Tea Tourism 

Tea Tourism trend started during the British rule. At present tourists from all over the world visit India every year to witness quality tea cultivation. In India Tea is the most popular beverage. The combined efforts of Government and Indian tea-estate owners have made Indian tea tourism a global name. Tea Tourism or Home Stay in Tea estate or Tea Gardens in Dooars, Darjeeling, Nepal, Sikkim, Assam, etc is fast-growing segments. It varies from the most luxurious ones to the basic ones. The cost may help in guessing the range. It is nearly INR 13000 to INR 1000 per tourists i.e. one room with all food ranges from Indian Rupees Twenty Six Thousand to Two Thousand for Two guests in double sharing stay.  A tourist staying in the tea estate gets the opportunity to stay historic bungalow which invariably being built before 1950. They are renovated and is being promoted by various organization or individuals. It offers best of service and luxurious stay. It is not only a stay but a lifetime experience. The friendly people attached to the Tea estate generally offer the best of ideas and options. At present Homestay in North East India is improving by leaps and bound due to its awareness and with the number of tourist growing with time. Pristine nature, cool breeze, lush green grasses, lofty hills, blue mountains covered with mist & snow,  forests teeming with wildlife and the colourful people make the stay memorable.  Tea tour is truly a lifetime experience. One can participate from Plucking to Packaging including the manufacturing of Tea.

Two leaves and a bud .… Yeah, that’s what teas are made up off. Enjoy the sheer pleasure of Tea Tourism. Tea & tourism festival is held annually in Dooars and other parts of the district in the state of West Bengal. Visit Tea Factory and enjoy the pleasure of watching tea being made …… With acres of rolling tea bush and forest ……… Rivers and valley ………. Himalayan sunrise …………….. Wildlife with diversified flora and Fauna ………… Homestay with tea planters ………… Tea Tourism ……………. experience and learn the fascinating process of tea making ………………… Dreamway to Destinations offers tea tourism …………… Tour of lifetime ……………

Darjeeling tea plantations dated back to the mid-1800s as part of a British development of the area. The tea growers from this area developed distinctive hybrids of tea and fermenting techniques, with many blends considered among the world’s finest. Now there are nearly 100 gardens in the Darjeeling district, each producing its own distinct tea and flavour - Given below are the brief descriptions about some of those gardens which have Tea Tourism facilities - There are few Tea estate in Dooars they are Zurran Tea in Dooars, Phaskowa Tea Estate in Dooars, Cochrane Palace in Kurseong, Phaskowa Tea Estate in Dooars. Ambootia Tea Estate in Kurseong, Temi Tea Estate in Namchi (Sikkim), Kanyam Tea Estate in East Nepal, Glenburn Tea Estate in Darjeeling, Ghoomtee in Ghoom, Makaibari Tea Garden, Kurseong, Sourinee Tea Estate, Sylee Tea Estate & Fagu Tea Estate in Dooars, Tukvar (Puttabong) Tea Estate in Darjeeling, Zurrantee in Dooars (Chalsa), Selim Hills near Kurseong, Runglee Rungliot in Kurseong Subdivision.

Dooars is best for Tea Tourism. The Flora and the fauna of the region is diversified. The region is covered with forest and Tea Estate only and in between these virgin forests are the settlements of small tribes like Katamb, Mech, Rava, Oraon, Munda, Kora along with the smallest surviving tribe, the Toto. Besides the experience of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, you can experience a visit to Gorumara National Park, Jaldapara National Park, Raja Bhatkhawa Museum of Nature Integration, Sub-Himalayan treks, or simply lie back and relax at the bungalow and let your soul soak in nature's splendour. Manas National park is also the extended part of Dooars which stretches up to the Brahmaputra

Nepal, Darjeeling, Assam, Arunachal, Sikkim, Tripura also have Tea Tourism but Assam & Darjeeling flourishes in this trade.

Tea Manufacturing in brief – Tea Plants are known as Camellia sinensis. Process stepwise are Plucking: The green leaf is harvested on a regular basis and the plucking of the soft two leaves and the bud is generally undertaken by well-trained staff. This is a process worth watching. Guests can join the workers to watch. Withering: Leafs is spread on troughs and kept for 08 to 12 hours. Controlled air is circulated between the leaves, initially to remove any surface moisture and thereafter to concentrate and bring the leaf to the soft and rubbery condition. Rolling: Mechanical process with chemical changes takes place. The leaf is passed through few sets of rollers to get it twisted and the leaf cell walls ruptured in Rotor vane machines. This leaf breakdown and fermentation start as soon as rolling is completed. Fermentation: Fermentation is basically oxidization of the enzymes that bring out the flavour, strength and the colour of the liquors and infusions. The process is run with Air and moisture. The leaf colour changes from greenish to a coppery brown.  Drying:  Removing of moisture and the arresting of fermentation. The leaf passes through driers, which have perforated sheets. Air is passed at a mild temperature and moisture removed through the perforated Conveyor. Grading: Initially series of grading and cleaning machines to remove the stalk and fibre cools it down. On Cooling its graded / sifted according to size and shape, as the trade demands. It is stored in airtight bins of boxes. The tea particles are kept as per the required grades of tea. Packing & Dispatching: Teas are hygroscopic and absorb moisture. Teas are packed in plywood tea chests of multi-walled aluminium craft paper lined pager sacks and dispatched to the auctions or packed into tea packs of various forms for distribution. Most popular brands of Tea are Black Tea, Green Tea, Oolong Tea and Orthodox Tea.

Tea Tourism Activities available are

• Walk through the Tea plantation
• Enjoy the way you see tea beings plucked by the staff
• One can visit the home of Tea planters and pluckers
• Observe the tea processing in the factory
• Take a guided tour to nearby places
• Take a guided trek through the Estate
• Visit the nearest sunrise and sunset points 
• Enjoy reading in the library if it has one
• Enjoy tennis/badminton/ Golf if there are options
• Library & Piano in Bungalows
• Interact with the staff and officials of Tea Estate
• Tea Training Groups are organized (07 - 20 Days Program)
• Low and high altitude treks with local guides
• Indoor Games with some gardens
• Conventional Local area Sightseeing