Lipton’s Seat, Sri Lanka – All You Must Know

When people first mention Sri Lanka, tea is always the first that comes to mind.

The tea industry in Sri Lanka was revolutionized by Sir Thomas J. Lipton, who if you are a tea drinker, would be familiar to this staple name.

Lipton Tea.. hello? Ring any bell?

Sir Thomas J. Lipton first visited Sri Lanka in the late 1800s and fell in love with the beauty and freshness of the island. The distinctive characteristics of the island inspired him to embark on an unprecedented journey of tea in Sri Lanka.

He who commercialized the finest crops of Ceylon tea put the country on the map. He was instrumental in opening the door for industry expansion and making tea a part of the Sri Lankan culture.

If you’d like a tour of the tea factory, you can do a tour of Dambetenne Tea Factory where you will start the hike from, a slightly rugged, old-school factory, at USD 1.40 per person. This very Dambatenne estate is the first estate to be acquired by Thomas Lipton in Ceylon.

Where to stay near Lipton’s Seat, Sri Lanka

We were put up at Bandarawela, at Bandarawela Hotel. This hotel is an attraction on its own as it had been operating since 1893, with most of the structures from the past still in place. Some might think it’s creepy to live there because of how old it is.

Other highly-rated hotels near Lipton’s Seat are:

• Train View Chalet, Bandarawela
• Living Heritage, Koslanda
• Hotel Olinka, Haputale
• Olympus Plaza Hotel, Haputale

How to get to Lipton’s Seat, Sri Lanka

It is at Dambetenne Tea Factory where you will begin your quest for Lipton’s Seat.

18 km away from Haputale, Lipton’s Seat is a high observation point 1970m above sea level in the hills of Poonagala.

Located on the top of the town, Poonagala Hill, it is a popular vantage point for visitors near and far to check out the sunrise and the 7 provinces that surround it.

The journey of getting to the top of the summit, to Lipton’s Seat, is in my opinion the highlight. From the Dambatenne Tea Factory, there is a winding paved road that takes you through the plantation. You can either walk the 7 km or take a tuk tuk up. The climb takes about 2.5 hours on average.

Due to time constraint, we did a mix of a tuk tuk drive and then taking short cuts up to the summit (with the help of a local guide).

What to expect at Lipton’s Seat, Sri Lanka

The temperatures around this tea plantation is almost at a constant cool 18°C all year round except for August where it gets too warm.

Along the way up, the patterned rows of tea plantation get more and more astounding. These winding rows are almost never ending, with the occasional blips of colourful tea pickers sandwiched between them.

Take your time to go up, stop and watch a group of barefoot Indian ladies, fully covered from head to toe with a bandana on their heads, adeptly lifting bags of plucked tea leaves to weigh them with their strong arms.

The fine lines on their faces from prolonged exposure to the sun is testament to the hard work of tea-picking.

We later learned that for a whole day of work, they earn approximately USD 4.50. We were aghast to hear of how little they earn for such a long hard day of work!

If you are a history buff, look closely on the way up. Some parts of the road still have remains of the original stone constructions from the British era of Ceylon.

After some huffing and puffing, we knew we were at the top when we spotted the statue of the man who revolutionised the accessibility of tea to one and all, Sir Thomas J. Lipton, and the signage that reads “Lipton’s Seat.”

Sights such as Handapanagala Lake, Chandrika Lake, Udawalawe Lake, Wedihitikanda Mountains, and even the Hambanthota harbour from the Southern coast can be seen if the weather is clear. The afternoon we went, however, was all misty and cloudy.

Best time to visit Lipton’s Seat, Sri Lanka

The best time to visit Lipton’s Seat is early morning, especially if you prepare for this hike for sunrise at the summit. It can get misty and cloudy from 10am, especially from April to October where it’s considerably warmer.

TIP: Be sure to bring some layers as it can get really chilly and windy at the top!

At the summit, our guide surprised us with a picnic, with locally-made food wrapped in leaves. Nothing like a good meal to fuel us after our little workout. It turns out, that was one of the best meals we’ve had in Sri Lanka!

Special thanks to Sri Lanka Tourism for this experience! All opinions remain my own.

1 – 9 November 2019, Fri – Sat