Lipton’s Seat and Haputale Tea Factory Tour from Ella and Bandarawela - Full Day

To experience the real Sri Lanka, you need to ditch the city and immerse your head in the clouds of the Haputale countryside region. There are few better places to do this than at Lipton’s Seat, named after none other than the tea baron Sir Thomas Lipton himself who began his empire there. As well as it being a great spot for caffeine lovers, it’s known as one of the best viewpoints in all of Sri Lanka: from here you can see emerald hills, misty plantations and vistas of seven different provinces in Sri Lanka.

‘’If you only have time to visit one tea plantation in the area, then make it this one.’’ – Walk My World

Rather than the navigate the hills and windy roads of the region yourself, let us do the tough stuff with a countryside and tea factory tour by tuk-tuk. After an early pick-up, we’ll arrive at Lipton’s Seat and (hopefully!) experience clear views over the countryside. See if you can spot key landmarks including Handapanagala Lake, Chandrika Lake, Udawalawe Lake, the Wedihiti Kanda Mountains and Hambantota Harbour.

Next, we’ll head to nearby Dambatenne Tea Factory, the longest tea plantation in Sri Lanka. After admiring the fields of tea sprigs stretching as far as the eye can see, you’ll take a tour of the factory to learn about everything from picking to the fermentation, rolling, cutting, drying, sieving and grading of the tea. (Phew!) After that much info, you’ll want to process it over… well, a cup of tea! Sit and admire the misty views whilst sipping a mug of the signature blend and tucking into a tasty lunch. Once you’re well educated, fed and caffeinated, we’ll return to your accommodation. A successful day!

‘’As tea drinking Brits, we found the factory tour fascinating’’ – Siraj451_, TripAdvisor