A few tea factories in this area are happy to have visitors. The most popular, Dambatenne, was built in 1890 by Sir Thomas Lipton, one of the most famous figures in tea history. The tour through the works is an education on the processes involved in the fermentation, rolling, drying, cutting, sieving and grading of tea. The tea-factory tour here is probably the most comprehensive around, and afterwards you can sip on a cuppa.
On Sundays no processing takes place so there's little to see.
Although it’s 11km from Haputale, the factory is easily accessible. Get a bus from the bus station to Bandarawela and get off at the tea factory (buses both ways are every 30 minutes, Rs 23). A three-wheeler there and back costs between Rs 500 and 600.
