Tea is a national obsession in Sri Lanka and here where it is grown is a great spot to visit on your travels. Sri Lankan tea is famous the world over and when in the country you should head to the Hill Country and visit tea factories and plantations. It's just marvellous! Head to Haputale which houses the impressive Dambatenne Tea Factory, built and created by Thomas Lipton who came from Scotland and made it his base over one hundred years ago. You can get a tour of the factory up in the hills![]
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.
How to get to Dambatenne Tea Factory
It's not going to be easy to get there. There are no rail or bus links directly, so your best bet is to get to the mountain village of Haputale first and get a local bus over to Dambatenne. Tuk tuks/three wheelers are also available. You can also go with a tour group. A local driver was my preferred option and worked a treat. []
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 a tour of the Dambatenne Tea Factory last?
Your tour will be split into three main parts and should take around 25 minutes:
1. Visiting the upstairs rooms where the tea leaves are brought into the building and they are placed into the massive circular machines before going through the refining process.
2. Visiting the downstairs room where the tea goes through different levels of refining and is eventually left out to rest before being heated.
3. Lastly all the tea will be heated then let to cool. Once cooled, it goes into bags to be distributed around the globe!
Photos are banned inside for parts 2 and 3 of the tour which is fair enough as it's their secret factory and the staff are also busy working. In terms of opening times for the tour, then it's probably 9 - 5 but just make sure you check before you head there!
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!!
You can buy a packet of fresh Dambatenne tea for 300 Rupees, but the better stuff Simondou, which is tea bags costs an enormous 1,100 Rupees! Ouch! You can get it cheaper in the nearby towns by the way, you're just paying for the packet, the freshness of it and the fact that it was bought there.
What else is there to do nearby?
It's a sparse hilly region so activities are not vast, however I pinpoint these four things in the nearby area, it's also easier if you have a driver (car or tuk tuk) as they can stop for you anywhere you want:
1. Marvel at the epic mountain views
2. Walk round the tea plantations
3. Enjoy a cup of tea in a cafe with an impressive view
4. Visit the actual town of Haputale (there are hotels, markets, shops and even an ATM there!)
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.
How to get to Dambatenne Tea Factory
It's not going to be easy to get there. There are no rail or bus links directly, so your best bet is to get to the mountain village of Haputale first and get a local bus over to Dambatenne. Tuk tuks/three wheelers are also available. You can also go with a tour group. A local driver was my preferred option and worked a treat. []
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 a tour of the Dambatenne Tea Factory last?
Your tour will be split into three main parts and should take around 25 minutes:
1. Visiting the upstairs rooms where the tea leaves are brought into the building and they are placed into the massive circular machines before going through the refining process.
2. Visiting the downstairs room where the tea goes through different levels of refining and is eventually left out to rest before being heated.
3. Lastly all the tea will be heated then let to cool. Once cooled, it goes into bags to be distributed around the globe!
Photos are banned inside for parts 2 and 3 of the tour which is fair enough as it's their secret factory and the staff are also busy working. In terms of opening times for the tour, then it's probably 9 - 5 but just make sure you check before you head there!
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!!
You can buy a packet of fresh Dambatenne tea for 300 Rupees, but the better stuff Simondou, which is tea bags costs an enormous 1,100 Rupees! Ouch! You can get it cheaper in the nearby towns by the way, you're just paying for the packet, the freshness of it and the fact that it was bought there.
What else is there to do nearby?
It's a sparse hilly region so activities are not vast, however I pinpoint these four things in the nearby area, it's also easier if you have a driver (car or tuk tuk) as they can stop for you anywhere you want:
1. Marvel at the epic mountain views
2. Walk round the tea plantations
3. Enjoy a cup of tea in a cafe with an impressive view
4. Visit the actual town of Haputale (there are hotels, markets, shops and even an ATM there!)
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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