The success story of Ceylon tea is well-known worldwide. Sri Lanka is the fourth largest producer of tea globally and the history of this industry spans right back to the beginnings of the British Raj. Sri Lanka’s tea industry prospered, for the most part, because of its ideal climate conditions, the emergence of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain, as a by-product of the coffee blight, and due to the introduction of steam locomotives which ultimately allowed for British railway systems to operate in tea regions of the island. Tea, therefore, has a story that is central to not only the history of Sri Lanka but also the industrialized world and British colonization. Nestled neatly between the beautiful Bogawantalawa Valley and the Castlereagh reservoir, the Norwood estate and factory has been growing and manufacturing tea for over a century. Still using many of the original machines installed by the British, the factory offers a glimpse into the workings of this fascinating industry and its huge impact on the rest of the world. A visit to the estate is a tailored and exclusive guided experience that will leave you with a thorough understanding of how tea production works.