Sri Lanka Tea Tour: On the trail of Ceylon tea

Sri Lanka offers almost year-round opportunities to get to know the country, the people, and the tea. The weather is influenced by the central highlands, and tea is produced all year.

The name “Ceylon”, still used today to identify the tea, dates back to the British colonial period, when Sri Lanka itself was still called Ceylon. The first tea bushes, which the British had planted after a devastating blight, destroyed almost all of the island's coffee plantations, which also date from this time.

Sri Lanka is known above all for its tangy, light black teas, which develop their typically fresh, citrus-like character at the best harvest time. Hardly anything has changed in the processing methods over the course of time: Tea is still produced and processed in Sri Lanka in the same way it has been for generations - here, time stands still in the cup!

Upon your arrival at Colombo International Airport, a representative from our local agency will already be waiting to welcome you and drive you to your city hotel in Colombo. After you have checked into your room, the rest of the day is at your leisure. Relax in your room or go out on your own to explore the city.

Travel time Colombo airport - Colombo hotel: approx. 45 minutes / 35 km

1 night stay with breakfast in Colombo, Sri Lanka

After breakfast, you will visit one of the oldest tea producers in the country. As the production process is demonstrated to you, you will learn about the technology used in the various stages of refining, blending, and packaging, including the sorting process.

Learn to understand the subtle differences in grain, texture, color, strength, and flavor of the various teas grown. You will also learn about how teas can be blended together to meet the demands of global tea markets.

This will be followed by your onward journey to the hill country of Sri Lanka, Deltota, where you can spend the rest of the day relaxing in your new accommodation for the next two nights.

Travel time Colombo - Deltota: approx. 3 hours / 130 km

1 night with half board in Deltota, Sri Lanka

Today's tea tour involves several villages, giving you the opportunity to learn more about the origin of tea in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is one of the world's largest tea exporters, with a history dating back to 1867 when the miracle plant was first introduced to the country.

In the sleepy little villages, the hustle and bustle of the big cities has not yet arrived. Watch the tea workers deftly stuff the picked leaves into the large baskets they carry on their backs. On the way, you will pass trucks with the respective names of the Tea Estates, which bring the freshly collected tea leaves to the factories for processing.

1 night stay with half board in Deltota, Sri Lanka.

After breakfast you will drive to Hatton, where you will spend the next two days at the Ceylon Tea Trails plantation. The Ceylon Tea Trails, located in the hills of Sri Lanka, are truly heaven on earth. At an altitude of 1200 meters, you will spend the next few days surrounded by nature in one of the bungalows that are widely spread across the Ceylon tea plantation and around Castlereagh Lake. After check-in, the rest of the day can be spent however you want.

Travel time Deltota - Hatton: approx. 4 hours / 110 km

1 night stay with all inclusive in Hatton, Sri Lanka

This morning, the first tea experience on the Ceylon Tea Trails is on the agenda. First, you will take a guided walk to get a feel for the varied landscape, exotic flora, and diverse birdlife of the region.

Afterwards, the tea plantation owner of Tientsin Bungalow will show you the ancient tea making process. As you walk along the fields, follow in the footsteps of the farmers of old Ceylon who used to trek through the dense jungle - always looking for the best slopes to sow the seeds of the aromatic beverage. Watch as the tea pickers each pick two leaves and a bud with their deft hands. Afterwards, in the factory, you will learn about the most important step in the process of turning tea leaves into black tea. Tea production is based on a very artisanal process that has remained unchanged for a century. Some of the machines used in the manufacturing plant are already 100 years old and have a very traditional British design. Of course, the tour ends with a tasting of different varieties of this noble brew.

1 night stay with all inclusive in Hatton, Sri Lanka

After breakfast, you will leave today for the southwest coast to Galle. After check-in, you will have the afternoon free to do whatever you want. If you feel like it, you can already explore your new neighborhood on your own. Galle Fort is considered by many to be the most beautiful city in the country. The old town is situated on a headland and surrounded by an old Dutch fort. The massive fortress walls were built more than 350 years ago from coral and granite stones and are perfect for a walk in a pleasant light breeze.

Travel time Hatton - Galle: approx. 5 hours / 220 km

1 night stay with breakfast in Galle, Sri Lanka

After breakfast, we will take you to Paddy Island. Don't let the name fool you though - we'll head inland to a remote farm surrounded by rice fields. There, in a fully equipped outdoor kitchen, you will learn to prepare the rice and curry traditional in Sri Lanka. Your chef will show you how to prepare the ingredients and use the wide variety of spices, all of which will eventually be cooked in an earthenware pot. Today's lunch will end up consisting of thin deep fried pappadam, a sambal chutney, various vegetarian side dishes, a meat curry and, of course, rice. You will receive a copy of the recipe so that you can recreate this delicacy at home when feeling nostalgic about this trip.

After a delicious lunch, head back to Galle, where in the late afternoon you will explore the Dutch Fort on a walk along the city walls. Once a sleepy fort, Galle is now a lively and bustling neighborhood with a quintessentially Mediterranean feel and bustling with activity. The narrow streets and alleys are peppered with jewelry stores, numerous cafes, restaurants, and luxurious villas. The mosque, the maritime museum, and the Anglican and Dutch Reformed churches are definitely worth a visit.

1 night stay in Galle, Sri Lanka

After breakfast, it is time to say goodbye. Depending on the departure time, your guide will take you to Colombo airport. We would be happy to extend your stay at one of the beaches in Sri Lanka or the Maldives. Just tell us your wishes and ideas and we will put together your customized dream trip.

Travel time Galle - Colombo airport: approx. 3 hours / 150 km

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Closest airport: Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport

Duration of the trip: 8 days / 7 nights

Including

• 8-night stay in the advertised hotels or similar

  • 1 night at Galle Face Hotel**** with breakfast in a Superior Room in Colombo

  • 2 nights at Taylors Hill Boutique Hotel***** with half board in a Pattiyagama Room in Deltota

  • 2 nights at Ceylon Tea Trails Bungalows***** with all inclusive in a Luxury Room in Hatton

  • 2 nights at Aditya Resort & Spa**** with breakfast in a Shanthi Suite in Galle

• Transfers and sightseeing in an air-conditioned car with English/German speaking chauffeur-guide

• Entrance fees during the tour

• Taxes

• The starting price is valid in the travel period 01.11.20 - 30.04.21

Excluding

• International flights
• Visa fees
• Meals and drinks not mentioned
• Optional activities and activities not mentioned in the program
• Personal expenses, such as minibar and tips
• Insurance

Notes

• Check-in from 2:00 p.m. / Check-out until 11:00 a.m.
• Christmas and New Year's Eve surcharges apply