Established in 1854, Happy Valley Tea Estate is located at the end of a narrow downhill road amid the beautiful tea gardens of Darjeeling, and is often credited with the propagation of tea cultivation in the town.

Today, this institution stands as a stellar example of organic farming, and invites visitors to witness how India's favourite beverage comes to be. Even though the ownership of the estate has changed hands over the decades, its upkeep and appeal have been meticulously sustained. In fact, some of the tea bushes here are over 100 years old!

The estate is located a short drive away from Chowk Bazaar, and is sprawled over 270 acre of fertile land. Guided tours are given by employees during their free time. A tea-tasting session concludes the guided tour, which permits you to immerse in the culture and history of tea production, walking through each process - withering, rolling, fermenting and drying.

You can also buy different flavours of authentic Darjeeling tea from the souvenir shop on the premises. One of the must-haves is SFTGFOP

(Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe). The regular variety is known as Family Mixture.