"Not often is it that men have heart when their one great industry is withered, to rear up in a few years another as rich to take its place, and the tea fields of Ceylon are as true a monument to courage as is the lion at Waterloo"
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes
Conan Doyle refers to the heroics of the early Ceylon planters and the disasters they overcame to mould the present tea industry. In 1865 the coffee plantations were devastated by blight. The plucky planters fought back and planted tea. The reversal was dramatic as the extract relates. From utter despair and penury to endless green acres.

Over 200,000 hectares of rolling tea carpeted hills make Sri Lanka the world's largest exporter. Nimble pluckers still handpick "two leaves and a bud". Tea from Sri Lanka is still known by the country's former name of Ceylon, a name synonymous with the finest tea.

The Tea Country is the most scenic part of Sri Lanka with breathtaking views of mountain ranges and ravines, of winding roads and waterfalls. It is home to one of the most significant landmarks in the country, Adam's Peak, the second highest peak at 7360 feet but second to none in its cultural importance. The holy mountain holds significance to Buddhists, Muslims and Christians alike. Almost daily, hundreds of devotees make the six hour trek to the peak, climbing thousands of steps to welcome the dawn - one of the most spectacular sights in Sri Lanka .