Hike Sri Lanka’s Pekoe Trail

Begin in the lakeside city of Kandy. In the central highlands, wrapped by verdant hills and considered the cultural capital of Sri Lanka, it’s the ideal place to start our Pekoe Trail adventure. Around 6pm, say ayubowan to your tour leader and fellow travellers at our hotel, where we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. That’s followed by an orientation tour around the city, before your tour leader ensures a big Sri Lankan welcome by arranging dinner. Want to explore Colombo? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative. Upgrade to a room with a balcony today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Our hiking begins today, though not before we set the scene with a visit to the Ceylon Tea Museum. Within the old Hanthana Tea Factory (a 15-minute drive from the hotel), the four-floor museum dives deep into the history of tea production in the central highlands, providing a fascinating backstory to our adventures ahead. The museum is also the start point of the Pekoe Trail, so it’s here we set off to walk Stage 1. This relatively easy stretch is an excellent warm-up for our days ahead, a scenic hike through tea estates and patches of forest with views over Kandy Valley. Reaching Galaha, the end of Stage 1, we take a transfer (1hr 15min) back to our hotel for a chance to relax. Upgrade to a room with a balcony today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Pick up where we left off yesterday, driving back to Galaha to begin Stage 2. Today’s hike can be broken into two. The first section takes us to Deltota, through the scenic Deltota Estate to the hill country town of Deltota itself, which has a lively market and green mosque. The second section runs through an old pine forest and another tea estate before reaching an abandoned village. Having walked 6mi (10km), we hit the Loolecondera Estate, where we find the cottage of Scottish tea planet James Taylor, who introduced tea farming to Sri Lanka. Finishing in Loolkandura, we take a transfer (1hr 30min) back to Kandy for a late lunch. After, we visit the Temple of the Tooth, which houses the most important Buddhist relic in Sri Lanka. The Tooth of Buddha was taken from the funeral pyre in 543 BCE and only found its way to Sri Lanka in the fourth century CE. Upgrade to a room with a balcony today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Sri Lanka has some of the most scenic train journeys in the world, and we experience this today, enjoying a three-hour ride from Kandy to Watagoda. If the train schedules change (or the train is significantly delayed) we may drive instead to ensure there is time to complete our walk. Stage 6 of the trail starts from Watagoda railway station, so we begin hiking immediately. The route takes us past highland lakes, through classic tea trails and to the Holyrood Estate. We also cross small villages and railway lines as we head to Talawakelle, the hub of the Dimbula tea planting district, stopping for lunch en route. Ending in Kotagala, it’s just a 15-minute transfer to our next hotel in Hatton.

Returning to Kotagala, we pick up the trail to hike Stage 7. Our route takes us through deep tea country, passing the colonial-era Chrystler’s Farm Tea Factory. We climb a hill for views over the hill town of Hatton, visit Singamalai Lake, which provides drinking water for the surrounding regions, and gaze over Castlereagh Reservoir, a picturesque body of water considered one of Sri Lanka’s best-kept secrets. We return to our hotel after reaching Norwood and have the rest of the day to relax. From the full moon of December to the full moon of May, you have the option of joining the many pilgrims hiking up Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak) tonight. Those interested are picked up around midnight and transferred (1hr 30min) to the base of the peak. From here, it’s a four-hour climb (3,208ft/978m) to the top for sunrise. Overall, the hike is around 6mi (10km) and you will lose an entire night’s sleep which will likely mean you wish to opt out of tomorrow's walk.

After breakfast, we transfer (1hr 30min) to Dayagama to tackle Stage 10. At the end of the Agarapatana Valley, this village is one of the most remote in the tea country, a special chance to see a part of Sri Lanka few ever visit. Our route takes us along wide tea trails and into dense foliage, and we enjoy a picnic lunch along the way. It ends in the cloud forest of Horton Plains and we transfer (1hr 30min) to our next hotel.

It’s a walking day today, but not on the Pekoe Trail, as we take the opportunity for an adventurous walk up Kirigalpotta. First, we hop on the train for another scenic ride, this time a 30-minute journey to the village of Ohiya. After a short transfer to the trailhead, we begin our hike up Kirigalpotta, the highest trekkable mountain in Sri Lanka. Our trail winds through mystical cloud forest to the windy summit. On a clear day, we’re rewarded with panoramic views, although more often the summit is cloaked in mist, giving it an ethereal beauty. A delightful picnic will be waiting for you at the base; if we’re lucky, we may spot sambar deer grazing in the distance, a common yet special sight. At the end of this adventurous day, catch a transfer (1hr 30min) back to our hotel to relax and prepare for tomorrow’s adventures.

We’re back on the Pekoe Trail today, driving 30 minutes to Haputale, where we hike Stage 13 to St Catherine’s. This scenic route takes us through cool, humid forest reserve, before an uphill climb along tea trails and onto paths with views across the valley. Reaching the tea plantation workers’ village of St Catherine’s, we begin Stage 14 – a wonderful insight into the lives of the local people, allowing us to see tea pickers at work. Our route takes us past vegetable plots, eucalyptus forest and along the edge of a plateau, where we wander past village homes. Arriving in Makulella, we catch a 30-minute transfer to our hotel in Ella.

Tackle two more stages today, returning to yesterday's end point for the beginning of Stage 15. Our route begins at a Buddhist temple in Ella, heading through eucalyptus forest, tea bushes and jungle patches as we climb to the top of Ella Rock. From the top, admire a wonderful view of Ella Gap, Little Adam’s Peak, and the town of Ella. We descend steeply from Ella Rock and walk the final part of this stage along a scenic section of railway track into the town of Ella. After lunch in Ella, we head back on the trail, this time for Stage 16 to Demodara. One of the shortest and most popular stages on the trail, it takes us through tea plantations and past the Nine Arches Bridge (also known as the Bridge in the Sky), which we can admire from several viewpoints today. Completing the stage, we return (15 minutes) by road to Ella. If there’s enough time after the walk, you could take the scenic train instead (ticket not included, 2,000 rupees/US$6.70, subject to train schedule).

Bid farewell to Ella and transfer (2hr 30min) to the small-yet-lively town of Udapusellawa near Nuwara Eliya, taking a packed breakfast with us. Here, we begin Stage 21, the second to last stage of the Pekoe Trail. Our route takes us along tea trails, through an area also known for cultivating crops including carrot and leeks. There should be plenty of beautiful valley views today and we'll stop for lunch in a village on the trail. Ending in Kandapola, we have a 30-minute transfer to Nuwara Eliya, where we have the rest of the day to relax.

Return to Kandapola this morning for the final stage of the Pekoe Trail, and our final hike of the adventure – a bitter-sweet day! The route wraps around Court Lodge Tea Factory, one of the oldest tea estates in the area, along scenic tea trails through estates and villages – a fitting end to our time in Sri Lanka’s beautiful tea region. Finishing at the Pedro Tea Estate, we drive (five hours) to Colombo, ready for our flights home tomorrow.

The adventure ends today and we begin our return journeys home. Alternatively, if you’d like more time to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.