When you pour your sparkling cup of tea, have you ever thought, what is its history? How is it cultivated and prepared?
Though there are many myths about the origin of Tea drinking the most popular one goes like this. During 2737 BC emperor Shen Nung once was about to drink some boiling water, when few leaves from an overhanging tree blew into the pan and inquisitive emperor decided to taste this unusual looking brew. What he discovered then is the ‘Tea’ of today both delicious and refreshing, without realizing that this one day will become a cause for ‘Tea Connoisseurs’ across the globe to travel thousands of miles to see how their passion is grown, nurtured and how meticulously they prepared.
In Minar Tea Tour we will take you to the areas that produce some of the best tea in the world Assam and Darjeeling. Visit some of the picturesque tea gardens, walk around the tea estates, interact with the planters and workers experience local culture, visit tea factory and witness the preparation, participate in tea tasting, stay in century old colonial tea bungalows and get pampered with planter’s hospitality.
Day 1 : Arrive Delhi Arrive IGI airport Delhi. Met by our representative at arrival hall meeting area and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 2 : Delhi Morning our representative will meet you for tour briefing and orientation followed by a full day sightseeing tour of Delhi. New Delhi – visit 13th century minaret Qutab Minar one of the tallest tower of it’s time, Humayun Tomb one of the forerunner of the Taj Mahal, Laxmi Narayan Temple, drive past India Gate and President House and other government buildings. Old Delhi - Red Fort ultimate symbol of mighty Mughal empire, Jama Masjid one of the biggest mosque in India, Chandni Chowk bustling market place today once served as royal bazzar and Raj Ghat the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi the Father of The Nation. Overnight at hotel.
and largest in India. Take a rickshaw ride in the narrow alleyways of Chandni Chowk and amazing mixture of history with modern world and visit Raj Ghat cremation site of the “Father of the Nation”. Overnight at hotel.
Day 03 –Delhi to Dilbarugarh
Morning transfer to airport to board the flight for Dibrugarh. Arrive Dibrugarh by afternoon and transfer to hotel. Early evening an audio visual presentation will be given on Assam variety “Camellia Assamica” tea over afternoon tea – learn about its origin, history, cultivation techniques etc. followed by local cultural programme in the evening. Overnight at tea bungalow.
Day 04 –Dilbarugarh
Morning proceed on a tour of a Heritage Tea Garden to practically see the origin and the history of tea - how it is grown and its culture .Visit the tea factory to observe the full process of manufacturing of CTC (Crush, Tear and Curl) tea. Return to the tea bungalow for lunch. Afternoon visit Mancotta Tea Estate- known for traditionally producing the fine orthodox variety of tea. Evening at leisure or free for optional activities. Overnight at tea bungalow.
Day 05– Dilbarugarh to Guwahati
Early morning take a ride through a tea garden on horse back (you have option to take a drive if desired), perhaps watch as the tea pluckers set about their day collecting the tea leaves before the morning sun starts drying two leafs and a bud. After a short ride return to the tea bungalow and followed by transfer to airport to board the flight to Guwahati. Arrive Guwahati and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel. Day 06– Guwahati to Bagdogra and Darjeeling
Early morning visit Kamakhya Temple one of the most venerated Shakti shrines in India, associated with the legend of Shiva and Daksha Yagna. Kamakhya is a major center for Tantric practices and temple is a good specimen of Assamese sculptural work. Later in the morning visit Tea Auction Centre – the largest auction center for CTC tea (subject to tea auction happening during the visit) and Tea Brokerage Firm to know more about tea tasting and its quality. In time transfer to airport to board the flight for Bagdogra. Arrive Bagdogra and drive to Glenburn Tea Estate (90 Km). Arrive Glenburn and check in at The Burra Bungalow. Overnight at tea bungalow.
Day 7–Darjeeling
Morning an audio-visual presentation on the history of Glenburn, and a brief overview of how tea is grown, manufactured and tasted. Followed by a mixer of walk and drive around the tea estate visiting plantations, nurseries witnessing how the fabled Darjeeling Tea is grown, nurtured. Interact with the workers and participate in tea plugging if one is in progress. Drive to the tea factory to see different stages of tea processing such as Withering, Rolling, Fermenting, Drying and finally Sorting.End your day with a tea tasting session, where one can discover the differences in aroma, flavour and appearance of tea manufactured in different
ways, and during different time of the year. The session also includes tasting teas from other parts of India and the world, and examples of flavoured and blended teas. Overnight at tea bungalow.
Day 8 Darjeeling
Early morning drive to Tiger Hill to view sunrise, one of most fascinating experience where one witnesses Kanchenzunga mountain range performing amazing colour display with changing light of rising sun. One can also see the summit of Mt. Everest, Makalu and Lhotse (all 8000ft mountain in Mt. Everest range) in a clear day. Later in the morning drive to Darjeeling to visit, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Everest Museum, Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park especially for Snow Leopard, Red Panda and Tibetan Wolf. Afternoon take a short toy train (Darjeeling Heritage Railway a “World Heritage Site”) ride from Darjeeling to Ghoom Railway Station (highest railway station to reach by a steam locomotive), visit Ghoom Monastery and return to Bungalow. Overnight at bungalow.
Day 09 – DARJEELING to BAGDOGRA and DELHI
Morning drive to Bagdogra airport to board the flight for Delhi. Arrive Delhi and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 10 – DEPART DELHI
In time transfer to international airport to board the flight for onward destination.
