Name: Darjeeling
Rating: 3.3

Happy Valley Tea Estate, Darjeeling Overview

At a magical altitude of 6,800 feet, the Happy Valley Tea Estate in Darjeeling is a fine land expanse of about 437 acres, growing some of the finest shrubs of this delightful drink in the world. It is the second oldest tea estate in the tea-rich town of Darjeeling, with its origins being closely connected to the history of cultivating and producing the world-famous Darjeeling Tea. The Happy Valley Tea Estate is a must-visit attraction for tourists visiting Darjeeling as it offers a natural scenic view with a breathtaking appearance of Himalayan foothills. Nature lovers will find it difficult to leave the place even after spending hours due to its elegant beauty surrounded with hundred and acres of Tea Gardens, mesmerizing weather, open clouds and beautiful Aroma of high-quality tea being produced.

At this verdant wonderland, respect for nature is evident through the use of organic and biodynamic methods of farming. One can take a guided tour through the fragrant factory, observing how fresh tea leaves are withered, rolled, fermented, dried, sorted and finally graded to produce the different varieties of tea we see in the market, from traditional black tea and green tea to more exquisite speciality teas like Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe. Also known as Black Orthodox Tea, this is one of the finest tea blends of India which is enjoyed across the world. A tea-tasting session is also held at Happy Valley Tea Estate where first-timers are privy to experiencing the subtleties involved in distinguishing the various groups of tea. One can also buy the tea products from the shop in the estate.

Guided Tea Tour

Every day a guided tour is organized at the Happy Valley Tea Estate in Darjeeling starting from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The tour offers a fascinating glimpse of the interesting manufacturing process of tea which takes you to the insides the tea garden and shows you all the stages of tea processing with explained steps. The tour will explain the history of the Happy Valley Tea Garden along with the changes that took place in the last decades in the manufacturing of different varieties of tea. You will also see different kinds of equipment used for tea manufacturing as you go through various processing rooms. The tour also includes tea tasting session as well where you can discover legendary flavours of the organic Darjeeling teas which will certainly make your visit a worthwhile and also keep you relaxed.

Cost:
The fee for the factory tour is INR 100 per person and the tour is not conducted from November to February as tea plucking does not happen during the winters. Although you can see the tea Gardens from outside for which no fee is required.

Types of Tea at Happy Valley Tea Estate

During your visit at Happy Valley Tea Garden, Darjeeling, you will have the opportunity to buy the high quality and organic teas of different varieties. These include regular quality tea known as Family Mixture, green tea, black tea, festive teas, speciality tea, herbal infusion tea and white tea. However, the best quality of tea which you will find at the Happy Valley Tea Estate is the Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, also known as, SFTGFOP.

If you want to buy these teas, then you can purchase them during your tour at the garden where it is available for sale, or you can also get them in retail packets available at the factory boutique. There is also an official website known as www.happyvalleytea.com where you can shop online for any kind of tea available at the Happy Valley Tea Garden which will be delivered at home.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit this estate is between March and November. The tea factory is closed from November to February as tea plucking does not take place during the winters.

History

This marvellous estate was established during the colonial period in 1854 by an Englishman, David Wilson. At the turn of the century, it was bought by T P Bannerjee, a rich Bengali man. In 1929, Bannerjee bought the adjoining Windsor estate and combined the two properties to create the Happy Valley Tea Estate.

How To Reach Happy Valley Tea Estate

The Happy Valley Tea Estate is located 3 km from Chowk Bazaar, the main market area of Darjeeling town. If you are travelling by a car or taxi, you can approach it from the Lebong Cart Road. There is a narrow road that leads to the T P Banerjee Road, at the end of which lies the estate.