The Pekoe Trail – Stage 01 – Hantana to Galaha


Distance 12.8 km Trailhead Ceylon Tea Museum, Hanthana
Trail end Galaha junction Elevation gain 458 m
Elevation loss 410 m Max elevation: 1,067 m
Trail/Route type Point to point Difficulty level Easy

If you’re looking for a day hike around Kandy, you’ve landed on the right page. Pekoe Trail Stage 1 is an easy 12km hike you can complete within 3 to 4 hours. The trailhead is just 4 kilometers from Kandy City.

Psst. Check out our guide to the Pekoe trail for detailed information about the trek.

The trail starts as a small footpath just besides the Ceylon Tea Museum in Hantana (Directions). The museum is located just 4.8 kilometers south of Kandy City. Driving time is just 20 minutes. Take Kappetipola Road from the city center and turn left onto Hantana Road at the junction near Kandy National Hospital.

This winding road takes you to a juncture with a small shop. Take a sharp turn to the left, which has a sign board for the Museum. This paved road leads directly to the museum. There is ample parking available to the left of the museum building. Walk past the parking lot, and there is a dirt road that leads uphill (This road leads to the Hantana Bird Park). Follow this road, and just as the Museum building ends, there is a footpath to the right leading upwards. This is where the trail starts.

signpost depicting the trail

Trail Map

Can I use public transportation to get to the trailhead?

Yes, you can get Kandy – Uduwela bus, which go past Hantana Tea Museum. Buses are available at the stand near Kandy Clock tower. You can get off at the Ceylon Tea Museum bus stop. Once you reached Galaha, you can hop on a Kandy – Delthota bus to return back to Kandy.

Is the trail sign-posted all the way?

To certain extent yes but the trail is not yet fully signposted at the time of writing. You should see arrow signs inside green circles at some points on the trees or boulders etc. Arrow signs inside blue circles are for the reverse trek.

What’s the app you recommend using for tracking?

You can either use Wikiloc or AllTrails. We used Wikiloc and found it to be reliable. Although it notifies you if you’re going out of the trek, You should always be observant of what’s ahead of you when doing the trek, as it is easy to miss turning points, especially at the beginning of the trail.

Psst. Check out our Pekoe trail tour which we put together to experience the best of the Pekoe trail and attractions around it.

The beginning of the trail

start of the trail near tea museum

The first 1.4 km of the trail start with a footpath leading through vegetation up a slight uphill. At the beginning of the trail, the foot path breaks in three ways. Choose the middle path. You must concentrate on the trail map in this section, as there is a slight chance of taking the wrong trek.

The footpath winds along the slop and merges into a dirt road, which merges into a junction at 1.4-kilometer point where it meets the Kandy-Hantana road. You can rest a bit while refreshing yourself with a cup of Belimal (a Bael flower herbal drink) and jaggery.

The ascent

tree lined pathways on the staage 01

After you finish resting, look forward to seeing the W15 signboard ahead. Take this road and walk along it until you reach the junction that breaks the road in two. The road to the right leads to the W15 Hantana Estate Hotel. You must take the road to the right, which runs past the Hill Country Sports Shooting Club and Sugarcane Quarantine Center.

At about 5 kilometers on the trail, you’ll see a small stupa on top of a hill. This is a meditation center, and it is not recommended to visit this place as it would disturb the monks. Around this point, to your left, you’ll see the expanse towards Knuckles Forest Reserve and Victoria Reservoir.

The descent to the Galaha

hikers traversing the trail, panaromic views of the mountains a section with vegetation

The downhill trek starts now on a gravel road. Please be extra vigilant if it is a rainy day, as the stones can be slippery. The path leads through the vegetation and comes to an area where it is said that the Indiana Jones movie was filmed.This location is also on Google Maps, so it is hard to miss. The trail now runs close to the Galaha road through an open area.

Hanthana mountain range can be seen panaromic views of the central highlands sceneic views from the trail

There are Tea sheds located here and there, so do take a good rest and refresh yourself. At around 10 km, the road winds through a tree-covered area,which is pleasant to walk through. The area is now quite inhabited, and you’ll come across many village dwellers who go about their daily errands. Walk along the road until you reach the main road, which crosses a bridge. Walk along the main road, crossing the bridge, and enter the pine forest.

There is an option for you to either follow the main road to Galaha or take the uphill trek through the pine forest. The trail ends at the Galaha post office.

Overall, this hike is easy to do and can be recommended to novice hikers. The Pekoe Trail is meant to experience not only the trail but to get immersed in the community as well. You’ll have many chances to interact with the locals by hiking this trail. Explore their lifestyles, mingle with them, and buy from their shops. You can bring sweets, stationery, or anything else you deem fit for the kids. That’ll certainly bring a smile to their faces.

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