The world of tea has hardly changed in the past century in the Darjeeling, Assam and Dooars in Northeast India region. The culture surrounding the huge tea plantations is a unique phenomenon and is a lifetime experience. Darjeeling Tea is widely and universally acknowledged to be the finest tea, because its flavour is so unique that it cannot be replicated.
Connoisseurs will assert that without Darjeeling, Tea would be like Wine without the prestige of Champagne. We will take you to the areas that produce some of the best teas 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 testing, stay in century old colonial tea bungalows and get pampered with planter’s hospitality.
India’s tea plantations, especially in Assam have gained immense popularity worldwide. Every year, lots of tourists from around the world, travel to Guwahati for learning in depth about tea plantation and tasting different tea. If tasting various kinds of tea is what you like the most, then travelling to famous tea plantation regions of India i.e. Assam is what you need.
Day 01 Arrive Delhi (By Flight)
Welcome to India- a country where hospitality is a way of life ; to a culture steeped in tradition, a land where history lives in music and dance. Meet assist you at the airport in a traditional manner and escort you to your hotel for overnight stay.
Day 02 Delhi
Morning after a relaxed breakfast we will take you for a half day city tour covering Heritage Tour through the narrow lanes of Old Delhi. Your leader would be your guide who would unfold the colorful history of Old Delhi which goes back thousands of years. Walk from Chandani Chowk—Silver Square (Once the centre of Delhi), to the various places of interest- just as the Royal Mughals would have done centuries ago. To name a few are Maulana Azad Tomb, Jama Masjid- India ’s largest mosque, Dariba Kalan (The Silver Bazaar), Kinari Bazaar, Paranthawalla Gali.
You will also visit The Red Fort (Delhi’s most magnificent monument was built by Emperor Shah Jehan.Some of the buildings it encloses are Diwani-am,Diwani-Khas, Rang Mahal,The Pearl Mosque etc.) and Raj Ghat ( Set in the midst of deep green lawns, Rajghat is the place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. A memorial to the father of the nation, Rajghat is a simple square platform with a black memorial stone with “Hey Ram” inscribed on it. “Hey Ram” were the last words uttered by the Mahatma before collapsing after being shot at). Post sightseeing return to your. Spend the evening free at leisure.
Day 03 Delhi – Dibrugarh (By Flight)
Morning after breakfast you will be taken to the Domestic Airport to board flight for Dibrugarh. Our representative will receive you at Dibrugarh Airport on arrival and take you to Heritage Tea bungalow for overnight stay. Spend the evening at leisure.
Day 04 Dibrugarh
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. Also visit Mancotta Tea Estate- known for traditionally producing the fine orthodox variety of tea. In the afternoon drive to Digboi (45 km/ 1 hour), the birthplace of oil industry in India. The first refinery was started here as early as 1901 by the British. Digboi has the oldest oil well in operation. This place still retains the British ambiance, complemented by the clubs and Golf courses nearby.
Visit the World War II cemetery, the Oil museum, the Centenary Park here. Then proceed to the Singpho village of Ketatong. Singphos are a tribe belonging to the Kachin of Burma and are ethnically related to the Jingpo of China. It is said that the English learnt about tea from the Singpho tribe and introduced the beverage to in India. Also visit the Organic tea garden of the Singpho people. Thereafter drive back to Dibrugarh, Overnight stay at Heritage Tea bungalow.
Day 05 Dibrugarh–Jorhat (By Road) (138 Km /3H) / Jorhat–Majuli (By Ferry)
Morning drive to Nimati Ghat (Closest bank to Brahmaputra on Jorhat side). Take a Ferry to Majuli. After approximately one and half hours of sailing we will arrive at Majuli Island (Majuli has been the cultural capital and the cradle of Assamese civilization for the past five hundred years. Sociologists have stressed on the preservation of these unique peoples, whose culture and dance forms are untouched by modernism. This world’s largest river islandis famous for its Satras or Vaishnava monasteries which are the centre of learning, art and culture. Although the origins of Majuli may be uncertain, it is known for a fact that the social reformer Sankardeva visited the island in the early sixteenth century.
Sankardeva propagated a form of Vaishnavism that was simpler and more accessible than the ritualistic Hinduism of the time. His approach was rooted in faith and prayer, and stressed on the cultural aspects of life and living.Upon arrival, check-in at Tourist Lodge / Monastery Guest House. Afternoon visit Uttar Kamalabari Satra (Srimanta Sankardeb Established Satra or Vaishnav Monasteries in Majuli to nurture this philosophy and practice of life. Post visit, return to your Tourist Lodge / Monastery Guest House for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 06 Majuli
Today, we will explore the rest of the important sites of Majuli covering Auniati Satra (Founded by Niranjan Pathakdeva, the satra is famous for the “Paalnaam” (Monastery Prayer) and Apsara Dances (Dance of the Angels) and also its extensive assortment of ancient Assamese artefacts, utensils, jewellery and handicrafts. It also has a hundred and twenty five disciples and over seven hundred thousand followers worldwide) and Natun Samaguri Satra ( Shamaguri Satra is a unique feature of Vaishnavism in Assam.
Afternoon we will take you to Salmara Village to show the Art of Pottery Making (Pottery in Majuli is probably the single most important heritage of all. The day would come to an end with a visit to Dhapak Village of the Mishying Tribes (Mishyings are a plains tribe who prefer to have their settlements next to the Brahmaputra River. They are of the Arunachal hill tribe origin especially of the Adi tribes of the Abor hills of Arunachal. Like some of the Arunachal tribes they worship the Donyi Polo). Evening back to Tourist Lodge / Monastery Guest House for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 07 Majuli–Jorhat (By Ferry) / Jorhat–Guwahati (By Road) (305 Km/ 7H)
Take a Ferry to reach till road head and start your drive to Guwahati. Upon arrival check in your hotel for overnight stay.
Day 08 Guwahati – Bagdogra (By Flight) / Bagdogra – Kurseong (38 Km/ 1H)
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 transfer to airport to board flight for Bagdogra. Our representative will receive you at Bagdogra Airport a and drive to Kurseong. Arrive in your resort Cochrane Palace situated near tea state.
Day 09 Kurseong
Morning we will take you guided tour in and around tea estate of Makaibari 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. Visit 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 flavored and blended teas. Overnight at Cochrane Palace .
Day 10 Kurseong – Darjeeling (By Road) (30 Kms. / 1H 20M)
Early morning drive to Tiger Hill to see the magnificent view of sunrise over Mount Kanchenjunga and the great Eastern Himalayan ranges. On the way back we visit Ghum Monastery (Yiga Choling Buddhist Monastery) which has the image of Maitreya Buddha ( the future coming Buddha). After breakfast we we ride on the Famous Toy Train of Darjeeling. It takes us 45 minutes ride towards Ghum railway station which used to be the second highest in the world.( Now the 5th highest ).
Post lunch, we visit the famous Himalayan Mountaineering Institute which has a museum specializing on the various expeditions on peaks of the Himalayas and an exclusive Everest Museum which tells us the history along with its expeditions to Everest. Return to Darjeeling and take a walk relaxed stroll on the Chowrasta (Main Local Market Street). Overnight at your hotel.
Day 11 Darjeeling–Bagdogra (69 Km/ 3H) / Bagdogra–Delhi–Home (By Flight)
Morning after an early breakfast, drive down to Bagdogra Airport to board flight to Delhi. Arrive Delhi & catch connecting flight back to home.
| City | Night (s) | 5* Hotels |
| Delhi | 02 | Radisson Blu Paschim Vihar |
| Dibrugarh | 02 | Tea County |
| Majuli | 02 | Majuli Island Guest House |
| Guwahati | 01 | Radisson Blu |
| Kurseong | 02 | Allita Hotel & Resort |
| Darjeeling | 01 | Mayfair Darjeeling |
– Meet assist at the airport and hotels.
– 10 nights accommodation as per the program.
– Meal : Breakfast + Dinner.
– Services of English-Speaking Local Guide for the sightseeing as per the itinerary.
– 01 SGV accompanying tour escort throughout the tour from 06 pax onwards
– Air-ticket (DEL-DIB & GAU-IXB-DEL) in economy class.
– One-time entrances to the monuments as per the itinerary.
– Local English / French / German / Italian / Spanish / Chinese / Russian speaking guide.
– All transfers, sightseeing and excursions by private AC vehicle and driver.
– All taxes.
– Tips
– International Air Fare
– Visa Fees
– Travel Insurance
– Personal expenses and drinks.
– Accommodation in good hotels.
– Check-in / out time is 12 noon at most of the hotels.
– Extension to other places is also possible with a minimal extra cost.
– Additional nights are available at each place with minimal supplement.
– A visa is required and must be obtained prior to your departure from your Country.
– If quoted hotel is not available, we will provide one of a similar category and standard.
– Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather, road conditions, flight schedules and room availability.
– In case the government changes presently applicable taxes, increase in airlines prices, fuel surcharge our rates will need to be adjusted accordingly.
– In Asia, there is no relevance between the distance and time of travelling, as it depends upon the condition of the roads and congestion of the traffic.
– While every effort will be made to maintain the itinerary, in view of local strikes etc that are beyond our control all schedule and itineraries are subject to last moment changes.
– Clients must be fully insured, as the company cannot accept liability for loss or damage to client’s property, medical emergencies or any other loss suffered by them whilst on tour.
– In Case of issuing Domestic or International air tickets, SGV is not responsible for any refund if the flight is delayed or cancelled, as it is the responsibility of airline.