Rajah of Tea - Makaibari Tea Estate - world's most expensive Tea Estate

We, four of us, left for the most famous tea estate in the world

Took a shared jeep for a 1.5 hour journey to the estate @ Rs 60/-

Makaibari is located at Kurseong , in Darjeeling District.

It is the world's first tea factory and was established in 1859. Swaraj (Rajah) Banerjee, the fourth generational owner, has merged 7 villages (one of them being Makaibari), to form a harmonious entity.

It is also home to world's most EXPENSIVE TEA. In 2007 auction, the price fetched per Kg was (a world record) an astounding Rs 18,000.

In 2005, it was decided that to accommodate the constant flow of visitors to Makaibari some villagers would open up their homes to them as paying guests.

The 13 families who initiated the homestay programme formed a group called Hum Tera.

Makaibari follows a system of planting where the goal is the achievement of balance through the rhythms of nature, based on the (theory) holistic principles of Biodynamic Agriculture, created by Dr. Rudolf Steiner in 1924. The principles of this theory emphasize living soil, with the farm existing as a holistic organism. The goal of a biodynamic farm is to support a balance of people, plants and animals. This is done in a very methodical way. There is careful timing to planting, weeding, fertilizing and harvesting in order to coincide with the lunar and celestial phases. Specially made preparations are added to compost to preserve the microorganisms that live in the soil, so that they can make nutrients available to the plants. Soil is seen as a living organism in itself and each preparation acts like a part of the body's life functions: for instance, stinging nettle is said to act like the heart, chamomile flower like the intestines, and dandelion like the respiratory system

The goal of biodynamic practices coupled with permaculture, to usher harmony between soil, microorganisms, plants, animals and man, is a shining model at Makaibari for all of mankind to emulate.

Makaibari follows a form of integrated forest management called permaculture where the tea bush is part of a multi-tier system of trees and plants typical of a sub-tropical rainforest, as opposed to a monoculture--a farm that grows only one crop.

As a result of harmonious interactions at all stages many species of animals thrive here, including endangered panthers, birds, butterflies, snakes, spiders and many others.

A virtual stopover for a global traveler, environmentalist, ornithologist and the ultimate eco tourist.

We stayed at a homestay in the garden @ Rs 600 per head per day including meals. I had wonderful pork fry and curry!

We also visited the Tea factory next day.

Place where Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was interned. We paid Rs 15 p.p. to go to Kurseong by share auto . It is around 4 Km from Makaibari tea estate.

From Kurseong we took another shared auto Rs p.p. to go to Giddah pahar.

Generally it takes around Rs 120 -150 to hire a car to go there from Kurseong.It is quite up from Kurseong.In fact temperatures changes a lot, when u go there.

&feature=player_embedded#at=39

On the way back on the top of the jeep...