Makaibari Tea Estate
A long-established tea estate founded in 1859 beside Kurseong, one of the earliest organic and biodynamic tea gardens in the world, offering factory tours and tastings.
Makaibari Tea Estate lies on a hillside about 3 km south of Kurseong. It was founded in 1859 and is one of the oldest tea estates in Darjeeling. It was also among the first in the world to receive organic and biodynamic certification. Its Silver Tips white tea once fetched high prices at auction. Visitors can join factory tours to learn about withering, rolling, fermentation and drying, and taste different seasonal Darjeeling black teas in the tasting room. The estate also offers homestays, where guests can stay in the tea workers' village and try plucking tea leaves. The factory is generally open from about 8:00 to 16:00. It often closes on Sundays and during the off-season, so contact them in advance. It is about 1.5 hours by hired car from Darjeeling and is often visited on the same day as Kurseong.
Opening hours
About 08:00–16:00 (factory often closed Sun)
Nearby sights
- Kurseong
- Mirik Lake
- Tiger Hill Sunrise
- Ghum Monastery (Yiga Choeling)
- Batasia Loop
- Dali Monastery
- Japanese Peace Pagoda
- Rock Garden (Barbotey)