Dambatenne tea factory is a scenic working tea estate and factory located near Haputale town in Sri Lanka, spreading over acres of the lushest mountain region in the central highlands of the country, on the way to the must-see Lipton Seat viewpoint. Tourists visit this popular tea factory for seeing all the stages of tea production and enjoying the awesome landscape of the valleys that are pleasantly cooler than naturally-cooled Europe. Much of the equipment at the factory being more than a century old, Dambatenne tea estate is an insight into the colonial period of the country as well.
Dambatenne Tea Estate is a beautiful hillside of lush vegetation that spreads across acres of land where there is a comprehensive working tea factory for showing you various stages involved in the tea production like cutting of leaves, drying, rolling, sieving and grading and labeling of tea variants. There are walkways amidst the plantation where you can take a stroll. Misty mountains are seen on the other end. The famous viewpoint Lipton Seat is just nearby where the environment could not be more beautiful.
Dambatenne Tea Factory was built in the year 1980 by the Scottish baron Sir Thomas Lipton, the notable figure in tea history of Sri Lanka and the founder of the well-renowned brand Lipton Tea. The first-sold Lipton Tea extract was manufactured here and the very term, Ceylon Tea, is supposed to have evolved from here. Although the estate and factory changed hands in 1930, the famous Lipton still continues to purchase a large sum of tea products from the Dambatenne tea factory.
The best time to visit Dambatenne Tea Factory is months from May through July when Haputale, the region the tea factory is located, has ideal weather outside with pleasant temperature and clear sky with no rain, though the hillside has a nice temperature throughout the year. Visitors are allowed in from 8 am to 6 pm the whole week. Visiting on Sundays is not recommended since workers are off and no process takes place, hence nothing to see.
Although the factory does not have a cafe nor a shop for selling souvenirs and tea products inside the estate, you can buy its fresh tea variants of varied flavors from the shops located in the town nearby, Haputale. What you are getting from here is the world's most valued tea brand, Lipton Tea. In Haputale town, there are various local shops, cafes, restaurants and gift shops for you to take souvenirs home.
Dambatenne Tea Factory is positioned 9 kilometers northeast of Haputale city and 26 kilometers of Ella. From Ella or any other major cities in the country, it is easy to get to Haputale via both rails and road. From Haputale, you shall get local buses that go to Dambatenne Tea Factory in every 30 minutes. Or for a variety, you can rent a tuk-tuk to the location which would only take you less than 30 minutes to reach.
