Labookellie Tea Factory
A free roadside tea factory and tasting room on the A5 between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya, run by Mackwoods since 1841.
Duration
30-45 minutes
Entry Fee
Free
Difficulty
easy
Budget
free
About Labookellie Tea Factory
Labookellie Tea Centre sits at roughly 1,600 metres on the A5 highway through Ramboda Pass, run by Mackwoods, one of Ceylon's oldest tea companies, founded by Captain William Mackwood in 1841. A short factory tour walks through withering, rolling, and drying, followed by a complimentary cup of tea and a look at the surrounding estate from the terrace cafe. Entry and the tasting are free, though the terrace also sells cakes, tea, and packaged leaf. Because it sits directly on the main Kandy to Nuwara Eliya road, it is the tea stop most visitors end up making, whether or not they planned to. Arrive between the 8:30am opening and mid-morning to avoid the tour-bus crowds that build up after lunch.
Highlights
- Free factory tour and tea tasting
- Run by Mackwoods, a Ceylon tea company founded in 1841
- Terrace cafe overlooking the tea estate
- Directly on the A5 Kandy-Nuwara Eliya highway
Practical Tips
Entry and the standard tasting are free; the terrace cafe and shop are where the estate makes its money.
Arrive before mid-morning, tour buses on the Kandy-Nuwara Eliya run stop here through the afternoon.
Combine with Ramboda Falls, a few minutes further up the A5 toward Nuwara Eliya.
Explore by Interest
Best Time to Visit
Best time of day: Year-round; visit before 11am to beat tour-bus groups
Location
Planning Info
- Crowd level
- Often busy
- Physical difficulty
- easy
- Setting
- mixed
- Child friendly
- Yes
- Senior friendly
- Yes
- Budget level
- free
- Photography
- ★★★★☆
Plan Your Visit
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ALSO IN THE AREA
Nearby Destinations
Pedro Tea Estate
A working tea factory built in 1885, 3.5km from Nuwara Eliya, offering a 20-minute guided tour of its original 19th-century machinery.
Explore →
Ramboda Falls
A 109-metre roadside waterfall on the A5 Kandy-Nuwara Eliya highway at Ramboda Pass, Sri Lanka's 11th-highest fall.
Explore →
Gregory Lake
Colonial-era reservoir built in 1873 in Nuwara Eliya at 1,868m elevation, offering boating, lakeside cycling, and views of surrounding tea hills.
Explore →PLAN YOUR VISIT
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