Darjeeling Tea Tourism

The mist flirts throughout the sojourn to Glenburn. These are glimpses of the Raj epoch, still alive in some forgotten mountain estate where the air wafts with the fragrance of distant tea leaves. Some 5 miles before Darjeeling is the idyllic hamlet of Ghoom, 7,407 feet, is the highest point of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. The shrill whistle of the antiquated steam engine sluices through the sifting mist like retired Soprano clearing her throat. The fragrance of tea in the mist conjures up the ceremonial tinkling of teaspoons on china. Estate by estate and leave by leave we drove past the Darjeeling beatification. Somewhere in my mind I endorsed Darjeeling — the eastern tea Country. A young new tourism phenomena the Indian tourists have woken to in last few years, tea tourism has found newfangled ways to add to its green beauty.

Tea wafted trips …

Darjeeling, the most beautiful hill station, raves her undulated terrains across many green ups and downs. However, to a novice tea aficionado like me Darjeeling is synonymous with Orange Pekoe Tea. Traversing down from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling is a scene mind blowing with green tea gardens and deep ravines on the either side. The toy trains are an added edge which gives you an oddball experience of moving in the Raj era, when sahibs use to be transported to the summer stations. Moreover, Darjeeling trains, unlike Rajdhani and Shatabdi, give you a chance to pick up the dried clothes and snap vistas in your close proximity. The scene is all the more appealing when you see people hanging out the trains and children romping their ways. Well, once you alight the antiquated engines, the pretty mistress of tea estates would make you learn to walk; Darjeeling is bereft of any local transport.


Treat Tea ...

Darjeeling lives in its tea gardens. The aroma, varieties, taste and green shrubs make you cling to the tea criterion. There are three estates of the region:Glenburn, Gomtee and Makaibari. Many of these have converted these bungalows into tourist havens. The old and legendary tea establishments have moved to tea-based merchandising where you visit with a promise of viewing world's best tea garden growing outside your window. It is here in the sequestered sips of charms that you get the perfect brew of the holiday. From Ghoom to a hamlet, precisely named 6 Miles, is a winding descent, so steep and uncomfortable that it almost feels like a fall from grace. Once at Darjeeling, peek-a-boo into the beautiful Himalayan peak — the Kanchenjunga — and many other un-scaled heights luring trekkers since time unknown.

Reaching there
Glenburn is where it all starts. The nearest airport is Bagdogra, and for those who liked to be pampered, the estate offers much more. Beyond our suite at Glenburn which spoils with its lashings of un-believing comforts, Kangchenjunga stands tall to embrace you in its charm. You can spend the day skinny dipping, trout fishing, rafting or simply basking in the mountain sun.

Tea `elan
Faddish sips of the world’s best brew at Darjeeling best revitalizes your senses. I strongly feel the punch line for all tea should change to “Serve tea like Darjeeling attendants”, for that the
tea is served with the attendant air of pride and presentations at Darjeeling tea farms. Flamboyant tea sessions replete with sand glass timers and antique tea weighing scales are arranged to the visitors of the factories. Back at Darjeeling, just where the road rises to the Mall, is Keventer's— the famous terrace room— overlooking the exclusive Planter's club. The Planter’s Club looks shabbily genteel with the passage of years but the tea hasn't changed a bit. It has 22 verities of tea here. Next is Nathmull's tea room where a galore of tea varieties is stacked for the display and sale. Tea like soft drink was a fashionable trend during since the days of yore at Darjeeling.

Organic Tea Stations

At Darjeeling tea has graduated to the status of matinée from a meager taste. At Cochrane Place the theme is tea and trains. The door to Cafe` is shaped like engines and it boasts of jacuzzi spurts tea bath, tea facial and dinner where every dish is tea based and then with the morning newspaper comes a complimentary cup of tea in a traditional glass tumbler.

At the end Darjeeling is a beautiful landscape drive away that runs through bamboo thickets and beds of exotic mountain flowers leading eventually into a winding road, which undulates throughout the estate. The Gomtee is the last stop on the tea trail before the plains.