hakgala - Nuwara Eliya

Day 5: Pick your own tea leaves

For the ultimate holiday souvenir, how about taking home a packet of tea that you’ve picked yourself? Today you’ll take a walk with professional tea pluckers through organic tea fields, where you will be shown the best technique. You’ll find that it takes a bit of practice to make sure the leaves end up in your basket rather than on the floor. Return to the Heritance Tea Factory, where the chief tea taster will inspect your efforts. You can truly soak up the beauty of this magical place by also visiting the spectacular Hakgala Botanical Garden, taking a walk through the tea plantations, or stopping by the 19th-century Pedro Tea Factory to sample some of Ceylon’s finest tea.

Nuwara Eliya - Ella

Day 6: Journey to the highlands

After a lovely breakfast, you will travel further south to the perfect hill climate of Ella - a hidden treasure located in the highlands of Sri Lanka. En route, break your journey at the charming village to admire the scenic Ella Gap, the cascading Ravana Ella waterfalls and the iconic Nine Arches Bridge on the Demodara loop. Continue on to your welcoming spa hotel where you can relax before dinner. 

Ella

Day 7: Visit an artisan tea estate

Today you’ll visit Amba Tea Estate, a small organic farm that specialises in the small-scale production of hand-rolled tea. You’ll have a tour of the estate, visit the tea factory, and learn all about artisanal tea-making. Enjoy a tea tasting (from green teas to lemongrass and black teas) and take a look at the range of artisan teas, coffee, cinnamon and lemongrass all growing side by side. In the afternoon, head back to your hotel and enjoy bird’s eye views of the surrounding lush green estates as you relax before dinner.

Ella - Galle

Day 8: Journey to the coast

After a couple of relaxing and tranquil days in the tea country, you may now be ready to explore the island’s sun and surf. Today you will descend from the hills and head south to the pristine coastline and beaches around the historical city of Galle.  

Galle - Ahangama - Galle

Day 9: Colonial Galle tour

Your next taste of Sri Lankan tea culture will continue at a low-altitude plantation famed for its white teas, so pure they are never touched by human hands. You’ll tour the Handunugoda Tea Estate (the only one located so close to the ocean), where you'll stroll through fields and find out about the noble heritage of white tea, as well as the arts of plucking and production. Halfway through the tour, enjoy a refreshing cup of tea with cake. In the afternoon you’ll visit Galle’s famous Dutch Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as several old Dutch houses and a private museum showcasing Dutch period antiques.

Galle - Negombo

Day 10: Transfer to the airport

After breakfast, you'll be picked up at your hotel in good time for your airport transfer and homeward flight.