In Sri Lanka, tea is the national drink. Well it has to be! Every day almost every nationality in the world will sip a liquid that was made from leaves grown here in the mysterious hills of Sri Lanka. I made the trip to the valleys and hills at Haputale in Sri Lanka to the impressive Dambatenne Tea Factory, opened by Thomas Lipton over 100 years ago. It is currently a source of tea for Scottish based company Lipton Tea amongst other worldwide tea companies and distributors. All the tea is grown locally here in the gorgeous mountains and valleys of Sri Lanka's inland region.[]
The Haputale valleys and Dambatenne Tea Factory are in the middle of nowhere! It's a hard place to get too but if you love tea then you need to find a way to get here!
Getting to Dambatenne Tea Factory
To be honest it's not easy. There are no trains or direct buses up in this hilly region but what you will need will be to hire a car or a driver. A local driver knows the roads and will ensure you get there without incident. It could be easy to get lost in this part of Sri Lanka. So basically hire a local driver to take you! []
How much does it cost to visit Dambatenne Tea Factory?
It's a simple 250 Rupees fee payable at the door and in cash only. There might be a slight delay to wait until one of the workers is available to show you around but it will be worth it - this place is off the beaten track!
How long does the tour of Dambatenne Tea Factory take?
Your tour will be split into three main parts and should take around 25 minutes:
1. First of all you visit a room upstairs where the tea has just arrived in from the mountains. Here the tea leaves are put into machines ready for the process.
2. Secondly you are in a large room downstairs to watch the process of the tea being refined before it is heated at the end.
3. The tea is heated and then cooled and put into bags ready for shipment.
No photos are permitted during parts 2 or 3. The below photo is from the upstairs room. The workers are hard at work while you're walking around, for this reason I respected the "no photos" rule. With regards to opening hours, check and ask around at the time, as a general rule it's normally 9 - 5pm but don't take my word for it.
What other things are there on the tour?
It's a very basic and quick tour and that's really all there is to it. I was surprised to learn that there is NO tea shop or even souvenir shop there - I'd have thought they would have made money from something like that, but alas the only thing you can do is buy a fresh packet of Dambatenne Tea!!
To buy a packet of Dambatenne tea is 300 Rupees. The more expensive tea for sale is Simondou which costs a ridiculous 1,100 Rupees. You might actually be better buying them in the towns and villages in markets.
What other things can you do in the area nearby?
The region is very hilly so admiring the view is the best thing to do, if you hire a driver they can stop wherever you like:
1. Marvel at the epic mountain views
2. Stroll along the hills of tea plantations
3. Enjoy a cup of tea in a cafe with an impressive view
4. Visit Haputale town and stay in a hotel, check out the markets and shops (there is also an ATM in the town)
There you have it - the tour is short and over quickly but is worth a trip and provides you with great travel memories.
OK it's tea time!
The Haputale valleys and Dambatenne Tea Factory are in the middle of nowhere! It's a hard place to get too but if you love tea then you need to find a way to get here!
Getting to Dambatenne Tea Factory
To be honest it's not easy. There are no trains or direct buses up in this hilly region but what you will need will be to hire a car or a driver. A local driver knows the roads and will ensure you get there without incident. It could be easy to get lost in this part of Sri Lanka. So basically hire a local driver to take you! []
How much does it cost to visit Dambatenne Tea Factory?
It's a simple 250 Rupees fee payable at the door and in cash only. There might be a slight delay to wait until one of the workers is available to show you around but it will be worth it - this place is off the beaten track!
How long does the tour of Dambatenne Tea Factory take?
Your tour will be split into three main parts and should take around 25 minutes:
1. First of all you visit a room upstairs where the tea has just arrived in from the mountains. Here the tea leaves are put into machines ready for the process.
2. Secondly you are in a large room downstairs to watch the process of the tea being refined before it is heated at the end.
3. The tea is heated and then cooled and put into bags ready for shipment.
No photos are permitted during parts 2 or 3. The below photo is from the upstairs room. The workers are hard at work while you're walking around, for this reason I respected the "no photos" rule. With regards to opening hours, check and ask around at the time, as a general rule it's normally 9 - 5pm but don't take my word for it.
What other things are there on the tour?
It's a very basic and quick tour and that's really all there is to it. I was surprised to learn that there is NO tea shop or even souvenir shop there - I'd have thought they would have made money from something like that, but alas the only thing you can do is buy a fresh packet of Dambatenne Tea!!
To buy a packet of Dambatenne tea is 300 Rupees. The more expensive tea for sale is Simondou which costs a ridiculous 1,100 Rupees. You might actually be better buying them in the towns and villages in markets.
What other things can you do in the area nearby?
The region is very hilly so admiring the view is the best thing to do, if you hire a driver they can stop wherever you like:
1. Marvel at the epic mountain views
2. Stroll along the hills of tea plantations
3. Enjoy a cup of tea in a cafe with an impressive view
4. Visit Haputale town and stay in a hotel, check out the markets and shops (there is also an ATM in the town)
There you have it - the tour is short and over quickly but is worth a trip and provides you with great travel memories.
OK it's tea time!
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