DARJEELING, West Bengal, India
Tumsong Tea Estate is nestled in the surreal landscape of the Golden Valley of Darjeeling, often referred to as “the garden of happy hearts.” Darjeeling is located at the northern tip of the state of West Bengal in India and is a famous and geographically protected tea-growing origin.
Tumsong was planted some 5,000 feet above sea level in 1867 around a temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess named Tamsa Devi, whom the indigenous people of the Golden Valley worshipped. It is said that drinking the delicate brew of Tumsong can bring you the blessing of the goddess herself. The garden faces the regal peaks of the Himalayan range, including Kangchenjunga, the tallest highest mountain in India and at 28,169 feet, it is also the third highest in the world. The mountain is 46 miles north-northwest of Darjeeling. The garden’s unique location in the path of a constant cool mountain breeze makes the plants grow gradually, saturating their leaves and giving the tea the signature muscatel flavor of this famous growing area. In fact, Darjeeling is known around the world as the “champagne of teas.”
Today, the garden, which is part of the Chamong Estates group, has grown to cover 114 hectares with 427 workers tending to its needs. The first, second, and autumnal flushes are exported to tea-consuming countries in the UK, USA, Middle East, Japan, and Europe.
The parent company, Chamong Tea Exports Ltd, is a family-owned company now in its 6th generation that was established in Assam in 1916. It owns and operates five tea estates in Assam and thirteen in Darjeeling, including several that are more than 100 years old. The total tea production of the Chamong Group today is about 3,000 metric tons annually, making it the world’s largest producer group of organic Darjeeling and Assam teas.
The company has a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, which is illustrated by its numerous sustainability certifications. Tumsong is 100% bio-organic and holds a number of other seals of environmental and social stewardship such Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade, and Organic.
Since all of the Chamong gardens are Organic Certified, the entire tea crop is verified to have been managed with minimal to zero pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. In order to become Rainforest Alliance Certified, the gardens went through a rigorous process of adhering to the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) standard, which implements a holistic set of criteria covering social, economic, and environmental management practices on an annual audit basis.
Tourists wishing to have a home stay experience at the estate can reserve rooms at the main tea house or ‘Chiabari,’ a gorgeous colonial mansion with porches facing the Himalayas, cozy fireplaces, and full-service kitchen that includes “bed tea” sent to your private room each morning. Tumsong is about three hours driving from the Bagdogra airport or the NJP Railway station in West Bengal and 28 kilometers from the Darjeeling town center. Whether you are visiting on business to cup their teas or are simply looking for a scenic getaway to one of the most dramatic landscapes in the world, Tumsong offers a truly remarkable experience.
Harvest Report 2012
Due to a comparatively cooler spring season this year than in prior years, the quality of the First Flush was more delicate and flowery, and was very well-received worldwide. As a result of an emphasis on the quality of raw material plucked from the field this year, the quality of tea was higher throughout the season.
The Tumsong Retreat
Tumsong Tea Estate P.O. Tumsong (Ghoom)
District Darjeeling, 743102
[email protected]
[email protected]
p: +91 33 3093 6400
f: +91 33 3093 6433
Today, the garden, which is part of the Chamong Estates group, has grown to cover 114 hectares with 427 workers tending to its needs. The first, second, and autumnal flushes are exported to tea-consuming countries in the UK, USA, Middle East, Japan, and Europe.
The parent company, Chamong Tea Exports Ltd, is a family-owned company now in its 6th generation that was established in Assam in 1916. It owns and operates five tea estates in Assam and thirteen in Darjeeling, including several that are more than 100 years old. The total tea production of the Chamong Group today is about 3,000 metric tons annually, making it the world’s largest producer group of organic Darjeeling and Assam teas.
The company has a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, which is illustrated by its numerous sustainability certifications. Tumsong is 100% bio-organic and holds a number of other seals of environmental and social stewardship such Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade, and Organic.
Since all of the Chamong gardens are Organic Certified, the entire tea crop is verified to have been managed with minimal to zero pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. In order to become Rainforest Alliance Certified, the gardens went through a rigorous process of adhering to the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) standard, which implements a holistic set of criteria covering social, economic, and environmental management practices on an annual audit basis.
Tourists wishing to have a home stay experience at the estate can reserve rooms at the main tea house or ‘Chiabari,’ a gorgeous colonial mansion with porches facing the Himalayas, cozy fireplaces, and full-service kitchen that includes “bed tea” sent to your private room each morning. Tumsong is about three hours driving from the Bagdogra airport or the NJP Railway station in West Bengal and 28 kilometers from the Darjeeling town center. Whether you are visiting on business to cup their teas or are simply looking for a scenic getaway to one of the most dramatic landscapes in the world, Tumsong offers a truly remarkable experience.
Harvest Report 2012
Due to a comparatively cooler spring season this year than in prior years, the quality of the First Flush was more delicate and flowery, and was very well-received worldwide. As a result of an emphasis on the quality of raw material plucked from the field this year, the quality of tea was higher throughout the season.
The Tumsong Retreat
Tumsong Tea Estate P.O. Tumsong (Ghoom)
District Darjeeling, 743102
[email protected]
[email protected]
p: +91 33 3093 6400
f: +91 33 3093 6433