Back when the country was called Ceylon, and was a British colony, Sri Lanka became famous for growing tea. The high elevation and moisture in the hill region is ideal for tea production. Many well-known tea companies, including Lipton, have factories here.
We passed through lush forests and bright green, perfectly manicured tea plantations. Merchants came on board at each stop to sell food, then took the next train back.
We were hoping to stay in a quiet little mountain town, and Ella, in the height of tea country sounded perfect. Except that everyone else had the same idea as us, and the town is swarming with tourists.
Since the civil war ended 6.5 years ago, foreigners have flocked to this pretty area. We were still happy to get some hiking time, and we climbed Ella Rock and Little Adam’s Peak. Once we were out of the town itself, we didn’t see many others. To reach the summit of Ella Rock, we had to walk along the railroad for a while, then up steep hillsides.
At one point we took a wrong turn, and a barefoot farmer led us through tea plantations to the trail.
Given our location amidst tea plantations, it seemed appropriate to visit a tea factory. We chose to go to Newburgh green tea factory, as it was closest. Although our tour guide was pathetically uninterested, we saw how fresh leaves are first dried over a wood fire, then ground up, dried again, and separated based on size. The bigger pieces are used for steeping, and the powder is put into teabags. Ella, sitting in the thick of tea plantations, was the perfect place to sit back and enjoy a nice cup of Ceylon tea.