The 7 Colombo Tea Experiences That Earn Their Price

1.Kandy, Pinnawala and Tea Factory Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 99 reviews · 12 hours · from $55Our pick

Travel from Colombo or Negombo to Pinnawala and Kandy with an English-speaking guide such as Malintha, Tuan, or Priyantha. Feed elephants, visit the Sacred Tooth Relic Temple, sample tea, and stop at spice, craft, batik, and jewelry workshops.

“We spent an amazing day with Malintha on our tour to Kandy. He was so welcoming and helpful and made this day truly amazing. He was always very supportive and individual, trying his best to give us a perfect day. Walking with the elephants was a highlight of the day! Thank you Malintha for this great experience.”

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2.Tea Factory, Train, and Nine Arch Day Tour with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 98 reviews · 16 hours · from $140Top rated

Travel from Sri Lanka’s west or south coast to Ella by air-conditioned vehicle, with an English-speaking guide, train ride, tea factory visit, waterfalls, Nine Arch Bridge, Little Adam’s Peak, and optional zipline. Guides such as Krish, Ranga, Dinesh, and Rukshan are praised for thoughtful, flexible help.

“Fantastic trip if you’re trying to see a lot of Sri Lanka in one day. The car journey was long both to and from Ella from Colombo but water provided and enough stops for food. Really friendly driver and guide and very accommodating. Would book again with the same company to explore more of the country!”

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3.Shore Excursion From Colombo port to Ingiriya Tea Plantation & back for 2 People

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews

Travel privately from Colombo port to Ingiriya for a look at rubber trees, Ceylon tea, rice farming, tea plucking, and tea production. Your driver-guide also shares Colombo sights along the way. The tour lasts about 5 to 8 hours and returns you to the port.

“To be clear, the driver was a careful driver, friendly, thoughtful and knowledgeable, however the tour was not as described. It took some time to get to the tea factory that we were expected to pay extra for (just arrived on a cruise in a Read more”

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4.Ceylon Tea Experience from Colombo Port Passenger Terminal

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 4 reviews · 4.5 hours

Travel from Colombo Port with an English-speaking driver-guide such as Nalin or Udaya. Visit Rayigam Tea Factory, see plantations and village life, then tour Colombo sights. The private car suits up to three people, though the tea stop takes much of this 4.5-hour outing.

“Our driver was a lovely guy called Nalin who looked after us well, sensible and calm amongst the chaotic roads. Be aware that the tea plantation is a bit of a long drive away from the cruise terminal, but we enjoyed seeing the local countryside so didn't mind this aspect. The tour around the plantation is really quite short compared to the amount of driving time, to improve I'd say they should add in sitting down for some local snacks / meal, and we actually didn't sample the tea until we got back to Colombo, I would have preferred to do this at the tea plantation itself, the shop we…”

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5.Virgin White Tea and Galle City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 4 reviews · 11 hours · from $115

Leave Colombo at 8:00 AM for Handunugoda Tea Factory, where you’ll see how Virgin White Tea is made without human contact. After a coastal stop near Ahangama, enjoy free-choice lunch and a guided walk through Galle Fort with an English-speaking chauffeur guide.

“Our guide Pereira went beyond our expectations. We followed the excursion itinerary and he also suggested other things to do like the turtle nursery, the pole fishermen, etc. It was a great excursion.”

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6.Pinnawala & Tea factory with Kandy Hotel Drop

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 4 reviews · from $60

Travel from Colombo to Kandy with hotel pickup, a Pinnawala elephant visit, Ayurvedic spice garden, Giragama Tea Factory, Kadugannawa View, water, king coconut, and hotel drop-off. Drivers such as Gajan and Champike are noted for helpful service and photos.

“The tour itself was good value and covered some great stops , Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, a tea factory, spice garden with a questionable medicinal man and scenic viewpoints. The transport was comfortable and everything ran smoothly. Good communication with the company and regular updates. A special mention to our driver, Gajan, he was excellent. Really friendly, helpful, and went out of his way to make sure we had a good day. He also takes fantastic photos, which is a bonus. One important warning though: do not go into the so-called “Maharaja Elephant No17” experience along the way. It's a tourist trap. They charge an outrageous fee (30,000 LKR, about US…”

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7.Kandy & Pinnawala & Tea Factory Full Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2 reviews · 14 - 16 hours · from $45Best value

Travel from Colombo to Kandy in an air-conditioned vehicle with hotel pickup, stopping at Pinnawala, a tea factory, Kandy viewpoints, museums, temples, and craft workshops. Driver Ruchira is noted for calm, careful driving. Major entrance fees are extra, and the full day can run from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

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