Pekoe Trail Stage 01 - From Hanthana to Galaha
A Hill Country Path Shaped by Tea Culture
The Pekoe Trail is a long distance walking route in Sri Lanka that runs through the central highlands. The full trail covers 300 kilometers and is divided into 22 stages. It was created to open a continuous walking path across the tea country, linking old estate roads, village footpaths, forest sections and viewpoints. The project was supported by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority together with international partners who focused on community based tourism and cultural heritage. The name comes from the grade of tea produced in Sri Lanka.
Stage 01 begins at the Ceylon Tea Museum in Hanthana and ends in Galaha. The distance is about 12 kilometers and takes around four hours at a steady pace. This stage includes tea estates, small villages, forest patches and open ridges. It is one of the easiest stages to complete and gives a good introduction to the highland landscapes.
Starting the Journey
We reached the Ceylon Tea Museum in Hanthana early in the morning and parked our vehicle in the museum car park. Our friends Dinendra and Tharuka joined us for the hike. This is the official starting point of Stage 01 of the Pekoe Trail.
First Steps into the Hills
The first kilometre rises through tea bushes, the leaves shining with the morning light. The path soon enters a small village. People were already at work. A shopkeeper arranged fruit on a wooden table and a group of women walked towards the fields with baskets tied behind them. The trail ran parallel to the main Hanthana road for a short stretch.
A bright red tuk tuk passed below us and Shehan captured the moment. Tuk tuks are the most common transport in these small hill villages. They carry everything from schoolchildren to sacks of rice and move with a familiar hum along these narrow bends.
We walked past the Sadagiri Seya car park and crossed the main road to enter the marked trail again. A wooden signboard showed the Pekoe Trail layout, the distance, and the direction of the path.
The Hillside Shrines and Morning Rituals
The path began to climb slowly. On our left we saw the white dome of Sadagiri Maha Seya. On the right, beside a cluster of rocks, stood a small Vishnu statue. A villager placed flowers before starting his morning duties. Many estate workers in this area speak Tamil and follow Hindu traditions. Their day often begins with a short prayer before they step into the fields.
This blend of villages, shrines, and plantations is one of the strongest impressions of Stage 01. Every few minutes the landscape changes and shows another piece of daily life.
Through the Old Plantation Roads
We entered the estate roads where the path opened into long views of tea. Neatly trimmed bushes covered the slopes. Beyond them stood Katusu Konda and parts of the Hanthana mountain range. The air was clear and carried the quiet rhythm of the estate.
Women picked tender leaves with quick, practiced movements. A few others walked with bundles of firewood balanced on their shoulders. Many houses in the estate line still use wood stoves for their meals. Smoke rose from some roofs as families prepared breakfast.
Searching for the Indiana Jones Film Location
Our next aim was to find the old film location of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom from 1984. The film was originally planned to be shot in Rajasthan, India, but the government raised concerns about parts of the script and did not grant filming permits. The production team decided to move to Sri Lanka. The central highlands offered dense jungles, steep valleys, and dramatic ridges that fitted their scenes perfectly.
The Hanthana plantations were chosen for the Mayapore village setting. Kitulgala and nearby valleys were used for the hanging rope bridge shots. The work was directed by Steven Spielberg, with Harrison Ford playing the role of the archaeologist drawn into a remote village’s struggle.
We stepped off the Pekoe Trail and followed a narrow jungle path. The track grew rough and unclear. The last stretch was the hardest as we searched for the exact viewpoint used in the production. After a few turns and some guidance from a nearby villager, we found the spot. The cliff edge, the shape of the rock wall, and the open drop matched the descriptions we had read.
We stayed longer than planned, taking photographs and walking around the edges to match the angles.
Returning to the Trail Path
We returned to the main trail and followed it towards Galaha. The path eased downwards, passing streams, open slopes, and the first houses of the town. We completed the stage at the Galaha Post Office and hired tuk tuks to take us back to the Ceylon Tea Museum.
Because of our detour to the film site, the photographs, and our stops to speak with villagers, the full journey took five hours.
Journey into Tea History
Back at the museum we decided to explore it properly, since we had skipped the morning visit. The Ceylon Tea Museum was once part of the Hanthana Tea Factory, built in the 1920s. After decades of use and later abandonment, it was restored and opened to the public in 2001.
Inside the old wooden floors and iron beams are machines that show the early stages of tea production. Rollers, dryers, sifters, and hand tools from the first century of the industry are displayed with simple descriptions. The museum also shares the story of pioneers like James Taylor and explains how Ceylon tea grew into a world known name.
We joined the guided tour and learned about the categories of tea and how flavour changes with altitude, soil, and leaf selection. The visit felt like a fitting end to a day spent walking through the very landscape that shaped those stories.
A Quiet Finish
The sun was lower when we left the museum. The day had taken us through plantations, villages, shrines, film history, and long stretches of quiet hillside roads. Stage 01 carries a calm rhythm and reveals many layers of the highlands. We ended the day tired but satisfied, carrying the small memories of each stop along the way.
Written by :
Pulasthi Gunasekara (Founder of Longview Tours)
Photographs by :
Shehan Sachith (Co-Founder of Longview Tours)
Tharuka Perera
Dinendra Neyo