Pekoe Trail Stage 2 & 3
Overview

This two-day Lanka Trek experience takes you through two of the most historically rich and scenically demanding stages on The Pekoe Trail, both deep in the central highlands above Kandy. Day one pushes through the scenic Deltota Estate, a lively hilltop market, and a towering old pine forest before arriving at the birthplace of Sri Lanka’s tea industry at Loolecondera. Day two carries you through ancient tea paths, a forgotten colonial road built by British engineers, a dramatic mountain pass, and down into the sweeping Kotmale Valley. The difficulty builds across the two days, but the landscapes and history woven into every kilometer make it more than worth the effort.

Basic Details

Day 1: Galaha to Loolkandura

• Region: Kandy
• Duration: Approximately 8 Hours
• Live Guide: English
• Pickup Time: 6.30 AM
• Trail Start Point: Galaha Post Office
• Trail End Point: Loolkandura
• Difficulty Level: Difficult
• Hiking Distance: 14.7 km
• Elevation Gain: 853 m
• Elevation Loss: 510 m
• Maximum Elevation: 1,402 m
• People Interactions: High
• Overnight Accommodation: Guesthouse near trail end

Day 2: Loolkandura to Tawalantenne

• Region: Kandy
• Duration: Approximately 10 Hours
• Live Guide: English
• Pickup Time: 6.30 AM
• Trail Start Point: Loolkandura
• Trail End Point: Tawalantenne
• Difficulty Level: Difficult
• Hiking Distance: 18.11 km
• Elevation Gain: 762 m
• Elevation Loss: 1,020 m
• Maximum Elevation: 1,586 m
• People Interactions: Low

Highlights

• Travel from Kandy through the hill country to Galaha, where the trail begins
• Walk through the picturesque Deltota Estate on quiet estate roads with sweeping mountain views
• Explore Deltota’s lively hilltop market, full of fresh fruit, colorful murals, and local character
• Hike through a towering old pine forest and visit James Taylor’s original cottage at Loolecondera Estate
• Spend the night at a comfortable guesthouse close to the trail end
• Walk the forgotten Dimbula Road on day two, built by British engineers over 150 years ago
• Cross a dramatic mountain pass and enter the Stellenberg Estate with views of Adam’s Peak on the horizon
• Descend into the Kotmale Valley with sweeping views of the reservoir, Ramboda Pass, and distant waterfalls

Full Description

Day 1: Galaha to Loolkandura

Your two-day adventure starts with a pickup from your hotel in Kandy. The drive to Galaha takes around one hour, winding up through the hill country as the city gives way to tea estates and mountain roads.

The trail begins at the Galaha Post Office. The opening kilometer follows the road to Galaha General Hospital before the route turns into the Deltota Estate. Locals may point you toward the main road, but stick to the estate path on the left. At 1.3 kilometers, a signboard marks a right turn onto the estate path, passing a school ground and houses before the gradient kicks upward. The views of the Hanthana Estate and surrounding peaks looking back from the climb are well worth a pause.

At a tea weighing station intersection, take the path to the right. At 4.6 kilometers, a bridge to your left marks an important turn. If there’s any doubt, local residents know this section well and are happy to help. The trail twists through the landscape into Deltota, a lively hill country town with a market full of fresh fruit, vegetables, and colorful murals. It’s a good place to refuel before the more demanding second half of the day.

Leaving Deltota, the trail climbs steeply to the left before the surface changes to gravel and forks right. The next 2.5 kilometers pass through an old pine forest with trees that dwarf everything beneath them. Watch out for leeches in this section, particularly after rain. At 8.3 kilometers, the trail joins a tea estate road zigzagging up the mountain. Near the 9.3-kilometer mark, the path levels out close to the summit with a communications tower just above to the right. At 9.7 kilometers, an abandoned village and small river crossing precede a 300-meter narrow section marked by yellow and red concrete posts.

By 10.5 kilometers, the path opens onto the Loolecondera Estate, the birthplace of Sri Lanka’s tea industry. A track to the right leads to James Taylor’s original cottage, where Sri Lanka’s first commercial tea crop was planted in 1867. From here, the trail descends through lush tea bushes and dramatic rock formations before concluding at a bridge beside a Hindu shrine. We then walk to our guesthouse near the trail end for the night.

Day 2: Loolkandura to Tawalantenne

After breakfast, we walk to the trailhead at a small bridge over the Ma Oya on the Loolkandura Estate. The trail wastes no time, climbing 250 meters within the first hour. At 0.3 kilometers, take the smaller ascending path to the right. By 0.8 kilometers, a shed near a small school marks another right turn, with a colorful Hindu Kovil and the Loolkandura Estate Bungalow visible below.

At 1.1 kilometers, a path drops to a river with beautiful rock pools, a short detour well worth taking before the real climbing begins. The trail eases into a gentle zigzag at 2.2 kilometers before entering the jungle, where the atmosphere shifts entirely. This is the old Dimbula Road, built over 150 years ago by British engineers to connect Kandy with the distant tea valleys. Its gradient and stonework still speak to 19th-century craftsmanship, even as the forest slowly reclaims it.

At 4.7 kilometers, the trail crosses the mountain pass onto the Stellenberg Estate. The Kotmale Valley spreads out below, with Adam’s Peak visible on the horizon on a clear day. The next 4.5 kilometers follow flat estate roads exposed to full sun, so keep your hat and sunscreen within reach.

At 10.5 kilometers, a descending zigzag road opens up views of the Kotmale Reservoir below. At 14.1 kilometers, glimpses of the Ramboda Pass and distant waterfalls appear as the descent continues past a handful of homes and guesthouses. The trail merges with the main road near the Glenoch Tea Factory at 16 kilometers, with Tawalantenne central just 200 meters to the right. Your Lanka Trek vehicle will be waiting here to take you back to Kandy, a two-hour drive through the hills.

Why Walk This Two-Day Tour with Lanka Trek?

These two stages back to back offer a deeply rewarding and challenging introduction to the central highland section of The Pekoe Trail. The variety is remarkable across the two days, from estate paths and hilltop markets to ancient jungle roads, mountain passes, and sweeping valley panoramas. The history woven into this stretch of the trail, from James Taylor’s cottage to the forgotten Dimbula Road, gives every kilometer a sense of meaning that goes beyond the walking itself. Our guides bring it all to life, and we take care of all transport, accommodation, meals, and logistics so that your only job is to keep moving and keep looking.