Darjeeling sits at 2,100 metres in the foothills of the Himalayas, wrapped in clouds for much of the year. The climate — cool, misty, with dramatic temperature swings between day and night — produces conditions that cannot be replicated anywhere else on earth, which is precisely why Darjeeling tea tastes the way it does.
The Three Flushes
Darjeeling tea is harvested in three main flushes, each producing a distinctly different character:
First Flush (March–April): The most prized. Young, delicate leaves with a floral, almost muscatel quality. Light in colour, complex in flavour. This is not chai tea — it is a single-estate sipping tea, best drunk plain.
Second Flush (May–June): Fuller-bodied with the famous muscatel note — a distinctive grape-like complexity. Still delicate but with more substance.
Autumnal Flush (October–November): Darker, earthier, and more robust. This is the flush that makes the best masala chai — it stands up to milk and spices.
If you visit Darjeeling, ask specifically for "autumnal flush" tea at the market. It is far cheaper than first flush and makes a vastly superior cup of chai.
Visiting the Gardens
Several estates welcome visitors: Happy Valley, just above the town centre, is the most accessible. Makaibari and Glenburn offer more immersive estate experiences with accommodation.
The best time to visit is April for the first flush harvest — the gardens are at their most beautiful and you can watch the entire process from picking to sorting.
“📍 HimalayanStanding in a Darjeeling tea garden on a clear morning, looking up at Kanchenjunga, you understand immediately why the British never wanted to leave.