Background of Tea and Kolukkumalai
There is no doubt that tea is the staple drink of India. It is the drink that locals socialize over and the beverage that symbolizes hospitality among households across the nation. No matter where you are in India, you will never have an issue finding a nice warm cup of Masala Chai (Black spiced milk tea). Apart from drinking all the tea that you can during your trip, visiting a tea estate is another great way to embrace yourself in the tea-drinking culture of this country. Doing so will allow you to see how India’s most important crop is grown and how it is processed into the world’s most popular drink, tea. Luckily, if you are in the state of Kerala, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the most beautiful tea estate in the nation, the Kolukkumalai Tea Estate. This estate is home to the highest organic tea plantation in the world. As you wind your way through this massive plantation, you will experience some of the most incredible views that India has to offer.
The Tea Factory at Kolukkumalai
Before you make your way out to the estate, visiting the nearby tea factory outlet is a smart idea. The outlet has a tea tour that they do many times throughout the day. The tour is only about an hour-long, but going here first gives you some context and history behind tea in Kerala. During the tour, you’ll get to see the factory’s tea making process while learning about the differences in black, green, and white tea. You’ll also get a chance to see some of the older tea making tools and how they have changed over time. I was amazed to learn that tea in Kerala is still hand-picked (or cut with scissors)! At the conclusion of the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to try a cup of this carefully hand-picked tea.
Logistics
After enjoying some of the local tea, it is time to make the ascent up Kolukkumalai. Visiting the estate is not part of the factory tour, so you will have to make your own arrangements to get to the bottom of the mountain. Once you arrive, you will have a decision to make in terms of how you wish to make the ascent. You can either hike up the estate or use a local driver who will take you up on a Jeep. Due to personal time constraints, we opted for the Jeep. The cost for one of these Jeeps and a driver can be anywhere from $30-$50 depending on your negotiating skills. Everything can be negotiated in India!
Ascending Kolukkumalai
As you begin your ascent of Kolukkumalai, a calming presence will instantly sweep over you. For most of the journey, you will be isolated and surrounded by only tea leaves. You’ll begin to see rows of mountains and hills that look as though they are covered in millions of green circular tiles; The tiles, of course, being the tea crops themselves. These tiles form different shapes and patterns on each hill, which makes the scene look like a carefully stitched green rug. I’ve seen many mountain views before, but this one was different. Seeing endless rows of circular tea patches wind up and down the mountains was a unique and stunning sight. As you progress to higher heights, the view only gets better. The clouds begin to feel closer, and a faint mystical fog reigns over the surrounding estate.
If you chose to drive up the estate, your Jeep driver will most likely stop at several spots to give you a chance to walk around. As you do so, it will feel as though society has vanished. Coming from the highly populated cities of India, where you see millions of people, you now will only spot a few other humans spread out across thousands of acres of tea. There is an absolute peace quiet in the estate that you will thoroughly enjoy.
Of the few people you may see along your journey, there’s a good chance most of them are workers. It’s something special to see these workers hand picking tea in such a gigantic estate. In a way, it adds to the purity you feel upon these mountains.
A quick tea lesson: if you see the workers picking tea with their hands, this means they are gathering white or green tea. White tea comes from the buds, and green tea comes from the stems. If you see the workers using scissors, then it is black tea that they are picking. The more labor-intensive process of picking green and white tea is why it is generally more expensive than black tea.
The View From the Top
When you reach the top, you’ll begin to see more people again. The peak viewing point is a much smaller area relative to the entire estate, and thus you will see a larger concentration of people over here. There is a narrow trail at the top where you can walk around and take in the breathtaking views from these heights. As you stroll around, take some time to recognize that you are at one of the highest points in the highest tea plantation in the world. Enjoy the views around you and marvel at the sheer amount of tea below you. It is truly amazing to think of how much tea this one estate is producing.
Overall Experience
This was special. It is hard to go back to the reality of the city life after witnessing such a peaceful and beautiful scene. Not only was this one of the highlights of my India trip but it may have been one of the more spectacular things I have seen anywhere in the world. If you are flexible with time, it may be worthwhile to look into hiking up Kolukkumalai and possibly trying to time it around sunset. Regardless of when you are able to go however, Kolukkumalai is a must have experience in India!
