info
Thank you for visiting my site.

LIPTON SEAT - HAPUTALE

LIPTON SEAT - HAPUTALE

Lipton’s Seat is one of the most famous viewpoints in Sri Lanka, located near Haputale in the Badulla District. It sits at an elevation of about 1,970 meters (6,463 feet) above sea level within the vast Dambatenna Tea Estate, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Here's a detailed guide to Lipton’s Seat:

History & Significance

Lipton’s Seat is named after Sir Thomas Lipton, the Scottish tea baron who is widely credited for making Ceylon tea a global brand. Sir Lipton would often sit at this very point to admire the beauty of his tea plantations, contemplating his business and the rich, rolling hills of the region. He played a key role in shaping Sri Lanka's tea industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The spot where he used to sit and enjoy the surroundings now serves as a memorial to his legacy in the tea industry. It is still part of the Dambatenna Tea Estate, one of the largest tea plantations in Sri Lanka, which was originally owned by Lipton.

Getting to Lipton’s Seat

 Lipton’s Seat is located about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) from Haputale town. You can reach it via a scenic, winding road that takes you through tea estates, small villages, and patches of misty forest. Visitors can either:

Walk or hike: The walk from Dambatenna Tea Factory to Lipton’s Seat is around 7 kilometers. The trail takes about 2–2.5 hours, and it’s a pleasant uphill hike through tea plantations with several beautiful viewpoints along the way.

Tuk-tuk: This is a more popular and quicker option. The journey by tuk-tuk takes around 45 minutes from Haputale or about 20 minutes from the Dambatenna Tea Factory.

What to Expect at Lipton’s Seat

At the summit, there is a viewing platform where you can enjoy 360-degree views on clear days. The landscape stretches across the central and southern parts of Sri Lanka, including views of tea estates, paddy fields, mountain ranges, and small villages. On an exceptionally clear day, it's said that you can even see the coast and parts of five different provinces of Sri Lanka from this spot.

However, due to the high elevation, mist and clouds often roll in, especially later in the morning or during the afternoon. It’s best to visit early in the day (around sunrise) for the clearest views.

The Surrounding Area: Dambatenna Tea Estate

The Dambatenna Tea Factory, built by Sir Thomas Lipton in 1890, is still operational and offers guided tours for visitors. You can learn about the tea production process, from plucking the tea leaves to the final stages of drying, sorting, and packing. It’s a great complement to the visit to Lipton’s Seat, offering insights into the history and production of Sri Lanka’s world-renowned tea.

Best Time to Visit

Early morning is the best time to visit Lipton’s Seat. By mid-morning, clouds often obscure the views, especially during the monsoon season (April to September). Many visitors aim to arrive by sunrise for the clearest skies and spectacular colors as the sun rises over the tea-covered hills.

October to March tends to be the driest period, making it ideal for visiting.

Tips for Visitors

  • Carry warm clothing: Temperatures can be cool in the morning, especially at this high altitude.
  • Entrance fee: There’s usually a small entrance fee to visit Lipton’s Seat.
  • Snacks and water: There are no shops at the top, so bringing some light refreshments is a good idea.
  • Stay hydrated and bring sun protection if you plan to hike, as the sun can be strong despite the cooler temperatures.

 

 

Feedback from valuable clients + See all

    "Dear Cyril, We want to thank you so much for making our trip so unforgetable and delightful. We received your name from our friends lives in Geneva who travelled with you in January 2009 and they gave you such a high recommendation that we decided to conbtact you for our two weeks trip this year. Although we have been to Sri Lanka a few times already. We have never found such an excellent driver and guide. It has been a great pleasure to visit Colombo with you and then to Koggala for two day tr..." Mr.Gabor Kato & Mrs.Ann Kato

    "We would like to say thank you very much Mr. Cyril for the excellent 7 night tour of Sri Lanka you provided us. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Sri Lanka and the itinerary you arranged. The four hotels (Earls Regency, Amaya Lake, Heritance Kandalama and the Colombo Hilton) were excellent and thoroughly deserved their 5 stars. Your driving skills was excellent. Also very friendly, calm, helpful, and courteous and always prompts. Sri Lanka is a lovely country and the people were very friendly. ..." Suresh and Prashanth

    "Dear Cyril, Thanks for taking care of the Dr.Sethukavalar and his wife very well. They were indeed very happy for all the care you have shown during your tour. They were very impressed of your patience and kindness. I look forward to see you soon and maintain this good relationship we have developed in a short period of time. We will not hesitate a second to recommend you to all our friends who would like to visit Sri Lanka. Taking this opportunity of wishing you all the best. Thanks fo..." HARIDAS KANDASAMY

    "Traveled in April 2013 with Cyril . Family with three young children. Cyril match the trip plan problem on his part. Familiar with every corner of this beautiful island and we have managed to produce a great 17 days. Prices respect as well - we tested three competing proposals and was the cheapest. The fact that he was working independently and not through an agency that collects coupon trips generally significantly reduces the price of the package. A modern and spacious vehicle (van with seven ..." Maozd

    "Excellent tour guide Cyril is a great tour guide and is very knowledgeable. He made our entire trip super comfortable. His vehicles are clean and well maintained. He is also very flexible if changes are needed. Definitely recommend!" Berenice Coelho

    "I want to thank Mr. Cyril for this 17 days long tour. He is an excellent chauffeur guide, always on time with a car more than the clean. He knows all the places in the Island and organized very well. Most of all, he is very kind person, always with a smile and ready to help. I want to reccommond him to all my friends. Ria Deleu Belgium Travel period 25 Jan 2020 - 10 Feb 2020 ( 17 days)" Mrs. Ria Deleu from Belgium

    "Cyril Tours is a very good agency. Because we did use it from 01st of March to 14 March 2013. From the start till end of our emails, he has (Mr.Cyril) given all required details. Also he send us very detailed itinerary with pictures. Actually no need guide after go through it.Cyril Tours is not a big agency. He was a guide in Sri Lanka more than 26 years. Many clients recommend him to their friends and to relatives who want to visit Sri Lanka.They asked from him to travel, that is why he be..." John and Mary from Canada

    "We found Cyril on-line and after checking with lots of other guides we decided he is the one for us, that decision was the best one we did for our trip From the beginning, in our emails, Cyril listen to us and was very helpful, he gave us information and helped us to create the best trip for us.We had 10 days trip, for our honeymoon, to many parts of Sri-Lanka. the country is amazing, green, nice people and good food.Cyril was a great driver and even greater guide, he has so much knowledge and e..." Coral and Oded from Israel

    "Dear Cyril, Here are some photos for you as we promised, and also little gift to you. Here is some photos of elephant boy which we were took on elephant ride. Please give to them when you go to Habarana again. We are very grateful to you for your services that you have done to make our holiday in this beautiful country. Still we are thinking over our nice trip with you. It was fantastic, really! Here in Holland, life is normal again. Greeting for your wife and daughter too. George and Cala ..." George and Cala

    "11th April 2014 01 week tour around Sri Lanka A fantastic week was had by all with Cyril, exploring Kandy, Nuwaraeliya and Bentota. Your meaningful insights & excellent explanations of the Sri Lanka’s culture, nature and traditions were invaluable. Your smile and charm helped is feel related and comfortable. Not getting stressed once. With your guidance & tips, the holiday flew by with only one problem: it was very short! Your comprehensive list of talents ranges from findin..." Ian Price and family from UK

RECENT PACKAGES
2 DAYS EXCURSION - SIGIRIYA - DAMBULLA AND KANDY
DISCOVER SRI LANKA - 14 NIGHTS 15 DAYS
FROM JUNGLES TO TEMPLES IN SRI LANKA -14-DAYS
SURFING IN SRI LANKA - ARUGAMBAY AND HIKKADUWA
ROUND TOUR AROUND SRI LANKA INCLUDING LIPTON SEAT
SRI LANKA - HONEYMOON PACKAGE
GLIMPS OF SRI LANKA - 4 NIGHTS 5 DAYS
SPECIAL HOLIDAY PACKAGE IN CINNAMON LODGE
3 NIGHTS 4 DAYS TOUR IN SRI LANKA
TWO WEEKS IN SUMMER

MAKE A REQUEST