Lockhart Tea Factory

An alternative to the museum: Lockhart Tea Factory, where tours take place at an operating production site. You can see the whole process from leaf picking to packaging and taste fresh tea. Much more immersive than a museum, allowing you to witness actual workers and production. Check hours and book in advance, as tours have limited capacity.

On weekends the bikes are often all rented out, so the plantations are easier to explore by rickshaw. And you know what? Rickshaws are even better: the driver stops at spots you'd miss flying past on a bike.

You stand at some viewpoint overlooking endless green waves of tea bushes and understand why the British decided to stay forever. Occasionally you see pickers on the slopes in bright saris among the greenery. They collect only the top two leaves and the bud: that's what quality tea is made from. One woman collects 44–55 pounds daily; the labor is brutal, yet the tea package shows a romantic picture.

Real working tea production