The Origin of The Pekoe Trail

Sri Lanka’s tea industry traces its roots back to the 19th century when British planters introduced tea cultivation to the island. The Pekoe Trail was conceived by adventurer Miguel Cunat, who spent several years exploring the central highlands of Sri Lanka. His expertise was honed with generous support and funding from the European Union (EU), along with additional backing from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The Pekoe Trail, represents a curated experience that celebrates the time-honored traditions of tea production in Sri Lanka. It serves as a tribute to the pioneers who transformed the island’s landscape into a tapestry of emerald-green tea estates.

The Scenic Beauty

Embark on a journey through rolling hills adorned with meticulously manicured tea bushes. The Pekoe Trail offers a visual feast for the senses, with panoramic vistas that stretch as far as the eye can see. Wander along winding pathways that meander through lush plantations, where each turn reveals a new tableau of natural splendour. From mist-shrouded valleys to sun-kissed ridges, the landscape of The Pekoe Trail captivates at every turn.

Tea Cultivation Process

Delve into the intricate art of tea cultivation as practiced along The Pekoe Trail. From the tender plucking of tea leaves to the meticulous crafting of each batch, witness the labor of love that goes into every cup of Ceylon tea. Learn about the nuances of terroir and climate that influence the flavor profiles of Sri Lanka’s teas, and gain insight into the sustainable farming practices that ensure the longevity of this cherished industry.

Tea Tasting Experience

Indulge your palate in a sensory journey through the diverse flavors of Sri Lankan tea. The Pekoe Trail offers immersive tea-tasting sessions that showcase the depth and complexity of Ceylon’s finest brews. From delicate white teas to robust black varieties, discover the nuances that distinguish each cup. Engage with knowledgeable tea experts who guide you through the subtle nuances of aroma, taste, and texture, allowing you to appreciate tea in all its glory.

Cultural Immersion

Beyond its natural beauty, The Pekoe Trail provides a window into the vibrant culture and heritage of Sri Lanka’s tea country. Interact with local tea plantation workers whose hospitality and warmth welcome visitors into their world. Gain insight into the customs and traditions that have shaped generations of tea growers, and immerse yourself in the rhythm of daily life amidst the tea estates.

Planning Your Visit

For those eager to embark on The Pekoe Trail, careful planning ensures a seamless and enriching experience. Consider visiting during the dry season from January to April, when the weather is mild and conducive to outdoor exploration. Several tour operators offer guided excursions along The Pekoe Trail, providing insights and logistical support for travellers. Accommodations ranging from boutique guesthouses to luxury tea bungalows offer a tranquil retreat amidst the tea gardens, allowing visitors to unwind and savour the serenity of Sri Lanka’s hill country. Consider the convenience of a rental car for the flexibility to explore the region at your own pace, allowing you to uncover hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path attractions. Ensure your vehicle is equipped for the scenic routes, and plan your journey during the dry season for optimal weather conditions.

As the sun sets over the emerald hills of The Pekoe Trail, reflect on the unique tea journey you’ve experienced with the added freedom of a car. From the flexibility to explore diverse landscapes to the convenience of tailoring your itinerary, Malkey Rent-A-Car enhances your adventure, turning it into a personalised exploration of Sri Lanka’s tea country.

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• Make sure your brakes are working well. Renting from a reputable car rental company such as Malkey Rent-A-Car is advised, to ensure that proper checks have been done on your vehicle.
• Stay on your side of the road, allowing extra space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front, ready for any sudden stops.
• Watch the speed limits, and look out for signs that warn you about road conditions like sharp bends, steep inclines and landslides ahead. Sri Lankan roads will have road signage indicating all necessary warnings.
• Keep an eye out for pedestrians and animals, especially at night.
• Make sure that you have sufficient fuel if you’re traveling through remote areas.
• Turn your lights on if driving in foggy conditions but do pull over in a safe spot away from the road if your visibility is significantly compromised.
• Overtake slow traffic only if you have a clear view of the road ahead. Do not overtake on a blind curve or when your visibility is compromised.
• If you’re stopping to admire the view at high lookout points, make sure to use your parking brakes and you can further secure the car by wedging rocks behind your tyres if required.
• Shift to a lower gear as you go downhill to reduce the need to constantly step on brakes. Pull over and check your brakes if you get a burning smell, allowing your vehicle some time to cool off before you restart your journey.
• Use maps & navigation assistance if you are traveling through unfamiliar areas and unmarked roads. Sri Lankan locals are usually very friendly and helpful and most will be able to provide guidance if you stop for directions.

If you are looking for more information, please check out What is it like to drive in Sri Lanka? and Roadside Assistance in Sri Lanka.

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What Can You Expect?

True to local culture, most Sri Lankan Yoga retreats maintain a relaxed atmosphere and offer plenty of flexibility in terms of intensity and duration. Most instructors will be happy to work with each individual to create a plan that works for all levels of expertise, from beginners to more advanced experiences. All types of yoga are available in Sri Lanka, from Vinyasa to Pranayama, Hatha Yoga to Yin Yoga, Kundalini to Kriya. These sessions are available for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels.

Combined Experiences

The beauty of most Sri Lankan Yoga retreats is that they combine yoga with other local activities depending on the area. Locations in Southern Sri Lanka will often offer surfing lessons along with Yoga lessons. Ayurvedic therapy, meal guidance, cooking lessons and meditation are some valuable experiences commonly offered alongside Yoga in Sri Lanka.

Where to go

If you are looking for a Yoga experience that also brings you closer to the ocean, we recommend choosing a retreat in the South of Sri Lanka. The Talalla Retreat is a popular choice offering luxury accommodation and a premium Yoga and fitness experience.

The Salty Pelican Yoga & Surf Retreat in Hiriketiya provides a stunning location for Yoga and surfing on one of the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka.

The Polwaththa Retreat in Kandy is a location hidden away in the mountains and offers a jungle Yoga experience along with activities such as reforestation and cooking classes.

The Prana Lounge in Colombo is equally popular if you are looking for a Yoga experience closer to the city. They offer Yoga sessions with highly qualified instructors as well as other wellness experiences and even teacher training for those with aspirations of becoming instructors themselves.

If you are interested in Yoga, regardless of your level of practise, Yoga in Sri Lanka will provide you with many opportunities to learn and expand your skill.

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Being the fourth largest tea manufacturer in the world, ‘tea’ has become an increasingly popular tourist attraction in Sri Lanka. So, if you’re keen on exploring tea culture, here are some Ceylon tea experiences you should not miss.

Types of tea

The central highlands of Sri Lanka have the perfect environment for growing the best-quality tea. Depending on the different amounts of processing that the leaf undergoes, the differing types of tea are produced.There are many kinds of tea that you can try out in Sri Lanka. The main types of tea are Black, Green and White. Each of these teas have their unique fragrance and taste.

Black Tea

Black tea is the most popular form of Ceylon tea. Black tea is made with hand-plucked tea leaves by expert female tea pluckers. Black tea undertakes an amount of processing which gives its unique black leaves. The tea has a reddish or orangish hue when prepared. A cup of black tea with milk and sugar is a staple for any occasion. It has a deep and satisfying aroma.

Green Tea

Green tea is another well-known category of Ceylon tea. Green tea undergoes less processing compared to black tea even though it comes from the same kind of plant. When processing Green tea, the leaves are unfermented to maintain their antioxidant characteristics. Green tea is famous the world over for its health benefits that include its weight loss properties as well as improved brain function, diabetes prevention, and heart health. When the tea is prepared it takes on a light yellow to greenish touch. The taste of green tea is a mix of sweet bitterness.

White Tea

White tea is a unique type of Ceylon tea. The harvesting process is what makes it special. White tea is made only with tea buds. These buds are not fermented at all and are hand-rolled individually. White tea is the only type of tea that is handmade so that the prices are quite expensive. The colour of the White tea is subtle and light. It has less caffeine and more antioxidants than Green or Black tea. This makes White tea one of the healthiest beverages. This tea is also a favourite of tea connoisseurs the world over White tea is also called “Silver Tips” and “Golden Tips”.

Low-grown Tea

Low-grown tea produced relatively near the coast in the ‘Sabaragamuwa’ and ‘Southern’ regions of Sri Lanka. The tea has grown in an area nourished by high humidity and monsoon season and surrounded by diverse wildlife. The aroma however, is prominently different from the other variations. Low-grown green tea has its own flavour of sweet caramel, and is not quite as strong as that of high and medium grown.

Tea Estates to Visit

Visiting a tea factory in Sri Lanka enables you to see, smell, taste and touch the tea at every stage of the production process, and get an understanding of different types of teas. Most tours will end in a tasting session of the different varieties grown at the plantation. Nuwara Eliya, one of the gorgeous cities in the Hill Country, is the heart of the Sri Lankan tea industry. Read our article on popular destinations Nuwara Eliya. The Blue Field Tea Factory at Ramboda offers comprehensive tours detailing the entire tea manufacturing process, and a variety of different teas are available to purchase. Heading South towards Nuwara Eliya, At the Damro Labookellie Tea Centre, you can tour, by walking through the plantations, or just stop for a refreshing cup of tea. Additionally, you can have the chance to buy freshly plucked leaves from the estate.Further south, Dambatenne Tea Factory outside the town of Haputale offers enjoyable tours explaining the production process and is just a short way off to Lipton’s Seat where you can enjoy panoramic views of the historic plantations.

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Vaccination-Led Travel

COVID-19 Vaccination rates will certainly determine the desirability of a destination, while countries with largely vaccinated populations will attract more tourists according to the Trip Advisor Travel Trends Report in 2021. Being vaccinated themselves will also give travelers the confidence to venture out once again. Success of the widespread vaccination program makes Sri Lanka a potential holiday destination for those wanting to enjoy some tropical warmth.

Relationship-Oriented Travel

Having been deprived of contact with families and friends over the duration of the pandemic, travelers are more likely to make trips to visit relatives and friends they have not seen for a while. This also includes a rise in group travel, where large groups of friends and family will take trips together to a common destination to spend quality time together. This trend in turn will set off the popularity of resorts with group accommodation options and rental of large vehicles suitable for group travel and also make travelers demand more facilities when travelling with children.

Outdoor Leisure Focus

With the fear of COVID outbreaks on everyone’s mind, a spike in leisure activities set in wide open spaces and outdoors is expected. What better place to practise social distancing than the great outdoors? Think wide open beaches, nature reserves and mountain hikes. Sri Lanka has always been primed for adventure and wildlife travel since long before the pandemic and presents many travel and exploration opportunities from organized trails to renting the perfect off-road vehicle.

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Sri Lankans by nature are genuinely warm and friendly and are known for their exceptional hospitality often extended towards visitors. Should you ever need roadside assistance of any kind while you are traveling in Sri Lanka, there are a number of formal and informal means of obtaining help.

You can check on the availability of roadside assistance as part of your rental agreement or if your rental company recommends any assistance options. Older, more established car rental companies like Malkey Rent A Car are tied up with a network of auto shops (also known as garages in Sri lanka) for roadside assistance. They also retain a team available for 24/7/365 roadside assistance, across the island. Going with a rental company providing roadside assistance as a value added service can certainly go a long way in giving you that peace of mind as you set off on your journey.

If you are a member of the Automobile Association, you will have access to their emergency breakdown services that include varied mechanical services and even a towing service.

Each town you pass through in Sri Lanka will offer basic mechanical services including tyre repairs, which is the most common reason for needing roadside assistance.

If the assistance you require is navigational help, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that most Sri Lankans speak some amount of English. Locals are able to give you directions to your destination and perhaps even suggest some interesting sights to spot on the way.

There are state hospitals in every district as well as smaller private hospitals and numerous clinics if you require any medical assistance.

Read our post on what it’s like to drive in Sri Lanka for more tips and look forward to your journey as much as your destination!

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The Wellawaya-Beragala road is famous for its winding roads with panoramic views of the mountain ranges, lakes, rivers and cities below. Breathtakingly beautiful during sunrise and sunset, this route is a scenic one all year through. You will pass small waterfalls along the road, including the “Damsath Waterfall”, which is activated by rainfall. This road could also lead you to the famed Adisham Bungalow, a beautiful monastery with an interesting history, and now a popular tourist attraction with delectable, homemade jams and chutneys made at the monastery with produce grown on the vast grounds.

Traveling from Kandy to Mahiyanganaya, passing the 18 Bend Road is a trip on its own and one by many as a road trip simply to enjoy the drive. This road is renowned worldwide as the perfect winding road, making it the perfect subject for aerial photos showcasing the beauty of the landscape. If you find yourself on this route, make a small detour and visit the Victoria Dam. Depending on the time of year and water levels, you may be able to witness the stunning cascade of open floodgates.

The drive from Kalpitiya to Jaffna will take you to the Northern province along the coastal line, passing the Wilpattu National Wildlife Park. Best part of this drive is the Sangupiddy Bridge stretching across Jaffna Lagoon, connecting Sangupiddy in Kilinochchi District to Karaitivu in the Jaffna District. This bridge is one of just two bridges connecting the Jaffna Peninsula with the mainland. Along the way, making a stop at the Mannar bird sanctuary would give you the opportunity to see thousands of migrant birds including flamingos and the rare, spot-billed duck.

The cultural triangle of Sri Lanka can be covered on the Polonnaruwa-Sigiriya-Anuradhapura-Kandy route. This route encompasses a treasure trove of history and culture with world heritage sites within it. You can enter the triangle from whichever part of the island you are in and change your route accordingly. The number of places to visit here are endless, including: dagobas, ancient kingdoms, sculptures, tanks and many more. In addition to these historic places, the “Jathika Namal Uyana” which is the largest quartz mountain in Asia, is a place of natural beauty, just a short drive out from this route.

Driving in Sri Lanka is always a pleasant experience and these best drives on scenic routes will ensure that you enjoy your journey as much as the attractions that you are heading to. These roads are well worth making a detour for, if your itinerary doesn’t already include them.

Whilst taking some of these scenic routes, don’t forget to make a quick stop at some of the popular stopovers in Sri Lanka. And if you are wondering what’s the best way to experience the best drives in Sri Lanka, we’d recommend renting a car on self drive basis from a reputed car rental like Malkey.

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