In India, no mention of fabled tea brands is complete without the mention of the iconic Makaibari tea estate, located in Kurseong, the land of the white orchids in Darjeeling. Pioneering in many aspects, Makaibari is known to house the world’s first tea factory, and its legacy dates back to 1859.
Verdant green landscape flirting close with the cloud-laden horizons make Makaibari a scenic extravaganza, not atypical of lush tea plantations which transport you back into time and nature. What adds to its singular charm is the rich bio-trope with tea bushes co-existing with the diverse flora and fauna, encouraged by the much-talked-about sustainable biodynamic farming practices championed by the inimitable ‘Rajah of Makaibari’, Swaraj Kumar Banerjee.