Makaibari Tea Estate is cradled in the lap of the
Himalayas, in
Darjeeling district. The only tea garden where organic ‘Camellia Sinensis’ are growing in harmony with the primary sub-tropical rain forests. Makaibari Tea Estate is one of the oldest Tea Gardens in Darjeeling and extends over 1575 acres of hills, valleys and forests. The estate is located at an altitude 4500 feet above sea level and is still owned by its original founders, namely the Banerjee family. Besides being the first garden to be certified for trade in the world, Makaibari Tea Estate is also the first to market Darjeeling Greens, Oolongs and Silver Tips.
Etymology of Makaibari Tea Estate
The word ‘Makaibari’ literally means "Maize Land" and is strategically located in
Kurseong which is popularly known as the ‘Land of the White Orchid’.
Foundation of Makaibari Tea Estate
For more than a century and a half, Makaibari has been tended by 4 generations of the Banerjee family; the only tea estate in Darjeeling to never have been owned by components of the Raj. Makaibari was the first tea factory in the world, built by the pioneering G. C. Banerjee, the founding father of Makaibari Tea Estates, in 1859. The Makaibari tea estate has grown organically in the years in different stages becoming a sample of living industrial archaeology perfectly functioning even today, preserving with care its unique atmosphere and heritage character.
Production of Makaibari Tea Estate
Makaibari follows a form of integrated forest management utilizing perma-culture 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 mono-cultural farm that grows only one crop. Makaibari retains 70% of its entire area under forest cover.
Makaibari is also home to lush forests comprising of rich flora and fauna, something that is sure to attract thousands of tourists. Moreover, the Makaibari Tea Estate provides excellent accommodation facilities to its guests.
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