From the bustle of the Fort to the serene Hill country in less than 4 hours….

The Southern Expressway is a spectacular milestone in the growth of the new Sri Lanka. Officially opened on the 27th November 2011, the 4 lane highway, stretching for 95 kilometeres has transformed the way visitors can move around Sri Lanka, especially along the congested coastal routes.

The highway has managed to slash the travelling time to Galle from the capital Colombo by half (if not more), and the stress of staying one step ahead tuk-tuks and buses is simply not there anymore.

A wondrous new gateway has opened up from Galle to Ceylon Tea Trails

For further information please contact:

Telephone: +94 11 230 3888        E-Mail: sales@teatrails.com

 

 

For the sixth consecutive time the HSBC Galle Literary Festival is ready to take the city of Galle by storm once again , with new writers, literary wonders and a host of exciting activities.

Events are scheduled to take place from 18-22 January 2012, following the same format as previous years, but with more new additions to cover all aspects of literary work; whilst remaining ‘intimate’ to give audiences an opportunity to engage more closely with writers, organizers said.

The Festival affords visitors an opportunity to appreciate the work of Sri Lankan and international authors, engage in literary discussions and other intellectual and artistic activities; and it’s set in and around the backdrop of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Galle.

It is a celebration of writing in English, not just by English people but by a huge Diaspora of writers. Ultimately it is also intended to serve as a platform for Sri Lankan writers to get up there and get recognized alongside other international writers, instilling confidence and encouraging aspiring, young writers to write.

In essence this is the one event in Sri Lanka where everyone can congregate in one place for four days and speak, breath and drink literature and make memories that will keep drawing them back again.

The Galle Fort in itself holds its own rustic charm that adds to the whole literary ambiance. Audience’s love this peaceful, relaxing environment-it’s a chance to immerse oneself and get carried away to another world, away from the hustleand bustle of normal life.

The programme and further details can be found : www.galleliteraryfestival.com.

This festival promises to have some lively sessions with an amazing collection of diverse writers from all over the world such as Joanne Trollope, Richard Dawkins, Tom Stoppard, D.B.C Pierre, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, John Boyne, Aminatta Forna, Romesh Gunasekera and Nayantara Sahgal.

And this year with the recent opening of the Southern express way between Colombo and Galle, the travel time has been cut from three hours to just one making it far more accessible!

Ceylon Tea Trails – The ideal haven to head to before or after the Festival:

The perfect combination we think when planning your trip to Sri Lanka and the Galle literary festival, would be to build in some valuable time for much need relaxation and pampering at Tea Trails. So:

Head to Tea Trails 3-4 days either before the festival starts on the 18th January 2012 to unwind after your flight into Colombo.

Or once the Festival is over and you are suitably saturated in literary revelations come and stay at Tea Trails to reflect and rejuvenate in tranquility for a few days.

For further inquiries and bookings please contact Ceylon Tea Trails Sales Office on +94 11 230 3888 or email us at sales@teatrails.com.

‘Ceylon Tea Trails the perfect antidote after a hectic literary schedule at the Galle Literary Festival’

Some places in the world are so mesmerizing and fascinating that they immediately ignite the imagination.

Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka is one such place that has been sparking the attention of Sri Lankans and other international travellers for centuries. Adam’s Peak  (also known as Sri Pada/Siri Pada)  is the fifth highest peak in the country, and has long been a pilgrimage site that draws thousands of pilgrims and travellers alike every year.

There are many legends associated with Adam’s Peak. One of these legends says that it is the very spot where Adam first set his foot on earth after being expelled from heaven. Buddhists believe that the impressions on the bare rock at the summit of the peak are the footprints (Sri Pada) of Lord Buddha. People believe that Buddha himself left his footprint on the rock in one of his visits to the mountain. According to the Hindus in Sri Lanka, these footprints are that of Lord Shiva. Then there are many who say the sacred footprints belong to St Thomas, the early apostle of India.

Whatever the truth is, Sir Pada remains essentially a Buddhist pilgrimage site, and has been worshipped by the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka for centuries.

The Pilgrim season is the calm, bright months from January to April – and there are three traditional routes available:  from Ratnapura involving 10 miles on foot; from Kuruwita 12 miles on foot; and from Maskeliya (near Tea Trails Norwood Bungalow) about 4 miles on foot, nearly all of it steps.

For most of the visitors wishing to climb Adam’s Peak, it usually starts from Dalhousie, a small village located on the northern side of the peak.  From Dalhousie, it is about a 7-km climb to the top of the peak, and it takes around 3–4 hours, on average, to complete.

Devotees start their journey in the night time so that they reach the top of Adam’s Peak for sunrise. There are countless steps (approximately 5,200), so you’ll need a torch to walk in the dark, but the effort is certainly worth it to see the sun breaking over the horizon, a truly exhilarating spectacle.

On the way to the summit, you pass through an entrance arch, friendship dagoba, and a plethora of interesting tea shops and stalls dotted all the way up the mountain, giving ample opportunity for refreshments and re-fueling.

Pilgrims reaching the top worship the holy footprints on the rock. However, the most spectacular sight to enjoy there is the “Shadow of the Peak” that is cast by the rising sun.  The shadow is in the form of a triangle, and remains suspended in the mid air for about 15–20 minutes. Devotees believe this shadow is created by the mystical powers of the mountain.

The dawn view is just incredible. Few mountain tops create a comparable impression of isolation or yield so wide and unimpeded a view. Colombo is clearly visible, the very lights of Galle Face distinguishable; the light house south-west wise around the coast from Beruwala to Foul Point are all identifiable too!

Adam’s Peak from Ceylon Tea Trails:

Ceylon Tea Trails is the ideal base-camp choice for a trek up Adam’s Peak.  It offers a haven of sybaritic living where you can relax, rewind and rejuvenate after the climb.

Leave your bungalow at 0100 hrs during the pilgrim season (the best weather for the climb) with our trusted guide and a packed picnic breakfast.

Travel time from bungalow to the base of the mountain is approximately 1 hour, ascent is around 3-4 hours, and descent is 2-3 hours.

For inquiries and bookings please contact Ceylon Tea Trails Sales Office on +94 11 230 3888 or email us at sales@teatrails.com.

presented by Kumar Pereira and Sri Lanka In Style

Twelve lucky people will spend thirteen exciting days next March, with the charismatic Kumar Pereira, one of the final contestants in the recent Australian Masterchef series, hiking, cooking and dining their way across exotic Sri Lanka, meeting interesting people and staying in the most beautiful boutique hotels of this vibrant exotic destination.

Following visits to local markets in Negombo, herb gardens in the  Sigiriya rock fortress, a spice-roasting house in Kandy among other sights, the group will take a winding train into the cool emerald tea country, renowned for its salubrious climate and cosy planter’s bungalows. The  team will stay at Ceylon Tea Trails to revel in truly gracious living with impeccable service, authentic period ambiance, and gourmet meals; then move onto the verdant, tropical South to  experience coastal life, learning how to cook fresh seafood, and visiting a cinnamon plantation followed by Colombo, the buzzing multicultural capital…

Along the way participants will take part in classes and demonstrations learning how to cook delicious dishes as well as listening to Kumar’s stories of growing up in such an inspirational land:

The clay outdoor fireplaces were lit and cooking began in earnest – two menus for each meal – one more hearty and substantial for all the home help and the other for family and extended family who had to be entertained…Under Arokiam’s supervision the cooks would churn out pans of rich sweet meats in jewel colours. These were sprinkled with slivered almonds, cashews or pistachios and cut into squares. Some were glassy and transparent. Others thick and crusty.

-An excerpt from one of Kumar’s short stories in ‘Family Weddings

Colour in the Highlands this Diwali...

Diwali, that happy, colourful Hindu festival of lights is just round the corner …come October 26^th, be prepared for an exciting, noisy, once-a-year cultural experience involving drums, festive crackers, sweets and lots of adorable little coconut-oil lamps!

Here’s your chance to take home delicious Diwali sweetmeats and photograph the intense colours of this wonderful cultural experience, as you join in a tribute to inner light…

Tea Trails wishes all our guests a happy Diwali and lightness of heart all year round!

Nigel Tisdall is charmed by Sri Lanka’s landscape and religious shrines. But what really gets him going is a nice cuppa. And to find the source, he heads over to Ceylon Tea Trails and chats with the Planter in Residence. Read the original article here

The Central highlands of Sri Lanka display interestingly varied terrain consisting of plateaus, ridges, escarpments, basins and valleys. Temperatures range between a very comfortable 23- 26 Celsius and the salubrious climate of Hatton is far less humid than the Sri Lankan averages. Its no surprise then that the verdant environs of Hatton host some of the most beautiful and varied flora and fauna that the country has to offer, including an amazing selection of rare and diverse birdlife. Hatton is synonymous with rolling emerald hills of tea, sparkling waterfalls and multi-coloured birds and butterflies against impossibly blue skies.

The luxurious bungalows of Ceylon Tea Trails are located among the lush tea hills of Bogawantalawa, Hatton. While all are set in immaculately tended landscapes of breath-taking colour and bio-diversity, two of the bungalows overlook the serenely picturesque Castlereagh reservoir. Idyllic walking trails link the bungalows offering the chance for a charming experience immersed in nature.Happy, lazy picnics will be serenaded by discrete tree dwelling songsters provided by Mother Nature… Mountain biking and hiking in turns, is sure to lead to surprise discoveries around each corner…

Within just the last few weeks, Tea Trails staff have been able to spot such delights as the Long Billed Sunbird (Cinnyris lotenius lotenia), White Bellied Drongo (Dicrurus caerulescens), Oriental White Eye (Zosterops palpebrosus egregia), endemic Scimitar Babler (Pomatorhinus[schisticeps] melanurus)and Sri Lankan White-eye (Zosterops ceylonensis) as well as an elusive, fully grown male Indian Fishing Cat (Felis (Zibethailurus)viverrina) which was seen near the Summerville Bungalow.

This is, of course, apart from regular visitors like Sri Lankan Jungle fowl (Gallus lafayetii), endemic birds and the cheeky, ubiquitous Ceylon Palm Squirrels (Funambulus palmarum) who scamper into the bungalows and steal tussles off the carpets, to pad their nests!