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The Pekoe Trail: Stage 22

Kandapola ⇌ Pedro Estate
A moderate hike through quiet countryside

STAGE IS CLOSED – Stage is officially closed due to safety or entrance restrictions.
STAGE NOT YET OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED – not fully audited for signage and trail conditions, not actively maintained.
STAGE IS OPEN – signage in place and trail conditions actively monitored.

The start of this stage is at Kandapola town, a small, yet busy transit in the regional capital of Nuwara Eliya. You will meander along beautiful tea trails on tea estates through remote villages.

The trail circles around one of the oldest tea estates in the region: Courtlodge Tea Factory established in 1890, as well as the Pedro Estate Tea Factory, a well-known estate and factory overlooking the surrounding countryside. The Pedro Tea Factory offers interesting and comprehensive guided tours.

Key Points

  • Courtlodge Tea Factory

  • Pedro Estate Tea Factory

  • Lover’s Leap waterfall

Stage 22
Trail information
Distance :
10.8km
Difficulty :
Moderate
Elevation Gain :
345 m
Elevation Loss :
379 m
Max Elevation :
2,112 m

Keep an eye out for the trail that leads to Lover’s Leap waterfall, just off the main trail. According to myth, Lovers Leap Waterfall is said to derive its name from the tragic tale of a prince, who while hunting in the jungle, lost his way. A beautiful damsel rescued him from the local village, and the two became inseparable lovers. But the match was not to the liking of the Eliya King and Queen, so the two decided to leap to their deaths, so they could be united forever.

The iconic Pedro Tea Estate factory marks the end or the start of The Pekoe Trail.

Top attractions along Stage 22 of The Pekoe Trail

Explore the best attractions and points of interest from Kandapola to Pedro Estate.
Lovers Leap Waterfall
Lovers Leap Waterfall
A spluttering waterfall where you can enjoy the cool spray from the gushing water at the base of the fall or sit among the boulders and enjoy a birds eye view of Nuwara Eliya town from the edge of the rock face.
Pidurutalagala
Pidurutalagala
The tallest mountain in Sri Lanka towering at an elevation of 2,524 meters. The summit is considered a high security zone with a military base and telecommunication towers.
Race course
Race course
Situated in the heart of the Nuwara Eliya town, these grounds host the annual horse races during the April season attracting large numbers of visitors.
Moon Plains
Moon Plains
The mist-laden Moon plains offer panoramic views from the ‘mini world’s end’ viewpoint of Piduruthalagala, Hakgala and Namunukula ranges. It is also great for sighting highland birds and smaller mammals like deer and rabbits.
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Immersive experiences around Kandapola and Pedro Estate

Go off the beaten path with these unique experiences visiting the finest tea growing estates of Sri Lanka’s hill country, bird watching in Galway’s Land National park or playing a round of golf.
Golf with a pro
Golf with a pro
Play a round of golf in one of the oldest golf clubs in Asia founded by the British planters who cultivated the first tea plantations in the Nuwara Eliya district.
Galways-Land-National-Park
Galway’s Land National Park
A smaller and lesser-known national park made up of a dense patch of montane forest. The park is renowned for its birdlife, including endemic and migrant species, as well as smaller mammals and lizards.
Norwood tea factory
Courtlodge Tea Factory
Learn about the history of high grown Ceylon tea at one of the oldest tea factories in the region and sample aromatic blends at an elevation above 2,000 meters.
Pedro Estate Tea Factory
Pedro Estate Tea Factory
A colonial-era tea factory on the Pedro estate, home to the first tea bushes planted by James Taylor. You can still find some of the original 19th century tea processing machinery from this factory established in 1885.
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Other Stages to Explore

Stage 20 - Lunuwatte to Uda Pussellawa
This stage begins in the small hill town of Lunuwatte. Walk on village roads past...
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Stage 21 - Uda Pussellawa to Kandapola
This stage starts in the hilltown of Uda Pussellawa, a small, but lively town...
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Stage 01 - Hanthana to Galaha
Lace-up your hiking boots for the very first stage of The Pekoe Trail taking you...
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Stage 02 - Galaha to Loolkandura
This is a calf-stretching hike divided into two sections: the first shorter trail takes you...
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Hill Towns and Cities along The Pekoe Trail

The Pekoe Trail winds its way across some of the most spectacular towns and cities in Sri Lanka’s central highlands. Make a pit stop in the tea country and explore these charming tea country towns each with their own unique landscape, attractions, and experiences.
Haputale
Haputale
Perched at the southern edge of Sri Lanka’s hill country, Haputale is a busy town often cloaked in mist due to its location on a long, narrow mountain ridge.
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Hatton
Hatton
Hatton lies deep in the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country on the south central hills. It is here that the creme de la creme of Ceylon tea flourishes; fragrant and delicately flavoured.
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Ella
Ella
This once-sleepy hill town has turned into a lively tourist hub set against a backdrop of forested mountainous ridges and deep valleys home to rugged trails and waterfalls.
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Kandy
Kandy
A bustling hill station nestled in the heart of the central highlands and situated in the shadow of Sri Lanka’s tallest mountain, Pidurutalagala. Nuwara Eliya is often referred to as the ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka.
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