PEKOE Trail
A legendary 300km long-distance walking trail across Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands.
Trail Overview
The Pekoe Trail is a 300+ km long-distance walking route across Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands, divided into 22 stages that weave through tea estates, forests, villages, valleys and historic sites.
Designed to showcase the diversity of Sri Lanka’s hill country, the trail connects breathtaking mountain landscapes with the heritage of tea plantations and rural communities. Each stage offers a unique perspective of the island’s natural beauty and cultural history.
Whether you walk a single stage or explore several sections of the trail, the Pekoe Trail offers a rewarding slow-travel experience through one of the most scenic regions of Sri Lanka.
Experience Highlights
- Walk sections of the famous 300km Pekoe Trail
- Scenic tea estates and plantation villages
- Forest trails, valleys and highland ridges
- Flexible stages from easy to challenging
- Guided interpretation of flora, fauna and local folklore
- Optional picnic lunches and cultural stops
Trail Stages
Hanthana → Galaha
Gentle walk through Hanthana’s rolling hills with sweeping tea-country views.
Galaha → Loolkandura
Historic trail leading to Sri Lanka’s first tea estate founded by James Taylor.
Loolkandura → Tawalantenne
Forest patches, estate villages and misty highland scenery.
Tawalantenne → Pundaluoya
A mix of rural paths, waterfalls and plantation life.
Pundaluoya → Watagoda
Tea estates, railway viewpoints and cool highland breezes.
Watagoda → Kotagala
Easy estate paths with classic tea-country panoramas.
Kotagala → Norwood
Tea valleys, colonial bungalows and reservoir views.
Norwood → Bogawantalawa
Explore the famous “Golden Valley of Tea”.
Bogawantalawa → Dayagama
A tougher climb through remote tea landscapes.
Dayagama → Horton Plains
High-altitude trek entering cloud forests and grasslands.
Horton Plains → Udaweriya
Open plains transitioning into rugged estate trails.
Udaweriya → Haputale
Dramatic ridgelines and sweeping valley views.
Haputale → St. Catherine’s
Pine forests, tea fields and views of the Ella Gap.
St. Catherine’s → Makulella
Quiet rural paths and stunning sunrise viewpoints.
Makulella → Ella
Forest trails leading into the famous Ella highlands.
Ella → Demodara
Walk past the iconic Nine Arch Bridge and railway routes.
Demodara → Hali Ela
Estate villages, paddy fields and gentle slopes.
Hali Ela → Ettampitiya
A tougher stage through forests and open countryside.
Ettampitiya → Loonuwatte
Remote highland terrain with cool misty air.
Loonuwatte → Udapussellawa
Tea valleys and quiet estate communities.
Udapussellawa → Kandapola
Forest corridors and rolling plantation hills.
Kandapola → Pedro Estate (Nuwara Eliya)
The final stage ending near Pedro Tea Estate.
Ready to Walk the Pekoe Trail?
Experience one of Asia’s most beautiful long-distance walking routes through Sri Lanka’s tea country, forests and mountain valleys.