The story of tea began in ancient China over 5,000 years ago. According to legend, Shen Nung, an early emperor was a skilled ruler, creative scientist and patron of the arts. His far-sighted edicts required, among other things, that all drinking water be boiled as a hygienic precaution. One summer day while visiting a distant region of his realm, he and the court stopped to rest. In accordance with his ruling, the servants began to boil water for the court to drink. Dried leaves from the near by bush fell into the boiling water, and a brown liquid was infused into the water. As a scientist, the Emperor was interested in the new liquid, drank some, and found it very refreshing. And so, according to legend, tea was created. (This myth maintains such a practical narrative, that many mythologists believe it may relate closely to the actual events, now lost in ancient history.)

The original English pronunciation of the word tea was "tay" and can be traced back to around 1655 when the Dutch introduced both word and beverage to England. The pronunciation "tee" also originated in the 1600's but only gained predominance after the late 18th century.

Both words may have come from the Malay "the" and from the Chinese Mandarin character "cha" pronounced "t'e" in the Amoy (Xiamen) dialect. The word was used to describe both the beverage and the leaf. The Japanese character for tea is written exactly the same as the Chinese, though pronounced with a slight difference.

Tea is first mentioned in Chinese writing in 222 AD as a substitute for wine, and in a circa 350 AD Chinese dictionary.

Great Britain was the last of the three great sea-faring nations to break into the Chinese and East Indian trade routes, the other two being Holland and America. This was due in part to the unsteady ascension to the throne of the Stuarts and the Cromwellian Civil War.

The first printed reference to tea, calling it chau, was a 1598 English translation of "Voyages and Travel of Jan Huyghen van Linschoten", originally published in Holland. Linschoten, a Dutch explorer, sailed around South Africa to Goa. The account of his travels and tea drinking customs of India stimulated future Dutch and English expeditions to the East Indies.

Elizabeth I had founded The John Company (East India Company) by Royal Charter on December 31, 1600 to challenge the Dutch-Portuguese monopoly of the East Indian spices trade. The spice trade had been a monopoly of Spain and Portugal until the defeat of the Spanish Armada (1588) by England gave the English the chance to break the monopoly.

When Catherine de Braganza married Charles she brought as part of her dowry the territories of Tangier and Bombay. Suddenly, the John Company had a base of operations.

In 1612 The East India Company, which was officially named "Governor Company of Merchants of London Trading with East Indies" defeated the Portuguese in India and won trading concessions from the Mughal Empire.

With the approval of local Indian rulers, the East India Company established trading posts in Madras, Bombay and Calcutta, and began trading in cottons, silks, indigo, saltpeter and tea.

 

Tea Plantation & Rhino Tour (14 Nights / 15 Days)

 

DAY 01 ARRIVE DELHI
You will be met on arrival and escorted till the hotel. Overnight.

DAY 02 IN DELHI
Post breakfast proceed for the full day tour of Old & New Delhi. Drive past the opulent Red Fort. Visit Jama Masjid - the biggest mosque of Asia, Rajgaht - memorial site of Mahatma Gandhi and later enjoy a rickshaw ride through the busy streets of Chandni Chowk, the shopping center of Old Delhi. Later drive on to New Delhi and visit Humayun's Tomb - the mausoleum of Emperor Humayun, Qutab Minar built by Qutab-ud-din Aibek. Drive past the secretarial offices, Parliament. Visit the India Gate - war memorial and Connaught place the city center. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 03 DELHI - DIBRUGARH
Morning in time transfer to airport to connect flight for Dibrugarh. You will be met on arrival and transferred to Heritage Chang Bungalow. Afternoon take a tea walk in a tea garden. Later in the evening enjoy a Jhumur - dance performance by the tea tribe on the Bungalow lawns. Overnight.

DAY 04 IN DIBRUGARH
Post breakfast take a tour of Heritage Tea Garden to know the origin and the history of tea - how it is grown, its culture, all about tea tasting and its quality; Pluck you own tea-leaf. Later in the afternoon take a nature walk in a natural protected forest area and visit an ethnic Assamese village. Later in the evening enjoy an Assamese dance on the Bungalow lawns. Overnight.

DAY 05 IN DIBRUGARH
Early morning take a boat cruise on the Mighty Brahmaputra - the lifeline of the state. After lunch visit a weaving center. Later return to the Chang Bungalow for an overnight.

DAY 06 DRIVE TO TAI-PHAKE VILLAGE/DIGBOI
After breakfast, we drive to Tai Phakial village (56kms/35 miles) - an ethnic village whose kith and kin date back to the Ahom dynasty. The villages still maintain their age-old culture - a village worth exploring. We return to Dibrugarh late in the afternoon after lunch. Enroute we see the Bell's Temple. It has over two hundred thousand brass bells. Overnight at the Chang bungalow.

DAY 07 DIBRUGARH - KAZIRANGA
Post breakfast we drive to Kaziranga National Park (220kms/138 miles), the home of one horn rhino. Enroute we will visit the monuments and temples of the Ahom Dynasty at Siva-sagar. We will arrive late afternoon. Upon arrival check in at the hotel. Evening at leisure and overnight.

DAY 08 IN KAZIRANGA
Early morning take an elephant safari in the central range of the park followed by a jeep safari after breakfast to the western range of the park. Later in the afternoon visit the eastern range. Relax in the evening and overnight.

DAY 09 KAZIRANGA - GUWAHATI
After an early breakfast depart for Guwahati (220kms/138 miles). Visit the Tea Auction Center - the largest auction center for CTC tea. Visit a Tea Brokerage Firm to know more about tea tasting and its quality. Evening enjoy and Assamese dinner. Overnight.

DAY 10 GUWAHATI - BAGDOGRA - DARJEELING
Post breakfast in time transfer to airport to connect flight for Bagdogra. You will be met on arrival and transferred by road to Darjeeling. Evening at leisure or take a walk till the bazaar. Overnight.

DAY 11 IN DARJEELING
Today, after breakfast we will take you for a visit to the tea estate to learn about the fascinating process of making the famous Darjeeling Tea. Afternoon explore the forest across the river Rungeet - a bird watcher's paradise. Evening at leisure and overnight.
 

DAY 12 IN DARJEELING
Set out early this morning to see a truly spectacular sight (weather permitting), the snow-clad Kunchenjunga Range with some of the world's tallest peaks, is clad in orange gold raiment of the rising Sun. Visit Ghoom Monastery, and built in the Tibetan style enshrining an image of Maitreya Buddah. Later, tour this picturesque area stopping at Lebong Valley, home to the world's highest racetrack and the Mountaineering Institute of India. Overnight.

DAY 13 DARJEELING - BAGDOGRA - DELHI
This morning after breakfast proceed to Bagdogra airport to connect flight to Delhi. Meet and assist on arrival and transfer to airport hotel. Relax in the lobby till your pick up and transfer to International terminal to connect flight for onward destination.

DAY 14 LEAVE DELHI
You take your flight home on this day