10 reasons to Visit Lipton's Seat.
10 reasons to Visit Lipton’s Seat.
Lipton’s Seat is a favourite place to visit for many of our guests at GlenMyu Estate. Some guests get up early and see the sunrise and take a tour around Dambetenne Tea factory before retuning to GlenMyu Estate for a late breakfast.
1. See what the famous Lipton's Tea Baron saw.
Sir Thomas Lipton used to sit and contemplate his plantation with its stone landscape and green tea bushes.
Seeing some of the most amazing panoramic views you will find in the Sri Lankan Hill Country is a good reason to visit.Â
You will probably recognise the Lipton’s Tea Brand. There is more information at the Lipton Tea website on the History of Litpon Tea “In the Beginning”.
The Mitchell Library also has “The Life Story of Thomas Lipton”.
2. Get there early and see a spectacular sunrise.
There are many reasons for getting up early when you are on holiday in Sri Lanka. You can read about the reasons to get up early in our article “The six best reasons to get up early”.
Evidence of why you should get up early to see the sunrise are in the pictures that our guests Matt and Millie took. They are spectacular and well worth having an early start.Â
They said that it was one of the most beautiful places that they had experienced. As they were early, they were the only ones to see this spectacular sky.
How lucky they were and what a memory they took back to Australia with them.
3. Admire the geometry of the lines of tea bushes.
In Sri Lanka, tea is cultivated using the ‘contour planting’ method.
The tea bushes are planted in lines along the contours of the land, usually on slopes.
This also makes it easier for the tea pluckers to access the bushes and pluck the tea leaves.
An even distribution of water without any water logging is required in tea plantations. The hill slopes provide proper drainage and prevents water logging problems. This is the reason why tea plantations are usually grown on hill slopes.
4. Watch the ladies pluck the tea.
Tea plucking is mainly carried out by ladies who are experts at their craft.
The plucking process is usually carried out by women and you will see that they carry a basket on their backs to staffer the tea leaves.
Sri Lanka is one of the few countries where each tea leaf is picked by hand rather than plucking using machines.
The quality of tea degrades using machines because then all the leaves are not whole.
The ladies who pick leaves are so efficient that they are able to pluck rapidly and set a daily target of around 15 to 20 kg. We have heard that some are able to pluck up to 30 kg which increases the pay they receive.
5. See the view across five provinces.
You can see across five provinces from the viewpoint on a clear day. Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and Eastern provinces.
On a clear day, you should be able to spot the Handapanagala Lake, the Chandrika Lake and the Udawalawe Lake as well as the Wedihiti Kanda mountain range.
Sometimes you can also see Hambantota Port.
It’s best to get to Lipton’s Seat early in the day as the clouds can come later in the morning and obscure the view.
6. Get a picture with the tea baron himself.
A bust of the famous Tea Baron, Sir Thomas Lipton, sits on a seat at the viewpoint at Lipton’s Seat.Â
Take a picture next to the entrepreneur as a reminder of your trip.
7. Walk through the rows of tea and see the tea bushes close up.
Walking through the rows of tea bushes is an experience itself.
Apart from being a beautiful environment (an an Instagram opportunity), you will get to examine the tea bushes close up.Â
Seeing the tea bushes may inspire you to find out more about how the tea is processed by visiting Dambetenne Tea Factory and participating in a tea tour.
8. Hike the trail down to the tea factory.
Hiking down the 7 kilometre trail from the viewpoint at Lipton’s Seat to the village of Dambetenne is a great experience and photo opportunity.
You can breathe in the rest air and get a little bit of exercise.
There will be plenty of more photo opportunities on your walk.
If you find the 7 kilometres a bit too much, there will be plenty of Tuk Tuks available to take you on your way.
9. See how tea is processed at Dambetenne Tea Factory.
Have you ever wondered how tea is made into a favourite beverage?
Learn about the different quality of leaves and how they are processed on a tour of the tea factory.
It’s interesting to find out about the different grades of tea and what actually goes into your tea bags!
10. Buy some local tea as a memento of your experience.
Support the local community by buying some of the products on sale at the tea factory.
They are a great item for gists for family and friends.
Sipping a cup of Dambetenne Tea when you are back home will bring back memories of your experience ay Lipton’s Seat.
10 reasons to Visit Lipton's Seat. - Summary
- See what the famous Lipton’s Tea Baron saw.
- Get there early and see a spectacular sunrise.
- Admire the geometry of the lines of tea bushes.
- Watch the ladies pluck the tea.
- See the view across five provinces
- Get a picture with the tea baron himself.
- Walk through the rows of tea and see the tea bushes close up.
- Hike the trail down to the tea factory.
- See how tea is processed at Dambetenne Tea Factory.
- Buy some local tea as a memento of your experience.
Stay at GlenMyu Estate to visit Lipton's Seat.
A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.
We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.
The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,
GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.
