Tea Vacation In India And The Activities To Engage
The first mention of tea in India was found in the holy scriptures of Ramayana, dating back to 750-500 B.C., thus making it clear that how tea is an integral part of Indian society. A visit to a relative’s place, an ‘adda’ session or the start of a day is incomplete without a cup of tea. India has a huge history of tea cultivation and brewing, which became even more extensive with the arrival of the British East India. The Company turned huge area into tea plantation, many of which survives even today, with the addition of many new plantations.
If you are one of the tea addicts with a love for travelling, visiting a tea plantation for vacation will be something, you should never miss. India boasts of many such tea estates which would embrace a tea enthusiast with warmth and love. A tea vacation is something you will love and relish if you enjoy scenic view and tranquil environment. Darjeeling in North Bengal boasts of many tea estate gateways in India. The three must do activities for a tea vacation are-
A Time Travel To The History Of Tea
Start your morning with the walk round the various section of the plantation. Most of the estates provide a guide, who softly unfurls the legend of how tea travelled to India, all the way from China. If you are lucky enough to visit during the plucking season, you might be able to see the plucking of the infamous ‘two leaves and a bud’ .The visit is next followed by the tour to the manufacturing section, a journey from the British era to the modern times. Some estates offers a rustic lunch with the tea pluckers. After the lunch it usually is the time to witness the age old methods implemented to serve us the perfect cuppa of tea. After the entire journey through sight, smell and touch, the tour ends with the ‘tea tasting session’.
The Walk And Hike Through The Picturesque Location
A tour through the plantation might not fill your thirst for the scenic views if you are a lover of Nature and tranquility. Most plantations are left untouched, with thick wild flora and fauna, rugged trail to walk and the beautiful snowcapped mountains (Mt. Kanchenjunga, if you are in Darjeeling), a diverse range of birds, and animals and the air filled with a beautiful rustic fragrance. A walk round the plantation is a must. Even if you have taken a trip round the plantation on the day before, you are sure to notice, that both the trips will give you two different kinds of experience.
SIGHTSEEINGS
If you are in one of the luxury tea retreat in North Bengal, preferably in Darjeeling, witnessing the sunrise from the Tiger Hills, taking a ride of the famous ‘ Toy Train’, the Batasia Loop or a quiet evening in the Keventer’s could fill up the rest of your time during the tour.
So if you are planning your next trip to be a tea estate vacation in Darjeeling, Ging Tea House, the oldest tea estate in Darjeeling could be your choice, to soak in the picturesque greenery and reconnect to the Nature.
