Tea Plantation Tour in Sri Lanka

History

Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon during the British Colonial rule. The history of tea in Ceylon began with the plantation started by the British who became the world’s major tea producers.

The first tea plant was smuggled from China by the British in 1824 and it was planted in the botanical garden in Peradeniya. Later on steps were taken by the Scottish national James Tailor who started tea cultivation, the first commercial crop in Loolecondera Estate situated in Kandy.

Thus began the expansion of tea cultivation in Sri Lankan history.  About 350 million kg of tea was exported in a year.

If you are wondering how many plantations there are in Sri Lanka now there are plenty more than we can count since even small businesses came into being due to its high demand. Even though Sri Lanka is a small island it has contributed greatly in the production of quality tea which is one of the most famous beverages in the world.

Five Best tea plantation to visit in Sri Lanka

You probably won’t be too far from a Sri Lankan tea plantation wherever you go in Sri Lanka because they are numerous and span significant portions of the Hill Country. Below are some of the best tea plantations in Sri Lanka.

Kadugannawa Tea Estate

Kadugannawa is nestled about 20 km away from Kandy. The advantage of visiting this property is because the tours are conducted in English and you will be able to learn about the various factors related to production, how they are selected and exported in the end. You will also be able to learn about the production of black and green tea and have some of their best final products before they reach the market internationally. As you explore you will be able to indulge in tasting activities of these delicious teas and even be able to purchase related gifts to take back with you.

Hanthana Tea Estate Factory

Hanthana Tea Estate Factory is located in Kandy and was established in 1925. It is also known as the Ceylon Tea Museum. You will be able to learn about the history of this Museum. The experiences that can be had here include learning about tea production, seeing machinery in action, packing, and exporting the finished product to various countries.

Halpewatte Tea Factory

The lush, rolling hills of Ella provide landscapes of Little Adam’s Peak and make it a lovely stopover location for tea factory visits. Halpewatte Tea Factory was established in the year  1940,  It is known to be the largest tea producing factory in the Uva region. Tours here would last about 45 to 1 hour. During this process you will be able to taste different varieties of tea and even shop at the end for gifts or souvenirs.

Mackwoods Tea Centre

Mackwoods Tea Centre is located in the heart of Nuwara Eliya, It is known to be one of the best tea plantations in Sri Lanka.  The estate has its own history of its own, it was established by Captain William Mackwood in the year 1841. Mackwood is the second oldest tea producer in the country.  The tour is conducted for free and tasting of tea is a complementary part of the tour. You can also visit the gift shop and take back memories for your loved ones.

Pedro Tea Estate

Pedro Tea Estate is also one of Nuwara Eliyas famous tea estates. It is known to produce light tea and most of the tea production takes place at night. The tour takes about 20 minutes where all the factors to its production and delivery are covered by the guide.

Transport options

There are various ways to travel around if you are planning to visit. You could hire  a private vehicle if you’re looking forward to traveling with comfort at your own pace and convenience. Tuk tuks are also available for you to reach these destinations specially it is ideal for shorter distance and is relatively cheaper compared to a private vehicle. Train rides could be a memorable experience if you are traveling from Colombo to these places, The breathtaking views would be a moment never forgotten.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit is during the dry seasons which are normally from January to March and from July to September. Temperature during this season would be about  17°C during the day. Less rain falls would be the convenient weather to explore the hill country in Sri Lanka.

Guide for buying tea in Sri Lanka

There are various kinds of tea that you could try, Some of them are Black Tea, Green Tea and White tea.

Black Tea The most often used type of tea is black tea. Due to its lack of toxic pesticides or chemicals, Ceylon black tea is regarded as the cleanest tea in the entire world.

Green Tea Like the black tea, Ceylon green tea is unadulterated and unpolluted. Here are some of the green tea kinds you can try out  in Sri Lanka: “Jasmine Green Tea”, “Mint Green Tea”, “Lemongrass Green Tea” and “Real Leaf Green Tea”.

White Tea The most distinctive tea in Sri Lanka is white tea. Due to the manner in which it is gathered, it is also the most expensive since only the buds are picked for white tea. White tea is among the healthiest since it contains more antioxidants and less caffeine than green or black tea. Dilmah is a brand that sells varieties of these such as  “Ceylon Silver Tips”, “Real White tea”, “White Litchee” hand rolled tea and “Jade Butterfly” handmade white tea.

The island nation, which is the fourth-largest tea producer in the world, offers thousands of tea farms that provide exclusivity to the tea you love the most. Make sure to not miss out on the taste of the freshly produced and brewed tea in Sri Lanka. As you indulge with nature and its lush greenery a rich  cup of  Ceylon tea with all its flavors will surely leave you craving for more.