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
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?
The entrance fee is a simple 250 Rupees, payable in cash only at the front door. You may have to wait until one of the workers is available to take you round. It's not busy at all - despite being a great place to visit and one of my travel highlights, this is still well off the normal traveller's trail - worth getting out to.
How long does a tour of the Dambatenne Tea Factory last?
The tour is basically split into 3 parts and takes roughly 25 minutes:
1. A visit to the rooms upstairs where the tea arrives in from. They are put into machines to begin 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!
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 else can you do on the tour?
The tour is short and once it's over that's you done! Yes really there is no restaurant, cafe or tea room to even have a sample of the Sri Lankan tea. Your only consolation will be being able to buy a packet of Dambatenne tea direct from the factory in a small box.
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 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. Admire the views of the mountains
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.
Getting 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?
The entrance fee is a simple 250 Rupees, payable in cash only at the front door. You may have to wait until one of the workers is available to take you round. It's not busy at all - despite being a great place to visit and one of my travel highlights, this is still well off the normal traveller's trail - worth getting out to.
How long does a tour of the Dambatenne Tea Factory last?
The tour is basically split into 3 parts and takes roughly 25 minutes:
1. A visit to the rooms upstairs where the tea arrives in from. They are put into machines to begin 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!
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 else can you do on the tour?
The tour is short and once it's over that's you done! Yes really there is no restaurant, cafe or tea room to even have a sample of the Sri Lankan tea. Your only consolation will be being able to buy a packet of Dambatenne tea direct from the factory in a small box.
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 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. Admire the views of the mountains
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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