Cycling Tour of Sri Lanka

There’s more to Ulagalla than just the view. Guests can wake up with the dawn chorus and take a guided walk around the estate and beyond. This leisurely 90-minute ramble includes a walk along the banks of Wannemaduwa ‘tank’, a traditional irrigation reservoir built to a design over two thousand years old.

Guests can take to the waters of Wannemaduwa tank in a kayak at dawn or dusk to experience the wildlife of the forest at its most active. Paddle quietly with friendly staff guide through floating islands of lotus blossom, stands of water bird-haunted reeds and overhanging boughs. The soft light of the rising or setting sun turns the air to honey and touches the dragonflies’ wings with gold.

Guests discover the elegant simplicity of Sri Lankan village life on this two-hour guided bicycle excursion, while keeping an eye open for exotic birds and small wildlife along the route. The destination is Veheragalla, a traditional farming village not far from the hotel. Guests will meet the inhabitants and be welcomed at the home of the village headman.

For the nature-loving foodie, guests can enjoy a guided tour of the organic herb and vegetable garden, during which they can hand-pick fresh, juicy ingredients for their lunch. Ending the walk with a visit to the traditional health kitchen, where the herbs and vegetables they’ve selected will be transformed into delicious Sri Lankan dishes.

Surrounded by green woods at Ulagalla, guests may want to try their hand at being Robin Hood. If so, the hotel can supply the equipment – bows, arrows and targets – as well as expert advice and even some friendly competition from the recreational assistants, who are graduates of the Colombo School of Archery. Or guests can engage in a tournament with their own party or fellow guests.

An expert visiting instructor conducts programmes for guests on request. Sessions vary in duration and intensity depending on guests' preference.

This very special excursion only takes place on Poya (full moon) days, which are holy to the Buddhists of Sri Lanka. A Buddhist guide will take guests to Veheragala Temple, where they can observe and participate in the traditional rites of Sinhalese Buddhism such as lamp lighting, circling the stupa and offering floral tributes.

Kite making and kite-flying are popular traditional pastimes all over South Asia. Guests can come along and learn how to make, launch and fly a bamboo and paper kite of classic Sri Lankan design, such as a nye sarungala.

Rosyth is a small working estate. Tea is plucked by hand and sold to the nearby tea factory, whilst latex is tapped, treated and sold to a local rubber factory. Coconuts, fruits, spices and other produce are grown on the estate. The Estate contains walking trails & mountain biking routes by the hotel recommends sticking to the paths and estate roads. Guests are free to explore the estate and join the ladies plucking two leaves and a bud from the tea bushes. Most afternoons at approximately 4.30 the estate superintendent (if available) will take guest for a walk around the estate to show the produce and how it is processed.

Sri Lanka is one of the smallest, but biologically diverse countries in Asia. Consequently it is recognized as a Biodiversity hotspot of global and national importance. Its varied climate and topographical conditions have given rise to this rich species diversity, believed to be the highest in Asia in terms of unit land area. You will undoubtedly meet some of the other inhabitants of the Estate House however why not grab a pair of binoculars and a bird book and spend an afternoon or morning watching the countless variety of birds; from Sri Lankan Grey Hornbills to Crested Serpent Eagles; or catch a sight of the Macaque Monkeys that also call the Rosyth Estate House home.

Surprise your children with a treasure hunt. The Treasure hunt is fun, interactive and creative and you can tailor them for your kids. Our staff will scatter the picture cards of the fruit and spices that grow in the gardens around the house. The cards will be placed at the base of the tree/plant. With such a large selection of fruit and spice growing around the house we have had such fun creating and designing. Our team will be able to help you to guide younger children. The trees and plants papaya, coffee, lime, pepper, rambutan, jack, coconut, cinnamon, clove, tea, avacado & cardamom. Suitable for children 3-11. We suggest parents should supervise. T&C Apply

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Rosyth Tea Factory (10 minutes) Just a few minutes’ walk from the house is the local tea factory & whilst not part of our estate, guests are welcome to visit the factory and understand how the tea we grow, is turned into fine tea for export. Many concur that Sri Lanka Tea is the best in the world. The tea grown at Rosyth is particularly popular in the Middle East. The old orthodox method of tea processing produces the liquor of the Unbroken Flower Orange Pekoe in its most superior grade. You will have the opportunity to purchase tea at the factory to take home.

A short tour will take through the factory where the fresh leaves are dried by fans on withering troughs to reduce the moisture content and then rolled and pressed to express the juices which coat the leaves. The leaves are then left to ferment in humidity. The final process dries the leaves and then the leaves are graded. Unbroken being the best quality, fannings and the dust which is the quality used in tea bags.

Location: Local tea factory
Duration: 90 minutes
Host: Factory manager and butler
Group size: 1+
What to wear: Trainers or other comfortable shoes (preferably closed toe).
Other: No photographs are allowed inside the factories

Goatfell is surrounded by acres of verdant neatly plucked tea bushes that have been flourishing here for close to a century. This region of Sri Lanka is home to some of the island’s finest upcountry teas.

During this experience, you’ll learn all about the tea production process by visiting one of our local tea factories. The factories themselves are icons of the Hill Country; vast, atmospheric and filled with heavy machinery, some dating back over a century, these multi-windowed warehouses are where the magic process of tea production happens. The leaves are brought in from the tea gardens, dried, withered and rolled, before being fired to remove as much moisture as possible. Finally, they’re sorted into fragrant particle sizes ranging from the finest dust to the most prized variety, orange pekoe.

One of the factory managers will host you on this experience and take you on a guided tour, showing you the processes, introducing you to the machines and demonstrating how each of them works. You’ll also be accompanied by a Goatfell butler who can assist with any in depth interpretation. At the end, you’ll have the opportunity to taste a few varieties of tea in an insightful tea tasting session. The factories have a few varieties of tea for sale so if you wish you can purchase some to take back home.

Location: Concordia Estate
Duration: 1, 2, 3+ hours
Host: Alone or with a butler (optional)
Group size: 1+
What to wear: A good pair of walking shoes or trainers and a raincoat if it looks showery

A combination of killer views, spectacular scenery and a temperate climate makes Goatfell a superb place to get active. We have researched a number of trails from our bungalow that take you through some of the region’s most inspiring hill country scenery. Whether you’re looking for a short one-hour amble or a longer hike, we have a few trails of varying difficulties designed to suit all.
In the immediate vicinity of the bungalow are acres of tea bushes, and most of our trails navigate tea estate paths, roads and tracks that look down upon the picturesque valley and Ragala town.

What will you see? You might see groups of ladies methodically plucking tea leaves and pause to watch them at work. The trails also pass little Hindu shrines and tea weighing stations where the ladies congregate to get their sacks of leaves weighed a few times a day. In the villages, you may suddenly find yourself surrounded by a gaggle of children, eager to practise their English skills with you and say hello. Many species of birds reside in the forests fringing the tea fields, as do wild buffalo and spotted deer.

Location: Goatfell’s garden
Duration: 1 to 2 hours
What to wear: Comfortable clothes, hats, sun cream and camera
Other: This location is ideal to for a picnic lunch, afternoon tea or just a few cocktails after a busy day plucking tea

The story of tea in Sri Lanka starts with the Scotish planter James Taylor in 1866 in “Loolecondara” estate in Galaha the remnants of his cottage and tea bushes are still preserved as a permanent memento to the man credited for introducing tea to Sri Lanka, he died aged 57 and was buried in Kandy cemetery, in the country he came to love as a planter. Today, almost one hundred and fifty years after James Taylor, Sri Lanka’s central hills from Hatton, Dickoya, Bogawanthalawa, to Nuwara Eliya and every small town in higher elevations have their ground covered in a carpet of premium quality Sri Lankan tea.

The view and ambiance from the Goatfell’s view points are such that nearly all our guests are mesmerised with the beauty and serenity of the tea estates. The trip entails a short walk around the surrounding tea estate and up some steep steps to the view point where waiters stand by or leave you in peace to take in the priceless view.

Location: Goatfell’s garden
Duration: 1 hour and half hours (plus lunch)
Host: Chef Lakjana
Group size: 2 guests
What to wear: Comfortable clothing
Other: Your camera if you want to take pictures

Meet with Chef Lakjana or one of the other chefs at 11 am for an in-depth demonstration of how to make some of the stunning rice and curry dishes served in our restaurant. You’ll learn about the spices used to flavour the dishes and the different methods of preparing each of the delicious curries. The chef will select some fresh vegetables from the local markets prior to the demonstration to use in the cook; you are very welcome to join him on his visit to the fresh produce market if you like so please let our staff know at the time of booking if you’d like to visit the market too.

In the demonstration the chef will use clay pots to cook each curry; these clay chatties impart an authentic and distinctive flavour to Sri Lankan cuisine and have been used across the island for centuries. Villagers in rural areas still use them for cooking on an open hearth. You can choose from one fish, chicken or seafood curry, along with a dhal (red lentil) curry and a selection of vegetable curries depending upon what is fresh and in season. The chef will also share with you his secrets for making the perfect rice accompaniment. You may get involved as much or as little as you wish and you’ll have many opportunities to taste the curries during the cooking process. Feel free to ask as many questions as you like – our chefs will be happy to indulge you!

After the demonstration, enjoy a lunchtime feast of the delicious curries you’ve seen prepared followed by a traditional Sri Lankan dessert.

Location: - Nuwara Eliya City
Duration: Full day
Host: Camellia Hills driver
What to wear: Comfortable clothes, hats, sun cream and camera

Nuwara Eliya is a town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate, located at an altitude of 1,868 metres (6,128 feet). Due to its unique weather, it is considered to be the most important location for Tea production in Sri Lanka. The town is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. It is the heart of Sri Lankan tea country interspersed with gushing streams and tumbling waterfalls. And true to the expectations, we find breath-taking views of valleys, meadows, mountains and greenery in salubrious climate.

The town's attractions include the golf course, trout streams, Victoria Park, and boating or fishing on Lake Gregory. Victoria Park is an attractive and well-used oasis. There are many popular water falls around the town. Many could be visited as a part of trekking and/or hiking expeditions. St.Clair, Aberdeen, Lakshapana, Lover's Lea, among others.

Nuwara Eliya is popular bird watching country & there are two excellent areas close to the town. Galway Land Bird Sanctuary covers 60 hectares to the north of Lake Gregory, while in Victoria Park, in the centre of town, 38 species have been identified. Victoria Park also has an unusual ornithological distinction: despite its proximity to the town centre, it's a sort of an ornithological hotspot, being visited by a number of rare Himalayan migrant birds, including the yellow-eared bulbul, Kashmir flycatcher, Indian blue robin & the Pied thrush, Grey tit, Pacific swallow as well as Sri Lankan endemics such as the Sri Lanka white-eye. Along the stream that runs through the park are green sandpipers.

Location: Peak Wilderness
Duration: Full day
What to wear: Comfortable clothes, hats, sun cream and camera

Horton plain, its surroundings forests and the adjoining Peak Wilderness, consolidate Sri Lanka’s most important catchment area of almost all the major rives. The plains are also of outstanding habitats and endemic plants and animals’ representatives of the country wet and montage zones.

Horton plains comprises a gently undulation highland plateau at the southern end of the central mountains massif of Sri Lanka. It is dominated to the north by Mount Totupolakanda (2,357 metres) and to the west by Mount Kirigalpotta (2,389 metres). Two escarpments filling from the Horton Plain have contributed immensely to its awe-inspiring physiognomy, “big worlds end” by 884 metres. The charm of the verdure of the mountains encircling he plains as intermittently concealed by mist is heightened by the sparking Baker’s fall. The altitude of the park ranges from about 1,800 to 2,389 metres at the top of Kirigalpotta. Temperatures are low, with an annual mean temperature 15ºC and ground frost is common in December to February.

Horton Plains is well recognized for its rich biodiversity, its flora given to a high level of endemism. 5% of species are found to be endemic to Sri Lanka. The plateau supports grassland fringed and interspersed with patches of dense montane cloud forest. A rich herbaceous flora flourishes on the patanas with numerous species of both temperate and topical origin. A vast extent of the patanas was broken and brought under potato cultivation a few decades ago. The origin of the montane grasslands has long been debated. Some workers opining that the grassland are an artificial community created by forest clearance and maintained by periodic burning while others considering them to the natural vegetation of these uplands.

A century ago, Horton Plains was rich with elephants though, sadly, British hunters shot them to near-extinction; however signs of a small population of elephants in the Peak Wilderness area are still evident. Now the park is frequented by Sambar Deer and due to their large numbers the population of the Leopard also has increased. Wild Boar, the endemic Bear Monkey and Toque Monkey, Slender Loris, Fishing cat, Otter, Barking deer, Strip-necked Mongoose, Long-tailed Giant Squirrel are some of the other mammals found here.

All of the highland endemics are found in Horton Plains. A birdwatcher must visit Horton Plains to complete the list of endemics in Sri Lanka. Some of the highlights here include Sri Lanka Yellow-eared Bulbul, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka White-eye, Spot-winged Thrush, Dull-blue Flycatcher, Sri Lanka Bush Warbler, Scaly Thrush, Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush, Brown-capped Babbler, Sri Lanka Spur-fowl and Sri Lanka Jungle-fowl. Other highlights are the Himalayan migrants Pied Thrush, Kashmir Flycather & Indian Pitta.