While soft-sand beaches and lowland jungles may be the first images that leap to mind when you imagine Sri Lanka, this tropical isle is endowed with a mountainous interior that is every bit as scenic as the coast, blessed by pleasantly cool temperatures that rarely tip 21ºC.
Rising at dawn is the best way to see this region of Sri Lanka burst into life, as the rising sun spills across lush and sweeping amphitheaters of green, and views stretch to the horizon, undimmed by early mists and the clouds that roll in mid-morning, obscuring famous vistas.
Tea pickers near Haputale in Sri Lanka's Hill Country © Ella Tuul and Bruno Morandi / Getty Images
Alternative World’s Ends
The most famous Hill Country panorama is the evocatively-named World’s End in Horton Plains National Park, but the sublime views come with crowds and high national park entry fees that can exceed US$20 for foreign visitors.
Luckily, Sri Lanka offers a series of alternative World’s Ends, reached by stunning hikes through similarly spectacular natural scenery, but without the crowds and high entry fees – most are free to visit, and even Lipton’s Seat, perhaps the best known, has a modest entry fee of just Rs 50 (US$0.33).
Tea bushes forming giant fingerprints when viewed from above © craftvision / Getty Images
Tasting Lipton’s delight
For my own explorations of Sri Lanka’s lush, green hills, I chose the ridge-top town of Haputale, jumping-off point for an early morning ramble to Lipton’s Seat. From this lofty perch above the Dambetenne tea estate, tea’s most famous patron, the English trader Sir Thomas Lipton, once surveyed his vast Ceylonese holdings.
My first stop on the journey was the Dambatenne tea factory – Sri Lanka’s first, founded by Sir Thomas in 1890. Reached via a rewarding 11km walk or short bus or tuk-tuk ride from Haputale, the Dambatenne estate marks the start of a 7km track that climbs 400m through luxuriant tea bush landscapes to Lipton’s eponymous lookout.
Sweeping views from the trail to Lipton's Seat © Ethan Gelber / Lonely Planet
Despite the topography, I found the walk restful rather than strenuous; two hours of weaving through rolling plantations, alive with fluttering butterflies and dotted with plantation workers’ homes and groups of Tamil tea pickers, usually chest-deep amidst the bushes, filling bags or baskets with Sri Lanka’s best leaves.
Waving and smiling at tea-pickers earned a warm response, as did my requests for directions. The latter is definitely advised if you plan to tackle the steep, stepped shortcuts running directly through the plantations. At the top of the climb, I found a bronze statue of Sir Thomas Lipton posing with a cuppa in front of a cascade of misty green hills, a small teashop serving fresh brews and treats, and little else to disturb the serenity.
Lipton's sea of green, near Haputale © Ethan Gelber / Lonely Planet
Other top-notch walks
Lipton’s Seat is only one of many wonderful walking destinations in Sri Lanka’s Hill Country. Here are some more recommendations for ways to soak up the scenery and bask in the balmy highland climate.
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