Pekoe Trail
The Pekoe Trail
Sri Lanka's long-distance walking trail through the tea country of the central highlands, from Hantana near Kandy to Pedro Estate near Nuwara Eliya.
At a glance
- Starts in
- Hantana, Kandy
- Ends in
- Pedro Estate, Nuwara Eliya
- Length
- 300 km
- On foot
- ≈ 12–15 days
- Countries
Sri Lanka
About the trail
The Pekoe Trail follows the old estate roads and footpaths that once linked the tea plantations of Sri Lanka's hill country. It is run by a non-profit company set up to maintain and develop the route, and it takes its name from one of the classic grades of tea.
The 22 stages begin at Hantana above Kandy and pass Loolkandura, often called the birthplace of Ceylon tea, then climb through the estates to Horton Plains, Haputale and the viewpoint of Lipton's Seat before looping back through Ella, Hali-Ela and Uda Pussellawa. The final stage ends at Pedro Estate near Nuwara Eliya, after weaving between tea slopes, forest reserves and estate villages.
The Pekoe Trail Company gives 300 km in 22 stages and publishes current alerts on its Trail Watch page, including monsoon warnings for some stages. It does not set a total number of days; most walkers cover one stage a day and use guesthouses near the stage ends.
No source gives the days on foot, so they are worked out from the length at 20–25 km a day.