Highlights
- Luxury property with sumptuous, colonial feel
- Pool, tennis courts, mountain bikes
- Tea plantation tours and nearby lake
- White water rafting, sea plane trips
Start planning your tailor-made trip by calling one of our specialists on 855 686 7694
EnquireThe majestic Ceylon Tea Trails resort is found nestled in the Bogawantalawa region of Sri Lanka’s famed ‘Tea Country’, known for its spectacular mountain views and lush and vigorous tea bushes which produce delicious and fragrant tea throughout the year. The five luxurious bungalows that make up the resort were originally built for British tea estate managers in the days of the Raj, and now boast the iconic status that comes with having been the world’s first ‘tea bungalow resort’. Today, the restored bungalows feature period furnishings, open fireplaces, and butler service. Chefs serve gourmet cuisine in the dining room, on a terrace overlooking the swimming pool, or in guest rooms, and there’s plenty to do both at the hotel and in the surrounding area.
The sumptuous accommodation comprises five very private bungalows which are well spaced-out across the property; Norwood, Tientsin, Castlereagh, Summerville, and Dunkeld. Each bungalow has between four and six rooms ranging from garden or master suites, to luxury rooms. They all house a comfortable seating area, wide verandas, and fabulous views of the nearby lake. There’s a dedicated manager, chef and butler for every bungalow, and the communal sitting room and library create a relaxed and sociable ‘home from home’ atmosphere. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon cream tea and dinner are all included.
Guests can enjoy a dip in the inviting pool, or work up a sweat on the tennis court, and the surrounding area offers a wealth of opportunities for exploring and sightseeing. The resort provides complimentary mountain bikes for exploring the tea gardens, the forest, or the nearby lake. Alternatively, guests can opt to walk to the tea gardens and join a group tour to learn about the tea making process and enjoy a tasting session. White water rafting is on offer in Kitulgala, which is 75 minutes away, and Kandy and Nuwara Eliya are fantastic destinations within relatively easy reach. A trip by seaplane to the bustling tea-hub town of Hatton is another possibility. Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital city, is a five hour car journey away.
Children are welcome at Ceylon Tea Trails. Although there are no specific facilities for them, it’s easy to keep younger family members entertained with the swimming pool and tea plantation tours. Note that there is no babysitting service and parents are reminded to supervise their children at all times.
Thank you, Lisa! Our trip was wonderful even with the weather disruption. We loved seeing so many different parts of the country, meeting people and experiencing the culture. The desert was surely a highlight for our boys and the creativity and artisanship of everything from food to crafts were a highlight for me. A special shout out to our guide and driver, they became a special part of our trip and we will forever be grateful for meeting them and learning from them. I cannot believe we had to wait three years for this adventure but it was certainly worth the wait! Thanks for all your help building the itinerary, modifying it and troubleshooting during our stay. Leslie B
Leslie B
reviewing Luxury Desert Holiday
on 01 March 2023
Hi Lisa and everyone at Tourdust,
We've had a wonderful time on our holiday and wanted to pass our appreciation to you. Everything has been expertly planned and executed, allowing us to enjoy the holiday to its fullest. Special appreciation to Muhammed, Ibrahim, and Omar, our Atlas guide, cook, and muleteer, who couldn't have done more for us and were just generally wonderful and hardworking. Riad Hanane is a perfect base in Marrakech to complement the trekking as it's ina less touristy area of the medina, which we appreciated. The staff and accomodation was superb.Thank you again for a trip to remember!
Bob, May, Grace, and Lucas
Robert B
reviewing Marrakech & Mountains Family Trek
on 20 February 2023
Hello Lisa. We came back from our trip two weeks ago now so I am sending this email much later than I wanted to. Nevertheless, what I wanted to say was thank you very much for helping us organise an amazing trip. Our days in Mafia Island to celebrate my 50th birthday were exactly what I wanted them to be: a fantastic time with the family doing activities that we all love and enjoy in a relaxing, unusual, beautiful place full of sun, surrounded by water, wildlife and friendly people. We swam with whale sharks, did a lot of snorkeling, had two picnics on a beautiful sand bank, watched the sunset over the sea, did a bird watching excursion and tried scuba diving.
All merit to you because Pole Pole in Mafia Island was your recommendation. I never heard of Mafia Island before and didn't consider Tanzania to start with. It was an amazing place to stay: friendly, relaxed, beautiful, comfortable, with great food and fantastic service. Thanks not only for finding the place but also for your patience as we prepared the trip and I explored options and decided what I wanted. All went incredibly well (places, transfers, flights) and we had a very memorable time together that we will all remember forever - as we still do the safari trip to South Africa you organised for us 5 years ago.
I cannot wait to plan another trip! I am already thinking about where and when. Hopefully no pandemic will get in the way this time. And I will come to you as my favourite travel agent.
I copy in this message the Tourdust office because I want them to know how good you are and how much I appreciated the different trips you organised for us (including the trip to India for my parents that was cancelled due to Covid). I cannot thank you enough :o)
Kind regards, Carol
Carolina O
reviewing Relaxed Bush & Beach Family Holiday in Tanzania
on 25 November 2022