Why Visiting Nuwara Eliya’s Tea Plantations Should Be on Every Traveler’s Bucket List

A picturesque town in central Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya is well known for cooler climes, mountainous terrain, graceful waterfalls and emerald tea slopes that stretch for miles. This beautiful area fondly called Little England captivates visitors who opt for a hotel in Nuwara Eliya Sri Lanka for their stay. As you explore this charming town discover why a tea plantation visit is synonymous with experiencing the essence of this colonial holiday getaway and the crucial role it plays in community upliftment.

img via flickr

Introduction
Nuwara Eliya is nearly 2000 m above sea level on a plateau nestled in the shade of the highest peak of Sri Lanka Mount Pidurutalagala. This scenic town endowed with lush green terrain, mild temperature and moderate rainfall was transformed during the tenure of Sir Edward Barnes. He was the British Governor in Ceylon as the island was known during the early 19th century, and he made Nuwara Eliya a habitable and appealing suburb in the hills. Although coffee plantations boomed in this region originally, by the mid-19th century coffee rust destroyed them. This made the British experiment with tea growing and discovered the immense potential this region already had for tea with its conducive climate and higher elevation. By the late 19th century, the tea industry on the island was booming. The British Colonials used this town with many tea plantations as a holiday getaway. Today, global visitors arrive in Nuwara Eliya to get a glimpse into the tea legacy of this town aside from enjoying its beauty. 

Best tea growing District
Sri Lanka is the fourth largest tea exporter in the world at present, a distinct achievement considering the stature of this tiny nation. Nuwara Eliya remains the best tea-growing district on this island. This is one good reason to witness the tea growing and processing activities firsthand as you explore this unique town.
The air in Nuwara Eliya is cool and invigorating while the wind is scented by eucalyptus and mint which grow in the wild. These scents caress the tea bushes while the moderate rainfall nourishes them tenderly. The ensuing tea leaves plucked by deft hands are processed to become among the finest in the world. Tea tasters describe Nuwara Eliya tea as Delicately Fragrant. Hence isn’t it worth taking time from the cocoon of your Nuwara Eliya hotel to explore a tea plantation?

A tea plantation visit

A tea plantation with a factory visit is not only about gaining insights into tea making but also a far more enriching experience of learning about the legacy of tea on this island and how the lives of local communities are closely connected to the same legacy. Among some of the finest tea plantations in the Nuwara Eliya district a few have contributed immensely to the fine craft of tea making from the colonial era, and one such tea plantation is Pedro Estate, named after Mt. Pidurutalagala.  It has been a part of the evolution of the tea legacy in Sri Lanka.

A coffee and cinchona plantation in the mid-19th century, Pedro Estate shifted to tea in the later years of the same century in the aftermath of the coffee rust outbreak and has witnessed the different stages of the growth of the tea industry in Sri Lanka. Situated at an elevation of nearly 2,400 m it is endowed with ideal conditions for cultivation of premium tea.

Join a tour that takes you through the process of tea production which includes plucking, withering, rolling, fermenting and drying, these tours are illuminating and interactive as visitors even get to pluck tea. Note the features of the still-functional 19th-century tea factory and become a tea taster by checking out samples of different teas during the tour. And don’t fail to enjoy a freshly brewed cup of tea with authentic Sri Lankan snacks at the end of the tour as you admire the rolling tea plantation.
For visitors using properties like Araliya Green City, this estate can be reached in less than 10 minutes by a tuk-tuk.

Community upliftment 
These tea estates also play a massive role in community upliftment through diverse initiatives. Pedro Estate has the concept of a home for every Plantation Worker resulting in stable housing facilities for many plantation workers. Beyond that, they also have comprehensive medical schemes for them.

Access to clean water is a community project spearheaded by the estate in addition to providing community centres and recreational facilities for their employees and the community.

All these portray that tea plantations remain the bedrock of this picturesque town in the hills of Sri Lanka. Hence ensure your visit is enriched by visiting one.