Come to Bengal, come to the high reaches of the Himalayas, and come and savor the essence of tea tourism. For this is where the champagne of teas—Darjeeling tea is produced. You can stay in a tea estate, at a heritage bungalow that used to be the residence of a British tea planter and now in some of the newly created ones, take in the freshness of the mountains and see how the finest teas in the world are produced. Wake up to a golden brew of Darjeeling’s first or second flush tea, eat home-cooked specialties and then see during your stay how tea is plucked. And also how tea is processed in the tea factory through withering, rolling, drying, sorting and packaging, giving you an insight into how the best teas in the world are produced.

Many of the gardens give you a nature trail and a chance to walk through the villages and perchance to be entertained to the local dances and music. There are no other places with such a natural beauty setting, where you can enjoy the elements as much as you can avail of staying in heritage bungalows and also get packages for visits to nearby areas, whether it be a monastery or seeing the work of local craftspeople, while the majestic mountains oversee your beauteous stay.

Many such tea garden stays can be expensive, but the traveler looking for a complete experience will find that the whole package gives value for the kind of money you would spend on an exotic tour in other parts of the world. Don’t look for five star facilities for the wrong reasons, for here the five-star treatment starts from the moment you are picked up from the airport, driven along a picturesque and brought to an estate which is exclusive, with highly personalized services and with a total tea garden experience. We give you here a few choices.

Selim Hill Tea Estate & Retreat, Kurseong

This tea estate is about 50 kms from Darjeeling, and its old planter’s bungalow has four luxurious double rooms, a living room, dining room, a large veranda. And a beautifully laid out garden, from where, naturally the views are superb. Swings and hammocks are the best things to chill out in.  For tours, the Mahananda Wildlife sanctuary is close by.

Mailing address: Darjeeling Tea Boutique, 9 Ballan Villa Road, Darjeeling 734140 Ph: +918509752577;email:info@selimhill.com;website: http://www.darjeelingteaboutique.com/contact-us/

Singtom Tea Estate Resort

This falls in the affordable category. The plus points: it is quiet, secluded, and yet easy to get to Darjeeling, if you are so inclined to also visit the township. It is close to a tea estate known as Steinthal, amongst the first gardens to be planted in the nineteenth century.

Head Office: 5F, North Block, 71 Park Plaza, Park Street, Kolkata 700 016. Local Office: Singtom Tea Estate, P.O. Box Singmari, Darjeeling 734 104

Address: Singtam Tea Garden, Darjeeling, West Bengal 734104; Phone: 084201 93055

http://www.singtomresort.com/

Makaibari Tea Estate & Home Stay, Kurseong

The flamboyant Raja Banerjee has run this tea estate forever, which covers 750 hectares and has been talked about the world over with the highest prices it has commanded and its best practices.  It is 45 kms from Siliguri, located at Kurseong. There are various types of accommodation here,v The luxurious ones in the main building which has the most amazing memorabilia, and the budget stays which are actually the homes that the villagers and the workers have offered up. These facilities provide the workers a supplementary earning route.

Makai Bari Tea Garden, West Bengal 734217, India; Ph: 03322486017; info@makaibari.com; www.makaibari.com/

Goomtee Tea Estate & Resort, Kurseong

The organic gardens in the Darjeeling and Kurseong areas are now the in thing and Goomtee is also one of them. It is 48 kms from Darjeeling and has four double-rooms and lovely views of the mountains and the valleys.

Address: Goomtee Tea Estate, Hill Cart Road, Near Mahanadi Railway Station (World Heritage Darjeeling Railway), District Darjeeling, Darjeeling, West Bengal 734223

Phone: 087593 81486; http://goomteeresorts.com/

Glenburn Tea Estate & Retreat, Darjeeling

This estate was first off the mark with its upscale facilities. It is hugely picturesque and its facilities are stunning with two beautifully appointed bungalows with four suites each, all of which give you superb views of the mountains and the valleys. It is an hour and a half from Darjeeling town on a 1600 acre estate on a hill slope. There are riverside trails, facilities for hiking, a separate campsite for an overnight stay, and fishing and cookery are some of the experiences that make Glenburn so special. From Bagdogra it would take you about three hours, but once there, you should try and spend two or three days to relax and rejuvenate.

City Office: Glenburn Tea Estate (Tourism Division), DLX Ltd., Kanak Building, 41, Chowringhee  Road Kolkata – 71.

Phone (mobile): +91-9830070213; Fax: +913322883581; Email: info@glenburnteaestate.com, www.glenburnteaestate.com

Happy Valley Tea Estate, Darjeeling

For the more citified, Happy Valley Tea Estate, Darjeeling’s second oldest, (established 1854)   and 6,400 feet above sea level, is just the garden to visit. You can see the tea pluckers at work, and also get a chance to visit a tea factory. There are some excellent packaged teas available here. Also good for day trips.

Address: Lebong Cart Rd, Chauk Bazaar, Darjeeling, West Bengal 734101

Phone: 090079 95888. Website: http://www.ambootia.com/

There are a few upmarket tea estates which have become popular:

Ging Tea House, Darjeeling

Just 30 minutes from Darejeeling township, this tea estate is part of the Chamong Group. The bungalow, a lovely colonial structure, is where you can stay in the refurbished rooms. They give a wonderful feel in the cooler seasons, with the old wooden flooring, the period furniture and the rich drapes. Six suites with spacious bathrooms. In door activities include billiards on their vintage table made in the early 90’s or play Carom, Scrabble/Chess, or play the Piano. They have a collection of different genres of music to suit your  mood and you can relax and enjoy the evenings in the library with drinks, a  warm fire and your favorite book.

You want for nothing in a place like this, as the modern amenities indoors are as good as the outdoors, which you see from a viewing deck. You can relax in the gazebo, definitely, or sit around on the sun deck, sipping a heavenly Darjeeling cuppa.

Address: Ging Tea Garden, West Bengal; Phone: 098310 76877. Website:http://www.gingteahouse.com/

Tumsong Tea Estate & Retreat, Darjeeling

Like Glenburn, Tumsong which is located in the Ghoom area, also takes about three hours from Bagdora. The tea estate is spread over 186 hectares of with an open hill slope Four large suites in the Manager’s heritage bungalow give you the feel of a colonial era gone past. There are several activities organized by the retreat at additional cost. Four wheel jeeps and guides are provided wherever required. Additional activities include:

• A walk through the garden
• Factory visit and watching the tea processing
• A local cultural dance program around a bon fire in the evening
• Camping and picnic by the river side
• Day excursions to nearby villages and Darjeeling town.

The Tumsong retreat offers an all inclusive package that includes bed tea, breakfast, lunch, traditional afternoon tea, dinner (four course), Indian house wine & beer (or fruit juices), activities like garden and factory visits, day trip to Darjeeling town, transfers, and all other amenities that comes with the accommodation. There is no restaurant or bar in the premises, hence it is better to avail the all-inclusive package.

Tumsong Tea Estate P.O. Tumsong (Ghoom) District Darjeeling 743102 e: info@chiabari.com p: +91 33 3093 6400 f: +91 33 3093 6433

Come to Bengal, come to the high reaches of the Himalayas, and come and savor the essence of tea tourism. For this is where the champagne of teas—Darjeeling tea is produced. You can stay in a tea estate, at a heritage bungalow that used to be the residence of a British tea planter and now in some of the newly creat