The Goomtee Tea Estate is in Darjeeling and is one of the most peaceful tea gardens. It creates an atmosphere of seclusion, peace, and natural beauty. It is not a spa or an extravagant hotel but a basic and legitimate place to enjoy the relieving vibe and its great tea.
Overview of Goomtee Tea Estate
Excellent international vegan cuisine and moderation are on offer in the Goomtee tea estate. The quietness and tranquillity may not be for everybody except for those who are searching for a peaceful and lazy retreat away from all the hustle-bustle of metropolitan life.
If one is searching for interesting and old-styled rooms and wants a throwback to some other time (alongside the new fresh teas from the tea factory) then Goomtee is an outstanding place where you can find all of these.
The splendid flower garden and the reading room with its interesting collection of books on various subjects, the waterfalls, long hikes, and the drives to the grand spots all meet up to make an experience as pleasant as Goomtee’s teas. Goomtee is extraordinary because it does not attempt to be what it is not; it is an old property that is extremely clean, unique, and simple, with an emphasis on nature, its teas, food, service, and character instead of the new luxuries which can be found in each semi-metropolitan area.
The Goomtee tea estate is at the midway between Darjeeling and Siliguri hill town and near Kurseong. It is about 48 km away from Darjeeling, 40 km from Siliguri, and only 8 km below Kurseong. From the Hill Card Road, you need to go by road to Toy Train station of Mahanadi and then you must go about 100 meters for reaching to the Goomtee Resort.
Things to Do in Goomtee Tea Estate
There are several activities that you can do in the Goomtee tea estate. Most of them include additional charges.
- You can visit the tea gardens, talk with the garden laborers while visiting the Goomtee factory line where you will see the live tea handling process through all the stages including the packaging at the end.
- You can also experience a session for tea tasting where one staff will be explaining to you how the teas are graded, the idea of flush, how the tea valuation is done, and several other interesting things. You can also purchase tea of your taste from their factory outlet and can get a 15% discount on the available cost.
- You can also ask them to arrange a picnic lunch for you.
- During summer, i.e., from May to June you can enjoy a relishing shower under the nearest waterfalls and afterward, you can have a picnic lunch.
- If you tell them beforehand, then they can organize an outing to Tiger Hill for an early view of the sunrise in the morning.
- When you are in Darjeeling you cannot miss out on the toy train ride. Take the toy train to Kurseong and come back. You can also take a road trip to Darjeeling.
- You can take a guided hike in the surrounding regions while walking through the towns and in the abundance of nature.
- You can also ask them to organize a Gorkha dance and music which is usually held in the evening. These are mainly performed by the local villagers.
- Board games and Table Tennis are also available.
Additional Points
With the increasing desires among individuals to have more exotic getaways combined with the rising popularity of tea, particularly green tea, tea tourism has become very famous, and finally understanding its potential as a stunning holiday experience.
The retreat itself is the tea planters lodge which has been restored to completely reflect its legacy of the colonial era. It has an old-fashion vibe and has a simple decoration, letting the peaceful environment, the greenery of the mountainsides, and the lavish tints of the flower gardens bring calm and peace.
There are many other activities which are popular among the visitors like riding on the toy train, going to the markets of Kurseong, exploring the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Museum, the Zoological Park in Darjeeling, and going to the touring spots to get a glimpse at the Tiger Hill in the background of the lazy dusk.
If you go towards the north, you will find Pine trees, Jungpana, and Camelia tea garden and towards the south, you will get to see the lush gardens, a hill covering with azalea and bougainvillea. Towards the east, you can see bamboo groves, lawns, and also the sparkling lights of Siliguri in the night. Towards the west, there is a lovely garden full of jasmine, roses, magnolia, and the tea processing factory of Goomtee.
Accommodation
Goomtee Bungalow is also known as the Bara bungalow and is a well-maintained building of heritage. It has four huge double rooms with attached bathrooms. All the rooms are well furnished with wooden floors and roofs and some with wood-framed walls that will make you warm and comfortable. The rooms have jumbo size beds, small carpets, wicker sofas, and basic wooden furnishing.
The rooms do not have any TVs. The washrooms are very modern. High-temperature water is easily accessible. The management guarantees 24 hours of electricity as well as security in the bungalow.
You can also have a nice view of the image windows of all the rooms. Other than the mountain ranges and valleys, the rooms and the adjoining yards gives scenic views.
There is one common living room that has a center table, sofas, and a fireplace. Here, there is a TV that is run by the standard satellite stations. There is also a little library at the side of the living room with a cabinet loaded with books on history, Buddhism, travel, tea, health, yoga, planting, etc. The library additionally has its small seating arrangement with padded cane chairs.
There is a dining area with a wooden floor. They mainly serve vegetarian foods although they do offer milk products and eggs.
The chef prepares various types of vegetarian food including north and south Indian, Chinese, Continental, American dishes, and so on. Filtered water is served. They serve fresh tea every morning which is harvested in their gardens the previous day. While there is no bar, they can organize drinks at an additional cost. A phone is also available to make local calls within the district areas of Darjeeling.
Wrapping Up
The Goomtee Tea Estate can be reached by air via the Bagdogra Airport which is around 45 kilometers away and via train through the New Jalpaiguri railway station which is about 40 kilometers away.
The best time to visit is from March to June and from September to January.
Plan a trip to the Goomtee Tea Estate if you are a tea lover and a nature lover. It is an incredible place especially for those travelers who are looking for a farmhouse in Kurseong.
The quiet and peaceful retreat away from the city will help you to relax. If you want to have an extraordinary experience, you should surely visit this place at least once. This can be a spot for your weekend gateway. Plan your trip today!