Tea Tour in Northeast India itinerary
DAY 1: ARRIVE – DELHI
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. Shikhar Travel’s representative will receive you at the airport in a traditional manner and escort you to your hotel.
Overnight at Delhi
Meal: No Meal
DAY 2: DELHI
Morning after a relaxed breakfast we will take you for a half day city tour of Old Delhi . Walking through the narrow lanes your guide 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, Flower and spice market. Later we proceed to visit Raj Ghat is the place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. Post sightseeing return to your hotel.
Overnight at Delhi
Meal: No Meal
DAY: 3 DELHI – DIBRUGARH (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 your hotel.
Spend the evening at leisure.
Overnight at Delhi
Meal: Breakfast
DAY: 4 DIBRUGARH
Morning proceed on a tour of 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 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 at Dibrugarh
Meal: Breakfast
DAY: 5 DIBRUGARH – JORHAT (140 KMS 4 HRS DRIVE)
Early morning after breakfast checkout from the hotel and drive to Jorhat. On arrival check in at hotel.
Later in the afternoon visit to Tocklai Tea Recherch center one of the oldest and largest tea centre in the world always doing research on improvement of Tea quality using different methods. After the visit of Tea recherché center if time permits we also viait at Cinnamora Tea estate the first tea estate of Assam.
Overnight at Jorhat
Meal: Breakfast
DAY: 6 JORHAT- MAJULI- JORHAT (1 ½ HRS. 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.
On arrival visit Uttar Kamalabari Satra (Srimanta Sankardeb Established Satra or Vaishnav Monasteries in Majuli to nurture this philosophy and practice of life. Post visit, return jetty to board the ferry back to Jorhat.
Overnight at Jorhat
Meal: Breakfast
DAY: 7 JORHAT- KAZIRANGA (120 KMS 3 HRS DRIVE)
Morning after an early breakfast checkout from hotel and drive to Kaziranga National Park. On arrival and check-in at your Jungle Lodge. Post lunch (Around 2 P.M) proceed for a safari to National park home of one horned Rhinoceros. There is a possibility of sighting elephants as well as the other Mega herbivores.You can also enjoy a beautiful sunset during this visit. Evening return to your hotel.
Overnight at Kaziranga
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 8 KAZIRANGA-GUWAHATI (220 KMS 4 ½ HRS DRIVE)
Early morning at 0630 Hrs. proceed for an hour of Elephant Ride inside Kaziranga National Park. Post ride return to hotel for breakfast. After breakfast proceed for the a Jeep Safari to the Western Range of the Park. Return to hotel, after lunch checkout from the hotel and drive to Guwahati.
On arrival Check in at hotel.
Overnight at Guwahati
Meal: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY: 9 GUWAHATI - BAGDOGRA – KURSEONG (FLIGHT AND 45 KMS 2 HRS DRIVE)
Morning after breakfast checkout from the hotel and well in time transfer to airport to board the flight to Bagdogra. Our representative will receive you at Bagdogra Airport and drive to Kurseong. Arrive in your resort.
Overnight at Kurseong
Meal: Breakfast
DAY: 10 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 Kurseong
Meal: Breakfast
DAY: 11KURSEONG – DARJEELING (FLIGHT AND 45 KMS 2 HRS DRIVE)
Morning after breakfast checkout from the hotel and drive to Darjeeling. On arraival Check in at Tea Estate. Later in the afternoon proceed for walk through the tea estate with along with tea tasting.
Overnight at Darjeeling
Meal: Breakfast
DAY: 12DARJEELING (FLIGHT AND 45 KMS 2 HRS DRIVE).
Morning after breakfast proceed for sightseeing of Darjeeling . Ghum Monastery (Yiga Choling Buddhist Monastery) which has the image of Maitreya Buddha ( the future coming Buddha). Enjoy a toy train ride. It takes us 45 minutes ride towards Ghum railway station which used to be the second highest in the world.( Now the 5th highest ). Afternoon 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 Darjeeling
Meal: Breakfast
DAY: 13 DARJEELING - BAGDOGRA – DELHI (70 KMS 3 ½ HRS DRIVE)
Morning after an early breakfast, drive down to Bagdogra Airport to board flight to Delhi. Shikhar Travels representative will receive you at the airport and transfer to International Airport to board flight for onward destination.
Meal: Breakfast
