Tea is the national drink of Sri Lanka! They produce tons of the stuff and all over the world everyday people drink tea that comes from Sri Lanka. A great place to see where it comes from is the valleys and hills at Haputale in the hill country! Haputale is home to the famous Dambatenne Tea Factory which was opened by Scottish man Thomas Lipton more than a century ago! The tea is all grown locally in the mountains![]
It's in the middle of nowhere in fact so visiting Dambatenne tea factory is an off the beaten track gem. If you've grown up on drinking tea it's a place not to be missed though I must say.
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! []
What price is it 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?
It can be split into three parts and takes about 20 - 25 minutes, here are the three parts:
1. A visit to the rooms upstairs where the tea arrives in from. They are put into machines to begin the refining process.
2. Next you visit a massive downstairs room where the tea is refined in different stages before it is finally heated.
3. Finally the tea is heated, later cooled and put into large bags ready to be shipped worldwide!
You can't take photos inside during parts 2 and 3 which is fine as it's their system. The staff will all be working hard in the background so it's important to respect that. The opening hours of the tours seemed to be 9-5 but double check before you visit.
What else is the tour about?
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!!
The packet of tea cost 300 Rupees and that's the Dambatenne stuff. However the better tea called Simondou costs a whopping 1,100 Rupees! You can also buy them in the nearby towns of course.
What else is there to do 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. Walk round the tea plantations
3. Stop at a cafe for a cup of tea with a view
4. Go to the town of Haputale which has hotels, shops, an ATM and markets
So that's really all there is to it - it's a short and sweet tour but definitely worth doing!
Time for a cup of tea!
It's in the middle of nowhere in fact so visiting Dambatenne tea factory is an off the beaten track gem. If you've grown up on drinking tea it's a place not to be missed though I must say.
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! []
What price is it 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?
It can be split into three parts and takes about 20 - 25 minutes, here are the three parts:
1. A visit to the rooms upstairs where the tea arrives in from. They are put into machines to begin the refining process.
2. Next you visit a massive downstairs room where the tea is refined in different stages before it is finally heated.
3. Finally the tea is heated, later cooled and put into large bags ready to be shipped worldwide!
You can't take photos inside during parts 2 and 3 which is fine as it's their system. The staff will all be working hard in the background so it's important to respect that. The opening hours of the tours seemed to be 9-5 but double check before you visit.
What else is the tour about?
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!!
The packet of tea cost 300 Rupees and that's the Dambatenne stuff. However the better tea called Simondou costs a whopping 1,100 Rupees! You can also buy them in the nearby towns of course.
What else is there to do 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. Walk round the tea plantations
3. Stop at a cafe for a cup of tea with a view
4. Go to the town of Haputale which has hotels, shops, an ATM and markets
So that's really all there is to it - it's a short and sweet tour but definitely worth doing!
Time for a cup of tea!
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