Tea Country, Railroads & The Colonial Past

AYUBOWAN! This is the greeting you will hear from our airport manager as he welcomes you with flower garlands and sheaf at the Colombo Airport, arrival lounge. He will then introduce you to your guide and escort you to your vehicle. We welcome all clients with colourful garlands typically Sri Lankan welcome.

After breakfast, you’ll go on a trek to the Taylors Seat which is known as the place where James Taylor sat and planned the future of the tea industry in Sri Lanka. Passing through the Loolecondera tea plantation while learning about the Ceylon Tea Story.

After breakfast, you will check out and proceed to Peradeniya station. Your guide will provide insight about the Sri Lanka railway which was introduced by the British and the history that connects the railways to the history of tea. Thereafter, you will board the train from Peradeniya to Hatton, embarking on the scenic journey through the mesmerising hill country.

After breakfast and a warm cup of energizing Ceylon Tea to wake you up to a beautiful morning, you will visit a tea factory with their resident planter Mr. Bernard Holsinger, who has 30 years of experience in the tea industry. You will learn how the Ceylon tea industry evolved through the marketing and branding of Sir Thomas Lipton through the brand Lipton Tea. Lipton tea glorified and introduced Ceylon tea on a global scale earning the country the fame of one of the largest tea exporters in the world.

After an early breakfast, you will travel by air to the upcoming hip and trendy town of Galle. In the afternoon, you will be taken on a walking tour at the Galle Fort with an eccentric local host.

Your host is a former advertising executive from Colombo. A year ago, he decided to quit the advertising world and delved straight into the stories that make Galle Fort less a fort – and more a home for thousands. Today, he is leading curious tourists into one of Sri Lanka’s most beloved UNESCO World Heritage Sites, helping them decode the fort’s magic and mystery.

After leisurely breakfast, you will proceed to Handungoda the white tea plantation/factory. This unique tea estate is one of the lowest lying tea estates in Sri Lanka and also has rubber and cinnamon plantations.

After breakfast, check out from the resort and proceed to the capital city of Colombo. En route visit Brief Garden by Bevis Bawa who was the elder brother of the famous architect Geoffrey Bawa. Bawa brothers were recognized for their architectural masterpieces Brief Garden and Lunuganga.

On arrival to Colombo check in at the hotel and daytime spent at leisure.

Spend the evening with resident host Mark Forbes as he takes you through the glory days of the Colombo Fort, on a journey back in time where we learn about the days of colonization of Ceylon and the spice route trade network.