Newburgh Green Tea Factory
One of the few green tea factories in the hills near Ella, where a guided tour follows the leaf from steaming to rolling and drying, with tastings of the lighter local brew.
Along Passara Road, roughly a half hour walk from Ella town, Newburgh Tea Factory carries a history that actually predates the region's most famous landmark, built in 1903 by the renowned planter George Thomson, nearly two decades before the Nine Arches Bridge was even completed in 1921. Long before Ella emerged as one of Sri Lanka's most sought after travel destinations, Newburgh was already part of a much older story, producing Ceylon tea that traveled from these hills out across the world, its green tea specifically setting it apart from the black tea production more commonly associated with the surrounding Uva highlands.
Today the factory operates under the ownership of Finlays, one of the world's larger tea producers, offering visitors guided tours through the production process, though reviews suggest the experience can feel somewhat rushed, with guides sometimes more focused on encouraging leaf purchases than delivering deep historical context. That said, the factory's setting and story remain genuinely compelling, more recently, a separate but related Newburgh property has been transformed by Browns Hotels & Resorts into a 41 room heritage resort, preserving the character of the original tea making operation while offering a fuller, more curated Tea Factory Tour Experience, complete with a tasting session and sweeping views over the Ella Gap.
Whether visited through the working Finlays factory tour or the newer heritage resort experience nearby, Newburgh offers travelers a tangible connection to the industry that shaped Ella's entire economic and cultural identity, a factory whose roots reach back to the very earliest days of Ceylon tea's rise to global prominence.
At a glance
- Entry fee: Guided tour fee applies
- Opening hours: 8:00am to 5:00pm
- Time needed: About 1 hour
- Best time: Daytime, when the factory is running
Getting there
Near Kithalella, a few kilometres from Ella town, easiest by tuk-tuk.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to visit Newburgh Green Tea Factory?
- Guided tour fee applies.
- What are the opening hours at Newburgh Green Tea Factory?
- 8:00am to 5:00pm.
- How long should I spend at Newburgh Green Tea Factory?
- Plan for about 1 hour.
- When is the best time to visit Newburgh Green Tea Factory?
- Daytime, when the factory is running.
- How do I get to Newburgh Green Tea Factory?
- Near Kithalella, a few kilometres from Ella town, easiest by tuk-tuk.