Heritance Hotels
Heritance Hotels
Embarking on the Pekoe Trail is more than a hike—it’s a journey through the beating heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country. Stretching across 300 kilometers of scenic highlands, through quiet villages and emerald estates, the trail invites travelers to slow down, breathe deeply, and embrace the stories that rise from the mist-shrouded hills. And as the journey nears its end, Stage 21 offers a fitting prelude to your finale—leading you directly to the doors of the iconic Heritance Tea Factory.
The Trail That Took the World’s Breath Away
Since its launch, the Pekoe Trail has captivated travelers and global media alike. In the last three years, it has earned a series of high-profile accolades that recognize its power to connect, inspire, and protect:
These accolades reflect not only the trail’s natural beauty, but also its thoughtful storytelling and celebration of Sri Lankan heritage.
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Stage 21: Uda Pussellawa to Kandapola — The Journey to Heritance
Stage 21 of the Pekoe Trail is where the terrain rises and the anticipation builds. Winding 16.7 kilometers through tea fields and cloud forests, the stage begins in Uda Pussellawa and ends in Kandapola, guiding you through landscapes unchanged for over a century.
About 13 kilometers in, the trail reaches a crown jewel of tea heritage—the Hethersett Estate, home to the Heritance Tea Factory. Once a working tea factory built in the 19th century, the building has been carefully preserved and repurposed into one of Sri Lanka’s most distinctive hospitality experiences. Here, you’ll sleep in rooms that once housed withering lofts, dine amidst antique machinery, and sip tea in a place where it was once processed for the world.
Recover in Style at Heritance Tea Factory
After days of trekking, there’s no better place to unwind and reflect than at the Heritance Tea Factory. Towering above the hills at 2,000 meters, the hotel is a celebration of history and thoughtful transformation.
Let your final ascent melt away with a treatment at the hotel’s wellness spa, where therapies inspired by traditions meet the cool, calming air of the central highlands. The combination of mountain serenity and holistic care offers the perfect recovery for tired legs and full hearts.
Embracing Tea at Every Turn
Tea isn’t just served here—it’s lived. Don a traditional estate worker’s sarong and blouse and head out to pluck your own leaves from the surrounding Hethersett Estate. Later, you’ll follow the same process that made Ceylon tea a global icon—rolling, drying, and even tasting your very own custom blend at the hotel’s mini tea factory.
Every cup of tea here is layered with history. In the evenings, guests can dine inside the TCK 6685 vintage train carriage, a tribute to the very trains that once carried tea from the hills to the ports of Colombo.
Stage 22: The Final Stretch to Pedro Estate
After your stay, Stage 22 awaits—an 11.3-kilometer Kandapola to Pedro Estatstretch from e, passing through some of the island’s most iconic tea country. It’s a quiet, contemplative end to a transformative experience. Many hikers choose to return to Heritance Tea Factory after completing the trail, savoring one last night of peace among the pines and tea.
Where Every Step Ends with a Story
The Pekoe Trail doesn’t just guide you through Sri Lanka—it connects you to its essence. And there is no better place to end this journey than at Heritance Tea Factory, where you can recover, reflect, and truly absorb all that you’ve seen and felt.
Soak in the views. Steep yourself in history. And raise a warm cup of Ceylon tea to the trail that took you there.