The hiking path covers 186 miles, visiting towns and locations rarely seen by travelers previously.
In the distance, plumes of smoke carried the scent of roasting tea leaves.
I was walking the Pekoe Trail, a long-distance hiking path that opened in Sri Lanka last year.
From left: The Nine Arch Bridge, in the central highlands of Sri Lanka; the loose-leaf selection at the W15 Hanthana Estate, in Kandy.Credit:From left: iStockphoto/Getty Images; Courtesy of W15 Hanthana
I was accompanied by Miguel Cunat, the sustainable-tourism consultant who designed the trail.
You know that saying To understand an islands soul, head to its interior?
he asked me as we ate mangoes from a roadside stand during one of our breaks.
From left: One of the seven suites at Thotalagala, a resort in Haputale, Sri Lanka; tea with a view at Thotalagala,.Courtesy of Thotalagala
I knew what he meant.
Thick fog in the distance signaled the looming monsoons.
We hiked six miles through a tableau that felt like the quintessential image of the countryside.
The piano room and library at W15 Hanthana, near the start of the Pekoe Trail.Courtesy of W15 Hanthana
The view has not changed much.
The famous viaduct turned out to be just as dramatic in real life as it is in photos.
The vision includes giving visitors more chances to learn from locals.
Hikers on the Pekoe Trail, which was designed to boost tourism.Courtesy of The Pekoe Trail
It was just this kind of understanding that soothed me during the night I spent at Thotalagala.
I arrived after dark and was led down a grand hallway that opened onto a manicured lawn.
Beyond an infinity pool, a fire burned, engulfing trees along the hotels edge.
A tea farmer had taught me about controlled burning: always simmering, never boiling over.