The Leopard’s Path to the Sun

What this journey is

Arrive as strangers. Leave as family.

A group of walkers following a sunlit grassy path between trees and green bushes

Walk together

Five stages of the Pekoe Trail, a path worn by two centuries of tea harvesters and guardians of the land, through tea gardens, cloud forest and valleys few visitors ever see.

Play together

Trail games, silly questions, a dance or two. By day three you will know each other better than some friends of years.

Sit at someone’s table

Cook in a local family’s home, eat roti with the tea harvesters where they gather at midday, and share the Thai Pongal feast.

The legend of the path

Long ago, the sun forgot the way back to the valleys, and the tea hills grew cold. Only one creature remembered the path: the leopard, who walks the edge of light at dawn and dusk.

She rarely shows herself. She leaves signs: a print in the mud, a bent blade of grass, a sudden hush in the forest. Perhaps she will step out of the tea to meet us. Perhaps she will only leave her tracks. Either way, we will follow them together.

An original story written for this journey.

How we play

Eight small games, all optional

Trail names Day 1

Everyone gets a playful name by the end of the first evening. By the end of the trip, nobody remembers their real one.

Footprints Day 4

In leopard country we play trackers. One pair leaves signs along a stretch of path, and the rest read them to find the way.

Walking partners every day

A new partner each morning and one question to share along the way. Small questions first, bigger ones later.

The question jar dinners

A jar of folded questions goes round the table. What did you want to be at eight? What is your terrible talent?

Lighter bags Day 2

At the waterfall, each of us names one thing we will happily carry less of for the next ten days, and gives it to the river.

Story night Day 7

On the rest day, each person tells a three-minute story from their life. Props from the trail allowed, and encouraged.

Sunset dance Day 8

After the hardest walk, we move however we like with the whole valley as the dance floor. No steps to learn.

Secret trail friend whole trip

Each of us quietly looks after one other person for the ten days. The big reveal comes on the last evening.

These are our starting ideas. The circle will add its own, and every game is optional. You can always watch, laugh and cheer.

Two walkers coming down a leaf-scattered path through tea bushes and tall trees

The walking

Five Pekoe Trail stages, moderate to difficult

Distances and climbs follow the official Pekoe Trail stage pages. Real walking time depends on weather, stops and how many photos we take. A local trail guide walks with us every day.

About 84 km on the trail, plus an 8 km circuit in Horton Plains on Day 6. The biggest climb is Day 8, with 1,493 m up and 1,834 m down.

Who holds the circle

Your hosts

Sumaya

Storytelling, movement and play

Nomadic since she left Yemen at nineteen. Her medicine is expression: stories, movement, dance and playful games that wake up the joy we carry when we meet the wild.

Shahad

Yoga, movement and play

A yoga instructor with a background in renewable energy and a love of wild places. She brings tired legs home after long days on the trail, and brings the dancing.

Read our story

The details

What we take care of

Held for you

9 nights in shared or private rooms at the stays above
Breakfast on Days 2 to 10
Lunch and dinner on Days 2 to 9
All five Pekoe Trail stages, with local guides who speak English
Entry to Horton Plains National Park
Our own vans with local drivers, and a ride from and to the airport
Cooking in a local family’s home, and the Thai Pongal feast
Games, circles, breathing, yoga and movement with Sumaya and Shahad

Yours to arrange

International flights
Sri Lanka visa (ETA)
Travel insurance that covers hiking and evacuation (required)
Meals on the arrival day (Day 1)
Tips, your own spending, and little extras like massages

Your place on the path

Joining the circle

The first travellers, until 31 October

$1,950 USD

Shared room, with a fellow traveller. For those who say yes first.

Shared room

$2,200 USD

A room shared with a fellow traveller.

Private room

$2,900 USD

Only three rooms.

Half holds your place, and the rest comes by 13 December 2026. The circle has only 10 places.

How to join

Four steps to the trail

Say hello

Tell us a little about you in a short form. About 10 minutes.

Meet us

A 15-minute call, to see if this path feels right for you.

Save your place

Send your deposit and we write you a welcome letter.

Get ready

Packing list, weather guide, training tips and a group chat that starts before we land.

Walk with us

Questions on the path

Before you ask

How fit do I need to be?

You should be comfortable walking four to six hours a day on uneven ground, several days in a row. The biggest climbs are about 740 m on Day 5 and 1,500 m on Day 8. No technical climbing, and your trail guide walks at the pace of the group.

Will we see a leopard?

Maybe, but probably not. Leopards live in the highlands, especially around the Stage 8 corridor and Horton Plains, but they are shy and move mostly at night. We will certainly learn to read their signs.

Is this a wellness retreat?

No, it’s a walking journey with a lot of play. We start some days with breath or movement and end them in circle, but every activity is optional and nobody needs to believe or practice anything.

Can I come alone?

Most people do. That’s what the circle is for, and it’s why we keep it small.

What is the weather like in January?

It’s the dry season in the highlands, with clear, crisp mornings. It can still turn misty, windy and cool at altitude, so you’ll want warm layers and a rain jacket.

What about packing and preparation?

Once you join, we send a full packing list, a weather guide by altitude, training tips and visa steps, so you can prepare calmly.