The 450-acre tea garden of Temi Tea, established by the Sikkim government in 1969, is the only one of its kind in Sikkim. Sure next-door neighbour Darjeeling is famous for its tea, but not many know that Sikkim also produces world-class organic tea at the state's only tea garden. In fact, the Temi Tea Garden in South Sikkim has been vying for a GI tag for its unique tea.
What makes the place special is that the road to the factory is lined with a beautiful array of cherry blossom trees. And in November, they are in full bloom with the snow-capped mountain ranges behind clear and visible. Since 2018, the state government has been holding a three-day festival featuring cultural performances, exhibitions, colourful melas, to pitch Temi as a tea tourism hub in a much bigger way.
At the Temi Tea Garden, you can take a tea-tasting tour, and receive a crash-course in the tea manufacturing process, from plucking the leaves to its final metamorphosis into being packaged into boxes containing three types of tea&ndash green, black and white.
We suggest that you book a heritage stay at the dak bungalow for a throwback to the days of the Raj. The heritage bungalow has a glass verandah overlooking a poppy garden where you can enjoy a cup of Temi. Watch the verdant green tea gardens and sip a cup of freshly brewed tea from the balcony of your room. Walk through the endless rows of perfectly manicured tea plants. Loiter in the village and chat with the friendly villagers. Visit the factory and become a tea connoisseur.
Trek up the various hills and soak in the splendid views of serpentine roads wriggling across the emerald green tea gardens. Do visit the small temple on the hillock located on the eastern side of the hotel. On clear days you will be treated to the majestic view of Mt Kangchenjunga to the north and the 8,000 ft Teesta river gorge to the south.
Getting There
Nearest airport Bagdogra in West Bengal (which is around 102 kms from Namchi).
Nearest railway station New Jalpaiguri (NJP) in West Bengal (around 96 kms from Namchi from where one can avail trains to different parts of the country).
Road Namchi is approximately about 92 kms from Siliguri. The Sikkim Nationalised Transport (SNT) buses ply regularly from Namchi to towns within the state and Siliguri. Private taxis are also available on regular basis for hire or on shared basis. From Namchi you can hire a car to reach Temi which is around 20km away.