Experiential sojourn from Pekoe Trail

Miguel Cunat (centre) and Shilpa (left) with Devi Prasanth

The Pekoe Trail influencing plantation communities to become entrepreneurs

Miguel at the  Ceylon Tea Museum

By Surya Vishwa 

Say Spain. What comes to mind would be colourful festivals and long winding footpaths such as the Camino de Santiago – Way of St. James, and breathtaking hiking routes in mountain ranges like the Picos de Europa and the Pyrenees.

Say Sri Lanka. A global traveller may first think of tea and the scenic terrain it grows in, mainly in Kandy and the Central Province region. 

The world is but a large patch of earth where humans are bestowed with different forms of nature’s magnificence where we are woven in with seas, deserts, mountains, waterfalls, lakes and forests. 

What each human does within this vast space can influence humanity in a positive or negative manner. It is also a fact that human creativity or genius often originates from earth based inspiration.

It is therefore his upbringing within the trekking tradition of Spain which in his adult life triggered the mind of Spanish national, Miguel Cunat on the potential for the pathways that criss-cross the tea-growing Sri Lanka’s Central Province to be crafted into an iconic tourism attraction. 

Sri Lanka’s first long-distance hiking endeavour

Thus, as a result of almost a decade of making his feet memorise these isolated routes that wrap the tea growing hills of Sri Lanka, Miguel Cunat launched the non-profit entity, the Pekoe Trail Organisation (TPTO). With the initial support of the European Union and USAID the Pekoe Trail was officially begun in late 2023 as Sri Lanka’s first long-distance hiking endeavour. Technology-based online support for hikers was developed and quickly resulted in a Pekoe Trail cyber community of hikers.

The name Pekoe is incidentally derived from the term given to a black tea gradient and now identifies the 300-kilometre stretch beginning in Hantana, Kandy, and ending in Nuwara Eliya, dividing into 22 stages, tea plantations, rural villages, cultural and pilgrimage sites such as Sri Pada and diversely salubrious forest terrain.

We at the Harmony page traversed stage one of the trail with Miguel last week, shortly after the Pekoe Trail was featured in the TIME magazine, listed amongst the World’s Greatest Places for the year 2025. Last year the National Geographic ranked it as one-of-a-kind travel experiences for 2024. 

Joining Miguel were two Indian nationals Shilpa Kala and Devi Prasanth Shetty, founders of the Odu Running Club in Bangalore. They had arrived in Sri Lanka to meet the initiator of the Pekoe Trail so that a global running event could be organised towards the end of the year within this hiking route.

Stage one of Pekoe Trail 

All four of us therefore embark on stage one of the Trail, categorised as the easiest. This part of the trail covers 12.4 kilometres in total, beginning at the Ceylon Tea Museum in Hantana and ending in Galaha, estimated to take around four hours.

This is how the Pekoe Trail website describes the Hantana to Galaha – stage 1 trek. 

“The trail reaches its highest elevation of 1,008 meters at 5.7 km, where breathtaking views unfold, including the Victoria Reservoir and the majestic Knuckles Range.

From this peak, the trail descends gently towards Galaha. Along the way, you’ll encounter striking landscapes, including a dense forest of towering trees around the 10 km mark, and pass by quaint villages and homes. Film buffs will enjoy learning that parts of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom were shot in this area, adding a touch of cinematic history to the journey. The lowest point of the trail lies at the 10.8 km mark, at 754 meters, as you cross a bridge over a river and enter a dense pine forest. Here, you can choose between a steep track or a winding road to ascend towards the Galaha Road, where this stage concludes. The endpoint is the Galaha Post Office, located just 900 meters further.”

 The rest of the stages of the trail are from Galaha to Loolkandura, Loolkandura to Tawalantenna, Tawalantenna to Pundaluoya, Pundaluoya to Watagoda, Watagoda to Kotagala, Kotagala to Norwood, Norwood to Bogawantalawa, Bogawantala to Dayagama, Dayagama to Horton Plains, Horton Plains to Udaweriya, Udaweriya to Haputale, Haputale to St. Catherine’s, St. Catherine’s to Makulella, Makulella to Ella, Ella to Demodara, Demodara to Hali Ela, Hali Ela to Ettampitiya, Etampitiya to Loonuwatte, Loonuwatte to Udapussellawa, Udapussellawa to Kandapola, Kandapola to St. Pedro. The distance of the trails vary from around 9 to around 21 kilometres and the duration it takes to complete it, from four to around six hours. 

One passes tea estates, the plantation workers, tea kiosks, small eateries but overall the hiker is surrounded by the solitude of the landscape. 

Origins of the trail

As we get moving on the Hantana–Galaha pathway, Miguel starts explaining about the origins of the trail we are on. Covering the rich history of how these central highland areas were once the domain of ancient Sri Lankan monarchy in pre-colonial times, Miguel then proceeds to narrate the beginning of tea growing in Sri Lanka.

He details out the pioneering contribution of James Taylor and Thomas Lipton in introducing and fostering tea as a commercial crop in Sri Lanka. 

“James Taylor was Scottish and first entrusted with the initially thriving coffee plantations by the British colonial administration. After the coffee industry failed owing to a fungus, Taylor began tea cultivation in 1867 upon the same estate that earlier grew coffee, in Loolkandura, bringing from India the first tea plants. Loolkandura therefore is the first tea plantation in Sri Lanka, although the first tea sapling was brought from China in 1824 and grown in the Royal Botanical gardens in Peradeniya for non-commercial purposes.” 

A wizard in bringing to life the past with his animated style of narration he describes the passion and persistence of tea baron, Thomas Lipton in investing in tea estates, high production machinery and revolutionising sales methods, being the founding father of Lipton Tea who gave momentum to the industry started by James Taylor. 

National asset

Miguel then explains that the path we are covering with our feet is a national asset that would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars if it were to be constructed today.

“Countries spend exorbitant amounts of money on developing walking trails like this that aid tourism. Here in Sri Lanka we have a perfect one, replete with heritage, that facilitates two to three people to walk side by side as opposed to narrower trails that can only support single file trekking,” he states.

Thereby he reveals that the Pekoe Trail was ideated by him making use of an existing route that connected to colonial history, realising also that this could be a platform for raising awareness on many other aspects that could help the country.

He demonstrates by picking up a plastic packet which had once held a snack and bearing the trademark of a multinational company.

He then mentions how the trail is becoming popular with those who are employed in high positions of such organisations. He sees the Pekoe Trail as an influencer for food producing companies to contribute towards sustainability, such as changing their product packaging into easily recyclable paper based ones.

“Imagine if you are the boss of a top multinational firm who accosts your own products in earth-harmful packing in such a scenic garbage free setting. It would be a heart hitting embarrassment and a direct game changer on how a vital sustainability centric message is conveyed, prompting responsible action. The same message could be communicated through a news report or a research document which one can read in a plush office while having a couple of plastic wrapped products on the table but the essence of the message may not get through,” he states. 

Sustainability prompting platform

“The Pekoe Trail therefore is a tourism as well as sustainability prompting platform which can be an opportunity for sensitising on various issues concerning humans and the planet. Much of our travel as we get on with life can be done on our own two feet and thereby limit air pollution by vehicle emissions,” he notes. The Pekoe Trail is to be soon explored for a tourism-centred event involving running, pitched as a health fiesta connecting nations and celebrating people and the planet. 

“We had no idea about the Pekoe Trail when we started researching how we could introduce a running based event in Sri Lanka. We have carried out several such fitness related community activities in India but not integrating tourism. As we started our online reading on the locations of Sri Lanka we could visit and people we could meet to discuss collaborations, we read that the Pekoe Trail had been rated as one of the best places to visit. We thereafter contacted its founder. So here we are, walking the trail with Miguel,” chuckles Shilpa who supports Prasanth in managing the Odu Running Club based in Bangalore. 

We discussed for a while how the world would change if every child and teenager was encouraged to spend as much time as they like in nature. 

“Do this and children would learn to problem solve in the best way possible. Nothing but nature can teach this with precision. How to manoeuvre the ferocity of a wave and the denseness of a jungle or transcend the width between two rocks are stuff one has to figure out alone and get it done,” quips Miguel, whose pastime when not walking around discovering earth routes, is to swim in the deep ocean. This is probably why he chose to live in the coastal city of Galle in the south of Sri Lanka. 

“I first began swimming in the rock pools in the islands of Spain. Swimming in the Sri Lankan oceans became a preoccupation after I started living here in 2003.” 

Miguel had first arrived in Sri Lanka in 2002 for travel. A year later he decided to stay on as his wife who was employed by an international firm had been transferred to Colombo. 

Having worked in the IT sector professionally, he started reverting to his passion after he settled in this adopted country. Miguel immersed himself in the splendour of nature, swimming to his heart’s content wherever he confronted the ocean and walking on whatever path he accosted and persisting through wilderness and mountains. Have you been on those mountains, Shilpa, Prasanth and I ask Miguel in unison. 

Picture postcard frame 

We are referring to an array of rocky walls that adorn Hantana that seem to have a very close affinity with the sky. They create a picture postcard frame as one proceeds on the Hantana- Galaha Pekoe Trail. 

“Yes, I have,” he answers. He had approached them not from its vertical craggy frontiers but from the forested pathways.

He shares humorous anecdotes of how he being a permanently roving fixture amongst the tea plantation ranges resulted in some locals presuming he was a treasure hunter!

“The Kings of Lanka were known to bury their treasures in these areas. Several times village vigilantes stopped me, asking me if I was looking for ancient treasures that had been consigned to deep earth! I eased their minds by stating that I am only sketching with my feet a 300 kilometre long trail that runs between tea estates in the Central Province,” he laughs. 

How does he value the impact of the trail and how financially sustainable is it for himself?

“When I started researching the trail, I first did so as someone promoting Sri Lanka tourism. I began by launching the tourism initiative, Sri Lanka In Style, where I began promoting the country worldwide. As someone passionate about walking, experiencing first hand its therapeutic worth on the human psyche and keen to uphold its significance on fostering a sustainable planet, I selected it as a key activity through which a visitor could be led to experience Sri Lanka’s beauty, the resilience of its people and the overarching culture. I am aware that there are many other tourism related activities – for example, horse riding and cycling – but I chose what made me learn about Sri Lanka best; through walking. However, I did not really fathom how establishing the Pekoe Trail would be a major transformative step in promoting rural entrepreneurship especially within the plantation community.” 

He adds that he did not embark on any of his tourism initiatives focusing on money making.

“Many enter tourism after calculating profit. The worldview with which I approached tourism was from the standpoint of personal satisfaction – in creating something that would outlast me. Yes, this initiative is financially viable – but what is priceless for me is when I see people walking happily on the trail.”

The Pekoe Trail Organisation (TPTO), as a nonprofit organisation, operates on self-funding, community memberships, and donations.

The basic annual membership for those who want to be part of the Pekoe community is around Sri Lankan Rupees 10,000.

An ageless adventure

What are the ages of those who embark on the trail?

“Children, youth, those who are middle aged and others who are much senior. One cannot restrict those who love to walk by age. This is an ageless adventure. All the above mentioned age groups have been on this trail. Some of the most aged hikers have completed all of the stages of the trail.” 

Are there only mainly foreigners on the trail or has hiking and walking become popular with Sri Lankans as well?

“Yes. There are both Sri Lankans and foreigners who are coming on the Pekoe Trail,” replies Miguel.

He elaborates how the trail is fast encouraging plantation communities to commence small businesses ranging from mini camping sites to homestays as well as roadside selling of snacks and tea. So far, the trail has led to the creation of around 60 micro, small and medium enterprises. It has also motivated young people to take on careers as Pekoe Trail guides. 

“One small example on how the Pekoe Trail has influenced entrepreneurship soon after it was launched can be found in the story of Pushpa. She is a female in this vicinity who started selling very tasty wade and tea. I was told she had closed her outlet today or else we could have visited,” says Miguel.

As we traverse further (with all the chatter and banter with Shilpa, Prasanth and Miguel) our legs seem to be oblivious to tiredness as it covers the passing kilometres. 

We pass two women who work on the estates. They ask us if we are thirsty and inform us that they are thinking of starting a mobile tea stall along the trail. We thank them and get back to walking. Gradually the conversation meanders to a range of subjects that includes natural medicine, reincarnation, the life of Christ and why the world is at war.

“See this plant. The flower and the leaf are both edible and treat fatty liver.” Miguel holds up the said plant. 

“The entire vibration of a human changes when a human walks amidst nature. It clears up the mind and stimulates mental power,” emphasises Miguel.

After briefly discussing whether Jesus Christ could have actually lived in Kashmir, the conversation drifts to world wars and Prasanth states that three things one could do to stop all wars is to teach toddlers to walk, run and become entrepreneurs. Shilpa wholeheartedly agrees. She herself is a businesswoman who had joined Prasanth to support him in expanding his travel club. Both Shilpa and Prasanth have followed their calling, moving away from anything that seems drudgery. Prasanth had left a high paid corporate job and established the Odu Running Club in 2018.

If children are encouraged to live their dreams

We conclude that if children are encouraged to live their dreams, it can be presumed when they are adults they would be happy mortals, so busy walking and running across all the beautiful places of the earth and helping people and the economy by creating innovative startups that there will no longer be takers for creating or supporting wars. 

Prasanth who has worn sandals has stopped to dislodge a leech from his leg.

The conversation returns to the event Shilpa and Prasanth plan to hold around October with the support of Miguel and the Pekoe Trail Organisation.

“We plan it to be something that would encourage people from around the world to engage in and run as much as they could on the trail. The rest of the details of the event are to be planned over the next months.

“The Pekoe Trail is a pathway of opportunity for Sri Lanka to display its incredible beauty to the world. I am indeed grateful for the joy of being in this country and being able to witness how this trail could be a catalyst for integrated tourism in Sri Lanka,” says Miguel as we part.

To sum up, the uniqueness of the Pekoe Trail is the unification of all 22 strands of the long ago paths through which tea was cultivated and transported, celebrating it – from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya as one hiking opportunity which as mentioned in this write-up could be the foundation for promoting sustainability. 

Note: In our upcoming editions we will publish a research based analysis on stakeholder impact of the Pekoe Trail by Imantha Madushanka, a sustainable camping focused entrepreneur who has completed his academic thesis on the Pekoe Trail for the Bachelor in Business Management in Hospitality Tourism and Events Management in Uva Wellasa University in Badulla.