Tea Garden – Assam India is the world’s largest producer of tea, but most is drunk in the local market. Most of the quality tea produced from Assam and Darjeeling is exported and sold in major cities of the world by renowned retailers like The Better Beverage Co. of Edinburgh, HTH Hamburger Teehandel of Hamburgh, Harrods of Knightsbridge in London, In Pursuit of Tea / Harney's Tea / Special Teas in New York, - Mariage de Freres & Hediard & Fauchon in Paris, - E Link Schurman in Rotterdam, Wako and Cozy Corner of Ginza in Tokyo. Assam is a black tea named after the region of its production. This tea grown at sea level is known for its body, briskness, malty flavor, and strong, bright color. Though "Assam" generally denotes the distinctive black teas from Assam, the region produces relatively smaller quantities of green and white teas with their own distinctive characteristics. Darjeeling tea has traditionally been prized above all other black teas, especially in the UK and the countries comprising the former British Empire. When properly brewed it yields a thin-bodied, light-colored liquor with a floral aroma a tinge of astringent tannic characteristics, and a musky spiciness. A sweet cooling aftertaste should be felt on the mouth. Lush green fields with mist covered mountains at the backdrop, voices of cicadas and birds filling the air with no other sounds to compete with them, cool unpolluted wind carrying the drifting odour of fresh tea from the factories, these are the attributes that can be attached with a typical tea estate. A tea estate is a perfect domicile in natures lap. For city dwellers a tea estate would be a real treat to the eye, an apt location for relaxing the tired mind, totally an ideal place to spend a holiday. The idea is to provide a person, who lives far away from nature, deprived of all nice things that nature offers, a chance to reside in a completely natural environment.

Tea Tour of India

Tea Tour – 5 Nights/6 Days A tea tour through a 157 years old heritage tea garden gives an insight into the different activities that vary from season to season. It teaches us all about tea- its origin, how it is grown, tea tasting and its quality. During the winter months the dormant bushes are pruned to ensure vigorous growth during the warmer months. Once the rains begin, and the temperature rises, the gardens come alive with teams of colourfully dressed tea pluckers, predominantly ladies as they are said to be better able to pluck the delicate buds and leaves. The harvest, which goes continuously from March to November, is taken everyday to the factory where it undergoes an age-old process of being turned into the finished product. All stages of the process are carefully controlled to ensure that the tea that leaves the factory is only of the highest quality, a quality that has made Assam tea world famous. A tea tour would include nature walks around the garden, trekking, chance to harvest and prepare their own tea and accommodation in one of the antique wooden bungalows in the garden. Thus touring the tea plantations would surely be a good experience for tea enthusiasts and dealers. Tea factories are functional from March to December only.

Accommodation

Guests will stays in exclusive Heritage Tea Bungalows - Wild Mahseer at Balipara (Tezpur), Burra Sahib Bungalow (Sangsua) and Mancotta Chang Bungalow (Dibrugarh).

Wild Mahseer Lodge

Burra Sahib’s Bungalow

Mancotta Chang Bungalow (Dibrugarh)

Day Wise Itinerary

DAY 01: Arrive Guwahati pre - noon By Flight and then drive to Tezpur (By Surface 180Kms / 5 Hours) - After breakfast drive to the airport to board flight to Guwahati. Travel assistance will meet for assistance on arrival at the Guwahati airport. From Airport, Taxi will be arranged to drive directly to Tezpur. Executive will meet and provide assistance on arrival at the Wild Mahseer Lodge situated inside the Adabari Tea estate. Check in at the lodge followed by dinner and overnight stay. DAY 02: Tezpur - The Wild Mahseer Lodge is located on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River. The Adabari Tea Estate, which originally belonged to the British Assam Tea Company, goes back to the year 1900. Till 1962, the manager operated from the single-storied Burma teak bungalow here.Subsequently, the office was shifted, and the sprawling bungalow was left unoccupied. The property has been renamed Wild Mahseer (after a popular fish found in the Brahmaputra and Jiabharali river nearby), and the bungalow has been re-christened The British Assam Heritage Bungalow.Spend a leisurely day at the Tea Estate enjoying the warm hospitality and the scenic beauty. Enjoy various blends of tea from the Adabari Tea Estate in a tea tasting session. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge. Day 03: Tezpur – Jorhat (By Road 163Kms / 4 ½ Hours) - After breakfast drive to Jorhat. Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to the Burra Sahib’s Bungalow or the Thengal Manor. Jorhat, the gateway to north-east Assam is the heartland of tea. Besides its many tea estates, it has the famous Teklai Experimental Centre that conducts research on new varieties of tea and its therapeutic effects. Starting with the British colonial exterior, soak in the sprawling interiors of carpeted, wooden floors, four to five bedrooms, high ceilings, verandahs with sloping roofs and a panoramic view of acres of flower-bedecked garden. Take a peek into the life of the tea estate manager as he begins his day at 6 am. Walk with him as he makes his rounds of the garden. Overnight at the bungalow.

Day Wise Itinerary

Day 04: At Jorhat - To live in a tea estate! Amidst early morning mist, trilling songbirds and rolling, Verdant hills... Yes, it is indeed a world apart, if you happen to be staying in a 'burra bungalow', where the tea estate manager lives. Known for their quaint, colonial architecture, these bungalows are associated with a unique and graceful lifestyle of an age gone by. Have a leisurely breakfast. Spend the morning relaxing amidst the tea estate taking an occasional stroll and tasting the exquisite varieties of tea. Visit the tea factory later in the day and witness first hand the various processes carried out there followed by a tea tasting session. Dinner and overnight stay at the bungalow. Day 05: Jorhat – Dibrugarh (By Road - 136Kms / 3 Hours) - After breakfast drive to Dibrugarh. On arrival check – in at the Mancotta Chang Bungalow located at the Mancotta Tea Estate. The bungalow still retains its old world charm because of its large rooms with wooden flooring and old colonial furniture. Watch a traditional dance performance by the local tea tribes in the evening sipping the garden fresh tea. Overnight at the Bungalow. Day 06: Dibrugarh – Kolkata/ Delhi - After breakfast visit the tea garden with an expert tea taster who will later demonstrate how freshly made tea is carefully measured out and brewed in special cups made for sampling. Participate in the tea tasting session to judge the samples for appearance, aroma, taste and strength. Afternoon transfer to the airport to board flight to Kolkata/ Delhi.

02 Persons Rs.5,500/- per person per night

04 Persons Rs.5,000/- per person per night

06 Persons Rs.4,800/- per person per night

08 Persons Rs.4,600/- per person per night

Rates

• Single supplement @ Rs.2500/- per room per night extra. • The above package includes - All accommodation on twin sharing basis, all meals, transfers by

Scorpio/Innova/Tata Winger or similar depending upon the group size, accompanying English speaking escort, tea tours.

• The above package does not include - Any airfare, insurance, camera fees, and expenditure of personal nature - tips, telephone calls, laundry, alcoholic beverages, etc.

Important Notes• It is suggested that for the above program not more than 8 persons take the tour based on 4

doubles. In case there are single rooms required then the maximum group strength will be reduced at for the above tour 4 is the least number of rooms available from all destinations.

• In case of a group having more than 8 persons the above program may be altered by arranging accommodation at nearby hotels and day trips can be organized to the tea estates.

• The tea auction is held twice a week at Guwahati – Tuesday & Wednesday. The tour provides for about one hours time on arrival at Guwahati to observe the proceedings at the auction centre.

Please send booking enquiries: Mail: bookings@theotherhome.com / jaspal.singh@theotherhome.com

Tel: +91-9958835533 / +91-11-65028027