Ever heard of Tea Tourism? No, I’m not talking about a trip to the local greasy spoon for a builder’s tea after a heavy night out but rather a trip to one of the world’s most famous tea areas – Darjeeling!
Darjeeling is not something you come across too often in travel brochures partly because it’s a unique combination of ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ which you rarely find in other areas of the globe. Found at the foothills of the mighty Himalayas, with lush green tea estates, serpentine rivers and enchanting wildlife, Darjeeling is, however, one of the hotspots for tea tourism.
The Queen of the Hills – that's what Darjeeling is known as in India – offers more than just an unforgettable tea tasting experience. And I’m not talking about snake bites or an unwelcome visit by a tiger either. It gives you a chance to be right at the core of the $half a billion dollar Darjeeling Tea industry itself.
Makaibari Tea Garden and Glenburn Tea Estate are among some of the renowned tea estates in the world. Tourists can stay at lodges, cottages, or even at an exclusive boutique hotel. Nestled amidst the velvety hills of the East, these tea gardens are a delight for those who love to combine tea tasting with other activities like rafting, hiking, bird-watching, and horse-riding.
The Darjeeling Toy Train Ride, a long train ride where you get to witness the amazingly beautiful Himalayan scenery, is also an experience you mustn’t miss. The name ‘Toy Train’ is a misnomer because not only is this a fully functional steam railway with 53 miles of track, such is its grandeur it was granted World Heritage Site status in 1999 by UNESCO.
As for tea tasting itself, just like in China, tea tasting is considered to be refined art, an art which demands a discriminatory palate and highly discerning olfactory senses. A seasoned tea-taster can give you plenty of information about a particular tea by judging its quality just after a single sip. He can tell you which garden it has been grown in, the conditions of the day on which the leaves had been plucked, and he can also give suggestions to improve the tea by making slight changes in the way it is being manufactured. Just like wine tasting… only hotter.
If you are a connoisseur of tea, or simply love the concoction of aroma and flavour the 'Champagne of Black Teas' has, then a tea tasting trip to Darjeeling is highly recommended. Seasonal festivals are held year round and these local festivities are worth attending just for the colour and noise….it’s just so…..well, INDIA! So next time you have a sip of tea, think of Darjeeling and the exciting tea tasting trips that could await you.
If you’re interested in visiting Darjeeling, Active You recommends Trip Advisor for hotels and CheapFlights for flights. You won’t go far wrong. Just make sure you don’t ask for a builder’s tea. That’s like visiting Chateau d’Yquem and asking for Liebfraumilch.
Bon voyage and happy sipping…..
The Darjeeling Toy Train
