Guided Tea Factory Tour

Camellia Hills is surrounded by acres of verdant, neatly plucked tea bushes that have been flourishing here for close to a century. This region of Sri Lanka is home to some of the island’s finest upcountry teas. During this experience, you’ll learn all about the tea production process by visiting one of our local tea factories. The factories themselves are iconic; vast, atmospheric, and filled with heavy machinery, some dating back over a century. These multi-windowed warehouses are where the magic process of tea production transpires.

The leaves are brought in from the tea estates, dried, withered and rolled, before being heated to remove as much moisture as possible. Finally, they’re sorted by particle size, ranging from the finest dust to the most prized variety, orange pekoe. One of the factory managers will host you on this excursion and take you on a guided tour, showing you the processes, introducing you to the machines and demonstrating how each of them works. At the end, you’ll have the opportunity to taste a few varieties of tea in an insightful tea tasting session.

The factory also has a selection of tea for sale if you wish to purchase some to take back home. For a more in-depth experience, we can arrange a knowledgeable local guide, (based on availability). This experience is subject to an additional fee.