Follow the Trails of Mist-wrapped Tea Country with Ellerton Bungalow

sri lankan culture

nature walks

Curated & Hosted By

Ellerton Bungalow

Location

Kandy

Sri Lanka

Duration

4 Days/3 Nights

Price Starts At

$1,494 Per Room

About The Journey

At Ellerton Bungalow, the best of Sri Lanka's Hill Country lies just beyond the front door. From walking scenic stretches of the Pekoe Trail and wandering through working tea estates to uncovering the origins of Ceylon tea and visiting hidden shrines woven into the landscape, every experience has been thoughtfully curated to help you discover the region beyond its postcard views. Guided by local knowledge and genuine connections, you'll gain knowledge of the stories, traditions, cultures and communities that continue to shape life in Sri Lanka's tea country.

Over four days, you'll explore forested trails, tea fields, charming villages and places of cultural significance, while meeting the people whose lives are strongly connected to this place. Whether you're walking alongside a naturalist, learning how tea has shaped the region's identity, or pausing to enjoy the views from the hills, each experience offers you a great chance to learn about Sri Lanka.

The postcards that follow offer a glimpse of the moments that shape your stay at Ellerton Bungalow. We look forward to sharing them with you.

CURATED & HOSTED BY

Ellerton Bungalow

Kandy, Sri Lanka

High in the hills near Kandy, Ellerton Bungalow is a charming heritage retreat surrounded by lush gardens and the rolling landscapes of Sri Lanka’s hill country. Originally built as a planter’s residence, the bungalow combines colonial character with the comforts of an intimate boutique stay. Its peaceful setting makes it an ideal base for experiencing the countryside at a slower pace, with opportunities to cycle through tea plantations, visit nearby villages and temples, and hike through the surrounding mountains. At Ellerton, days unfold simply — over leisurely meals, afternoon tea and quiet moments immersed in the beauty of Sri Lanka’s highlands.

View All

STANDARD PRICE

$1,494

Per Room

3 Nights / 4 Days, Double occupancy

STARLIFE MEMBER PRICE

$1,299

Per Room

Save $195 | Members Only

Pricing is based on double occupancy and the starting room category. Rates may vary for higher room categories, seasonal travel periods, and special requests. Group booking benefits and solo traveller discounts are available.

6 EXPERIENCES | ALL INCLUSIVE

The moments that make

this journey

STAR PARTNER

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Settle Into Tea Country at Ellerton

Sri Lankan Culture

Ellerton Bungalow

Ellerton is a planter's bungalow, built about a century ago for the manager of a tea estate and standing at around eight hundred metres in the hills south of Kandy. The bungalow and the afternoon-tea habit that comes with it — cake at four, looking down the valley — date from the same moment: the 1860s, when a leaf disease wiped out Ceylon's coffee and the whole island turned to tea. You arrive to the view across tea-covered slopes, cool mountain air, and the kind of quiet that is mostly birds. Most of what you do here is within a walk or short tuk-tuk ride of the veranda.

STAR PARTNER

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Walk the Pekoe Trail Through Tea Country

Nature Walks Tea Plantation Visit

Ellerton Bungalow

The Pekoe Trail is Sri Lanka's first long-distance walking route, stretching roughly 300 kilometres across 22 stages through the hill-country estates. Opened in 2023, it links some of the country's most scenic tea-growing landscapes. From Ellerton, guests can explore Stage One across the seven-peaked Hanthana Range and Stage Two onwards to Loolkandura. The walk combines tea-covered hillsides, forested ridges and village landscapes, with a tuk-tuk transfer back at the end.

STAR PARTNER

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Stand Where Ceylon Tea Began

Nature Walks Tea Plantation Visit

Ellerton Bungalow

Stage Two of the Pekoe Trail ends at Loolkandura, widely recognised as the birthplace of Ceylon tea. In 1867, Scottish planter James Taylor established the island's first commercial tea plantation here while the coffee industry was collapsing. Taylor initially processed tea leaves by hand on his bungalow veranda before establishing a factory on the estate. His experiment eventually transformed Sri Lanka's economy and global identity.

STAR PARTNER

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Find the Temple of Doom Hills

Heritage Tour Monument Visit

Ellerton Bungalow

The Kandy hills served as the filming location for parts of the 1984 adventure film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. After permission to film in India was denied, Sri Lanka became the stand-in setting for several scenes. Around the Hanthana area, the iconic rocky outcrop known as Katusu Konda (Lizard Back) was used as one of the filming locations featured in the production. Today, the surrounding hills, forests, and dramatic ridgelines continue to evoke the same sense of adventure that made the landscape a memorable backdrop for the film.

STAR PARTNER

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Visit the Kataragama Shrine at Ganegoda

Temple Visit

Ellerton Bungalow

A gentle village walk leads to the Kataragama Shrine at Ganegoda. Kataragama is a unique deity revered by both Buddhists and Hindus across Sri Lanka, known as Skanda to Buddhists and Murugan to Hindus. The shrine sits amid paddy fields and village life, offering insight into the cultural and spiritual traditions that have connected communities across the island for generations.

STAR PARTNER

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Walk the Tea Fields with a Naturalist

Nature Walks Tea Plantation Visit

Ellerton Bungalow

As evening approaches, join a local naturalist for a walk through tea estates, village lanes and home gardens surrounding Ellerton. The route offers opportunities to spot hill-country birdlife while learning about tea cultivation and daily life in the region. Along the way, guests encounter both Buddhist temples and Hindu kovils, reflecting the communities that have shared this landscape for generations.

QUESTIONS

Frequently

asked

What is a Postcard Journey?

How is a Postcard Journey different from booking a hotel?

Can I customise my journey?

How do I book a Postcard Journey?

Do StarLife members receive exclusive benefits?

$1,494

Per Room

Starlife Rate $1,299