17/12/2023
What is Pekoe Trail?
The Pekoe Trail is a 300 km (186.4 mile) trekking route from the Hanthana Mountains near Kandy to the hill station of Nuwara Eliya.On the way, you’ll pass through the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka across a variety of landscapes
The route takes its name from the numerous tea estates it passes through, their undulating hills carpeted in emerald-coloured tea plants.
The trail is the brainchild of adventurer and trail extraordinaire Miguel Cunat, who spent many years hiking in the central highlands of Sri Lanka designing The Pekoe Trail. Migel Cunat is Spanish by birth and he has been living in Sri Lanka since 2003. He has contributed immensely to the development of tourism of the country. He was awarded Conde Nast top traveler specialist for Sri Lanka.
The 300 km trail has been sectioned into 22 stages, each averaging about 12 km ( 7.46 mi) and of varying levels of difficulty based on the elevation gain.
Stages of Pekoe Trail, distances and average time to complete are as below
01. Hanthana to Galaha - 13.8km - 3h 52min
02.Galaha to Loolkandura - 14.69km - 4h 45min
03.Loolkandura to Thalawatenna - 17.23km - 5h 50min
04.Thalawatenna to Kumbaloluwa - 9.5km - 3h 38min
05.Kumbaloluwa to Watagoda - 11.85km - 3h 47min
06.Watagoda to Kotagala - 14.86km - 4h 15min
07.Kotalagal to Norwood - 15.5km - 4h 37min
08.Norwood to Bogawantalawa - 15.85km - 4h 40min
09.Bogawantalawa to Dayagama - 16.46km - 5h 3min
10. Dayagama to Horton Plains - 14.9km - 4h 20min
11.Horton Plains to Udaweriya - 13.12km - 4h 2min
12.Udaweriya to Haputale - 14.76km - 4h 54min
13. Haputale to St Catherine's Seat - 13.48km - 4h 11min
14.St Catherine's seat to Makulella - 9.38km - 3h 12min
15.Makulella to Ella - 10.12km - 2h 56min
16.Ella to Demodara - 8.75km - 2h 50min
17.Demodara to Haliela - 12.99km - 4h 20min
18.Haliela to Atampitiya - 13.96km - 4h 9min
19.Atampitiya to Loonuwatte - 18.6km - 5h 50min
20.Loonuwatte to Udupussellawa - 12.37km - 4h 2min
21.Udupussellawa to Kandapola - 16.71km - 5h 30min
22.Kandapola to Nuwara Eliya - 10.81km - 3h 2min
Credits to the author.
