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 If you are planning
a holiday in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim or Bhutan
break journey and visit the Planter’s Bungalow, a hundred year-old
‘chung’ bungalow made of teak on the Nuxalbari Tea Estate.
The chung bungalow was designed by British tea planters who built their
wooden homes on stilts to keep out wild animals.
Nuxalbari Tea Estate India
, covering an area of 1,200 acres, nestles in the foothills of the
Himalayas in the Terai region of Darjeeling District. Its location
imparts a distinct and unique flavour to its teas. Not as high as the
Darjeeling tea gardens, the teas when made are darker in colour. And yet
the cool winds blowing down from the mountains of the Himalayas ensure
that the teas retain a beautiful, fragrant bouquet, and are flavourful
and brisk.
How to Reach :
By air to Bagdogra, then taxi to Nuxalbari Tea Estate on the highway to
Nepal (30-40 min.) or train to New Jalpaiguri Station and taxi to
Nuxalbari Tea Estate (1 hrs.)
Planter's Bungalow :
The
Planter’s Bungalow is a charming little cottage, which has been
refurbished to add just two air-conditioned guestrooms with attached
baths on the lower floor. A typical day would include bed tea, breakfast
on the patio or the lawns under tall rain trees, long walks on the
estate, or a drive with the manager to oversee tea plucking, a visit to
the factory and a tea tasting session.
Lunch
and dinner is a sumptuous meal of either Indian or continental food of
your choice, followed by an afternoon siesta and evening high tea. Walk
off the calories, go mountain biking or play a game of badminton.
There’s good news for equestrian enthusiasts as we plan to stable our
horses here by autumn 2005.
But
really, the best thing to do on a tea estate is to find a quiet spot on
the lawns under a shade tree, relax, settle down with a fat novel or
simply daydream, and enjoy endless cups of fresh, delicious tea.
In
winter you can enjoy the luxury of a sundowner by the fire.
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