Pedro Tea Estate, Sri Lanka

Pedro Tea Estate lies about 3 km from the centre of Nuwara Eliya, on the road to Kandapola. The estate dates from 1885, and it takes its name from Pidurutalagala, Sri Lanka's highest mountain, which rises behind it and which the British called Mount Pedro. It's the closest working tea factory to the town, which makes it the easiest place to see how Ceylon tea is made.

The factory tour

Guided tours run through the day and last about 20 to 30 minutes. A guide walks you through each stage: withering the fresh leaf in long troughs, rolling, fermenting, drying in the firing ovens, and finally grading and sorting. Much of the machinery is decades old, and some of it dates from the estate's early years.

A few things to know before you go:

• Timing matters. Because of the cold climate, the factory often processes tea in the evening and at night, so in the daytime you may see the machines standing still. Mornings give you the best chance of seeing some activity. Ask when you arrive.
• Photography is usually not allowed inside the factory.
• There's a small tour fee, and you may be given a cap or apron to wear.

Tea with a view

After the tour, you can sit in the tea room with a pot of the estate's own tea, looking out over the fields. The tea grown at this altitude is light and delicate, and it is best drunk without milk. A shop sells packaged tea. Our tea country guide explains the grades and what to buy.

Walking in the estate

Paths lead through the tea fields, and you'll often see pickers at work in the mornings. Many of them are Tamil women whose families have worked on the estates for generations, on low wages. Ask before taking photos, and consider leaving a tip if someone poses for you.

One popular walk leads up through the estate to Lover's Leap, a waterfall of about 30 metres that drops off a rock face, named for a legend of a prince and his lover who jumped to their deaths. The walk takes about 30 minutes each way, and the falls are thin in dry weather.

Getting there and when to go

A tuk-tuk from town takes 10 minutes. Buses towards Kandapola pass the gate. The factory may be closed on Sundays and poya days, when no tea is picked. January to April is the driest period in Nuwara Eliya.

Pedro combines well with Moon Plains, a little further along the same road.