The Pekoe Trail Stage 17
The Pekoe Trail Stage 17.
The 17th Stage of the 300 kilometre newly opened (2023) Pekoe Trail in Sri Lanka is a 13 kilometres section between Demodara to Hali-Ela.
The Pekoe Trail Stage 17 is accessible from Ella.
A highlight of this stage is Demodara Railway Station which is considered a colonial era feat of engineering.
This is a video by Marc Ramsey which covers stage 17 of the Pekoe Trail.
The Pekoe Trail is a newly developed 300 kilometre hike in the Sri Lankan Hill Country opened in 2023.
It was designed as a 22–day walk from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya via Ella, Haputale, and Horton Plains
To find out more about the Pekoe please visit the official Pekoe Trail Website.
Why was the new trail created?
The Pekoe Trail is part of the European Union’s 5.7 million Euro (LKR 2.2 billion) support for Sri Lanka’s national tourism strategy.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also provided approximately $787,000 (approximately LKR 283 million) to support the trail.
Hiking Apps to help you navigate stage 17 of the Pekoe Trail
The following Apps will help you with this and other sections of the Pekoe Trail.
What's so fascinating aboutDemodara Railway Station?
Demodara Railway station is most notable the ‘Demodara Loop” which is named after its spiral rail line at this location.
The railway line passes under itself, going around the loop.
It emerging from a tunnel which runs directly beneath the Demodara railway station.
The rail loop is approximately 900 metres (3,000 ft) long and the tunnel is 320 m (1,050 ft) in length.
It is considered the only loop in the world with a railway station situated exactly over a tunnel at spiral loop.
The ‘Loop’ was created by engineers as they discovered that, during the construction of the rail extension to Badulla, the elevation between the hills at Demodara was too much for the track to negotiate.
At the time the maximum inclination allowed by the Government Railway was 1 foot per 44 feet (1/44)
Engineers had to come up with an innovative track design.
Why should I hike the Pekoe Trail?
For lots of reasons!
Be one of the first to experience the trail – it was only opened in 2023.
Track you hike on one of the Hiking Apps to help other walkers navigate the trail.
To experience the real Sri Lanka and meet local people on the way.
Support Sri Lanka to help it escape from the enconomic crisis.
An Ultra Marathon on the Pekoe Trail!
Sorry, if this was your plan, it’s aleady been done!
Maybe you can be the second!
Ultra Marathon Runner Hyun Chang Chung ran the 300 kilometre Pekoe Trail in 59 hours in January 2023.
You can read more at the FT Article and watch the video which will give you a flavour of what you will experience.
Are there recommended places to stay in between stages of the Pekoe Trail?
As the Pekoe Trail is a newly created hike opened in 2023 we, at GlenMyu Estate, understand that there are no official recommendations for Hotels, Guest Houses, B & B’s, Camping and Homestay stay on the trail as of yet.
We will update this information as soon as we hear that a recommended list has been published.
Update
Here is the list of places recommended by the official website.
GlenMyu Estate - Stages 10 - 17 of the Pekoe Trail.
If you are tacking Stages 10,11,12,13,14,15,16,or 17 of the Pekoe Trail then perhaps you should consider staying a few days at GlenMyu Estate.
Where can I find out more about GlenMyu Estate?
You can contact us by WhastApp be pressing the button on our Website. Alternatively you can send Michael an email.
GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
At GlenMyu Estate we have:
3 Kingsize Double Bedrooms with Spectacular Views
2 Spacious Lounges with views over the hills below the house
A Natural Spring-Fed Infinity Swimming Pool
5 Acres of land to explore
Delicious bespoke meals freshly prepared by the host
A selection of places to dine
A place to relax and be closer to nature
Within reach of the following tourist sites
Diyaluma Waterfall and Upper Diyaluma Pools
Horton Plains National Park – Mini Worlds End, Worlds End and Bakers Falls
Adisham Bungalow
Lipton Seat
Dambetenna Tea Factory
Bambarakanda Waterfall
Thangamale Bird Sanctuary
Ella Town: 9 Arch Bridge, Little Adams Peak & Ravanna Waterfall.
