Journey to the heart of Darjeeling in India

In search of organic and fair trade tea

Discover, explore, share, experience!

Following a meeting between Arlette Rohmer and Pierre Le Roux, Les Jardins de Gaïa and Yumanlink have joined forces to offer you a trip across the world on the tea route:

• Discover the origin of your organic teas;
• Explore a world of unique flavours;
• Share authentic moments;
• Experience great adventures in the wild and welcoming natural world.

Just like the biodiversity of a blooming garden, let yourself be carried away by this extraordinary voyage of initiation.

Your trip to Darjeeling

Travel itinerary*:

Your 10 days in India begin in Delhi admiring the masterpieces of Mughal architecture before flying to the Himalayan foothills and the town of Darjeeling.

After a journey through the stunning scenery aboard the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, or “Toy Train”, you will be welcomed by producers from the Mineral Spring cooperative. You can enjoy village life in their company, taking part in tea picking and sharing their daily routine.

Next you will visit the Samabeong garden, 2,010 metres above sea level, and the tea gardens of the small producers of Subarna where you will find out the how organic tea is cultivated. You will be able to take part in a tea tasting with experts from this region which sits at the crossroads of Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet.

Finally you will take the train to Calcutta to explore this intense city with its unusual history.

* Les Jardins de Gaïa and Yumanlink reserve the right to make changes if necessary

Meeting the small producers

Pleasure and sharing:

You will be sharing the lives of the producers of Darjeeling, immersed in the local culture and traditions.

You will be able to tread the land they cultivate with such passion, walk around these exceptional terroirs and discover rich flavours.

They are ready to welcome you!

Mineral Spring

The 456 growers of the Mineral Spring cooperative took their destiny in hand 20 years ago by banding together to become the owners of the land they cultivate. The cooperative is development model in Darjeeling and the families of these producers, who are pioneers in agroecology and regularly rewarded for the quality of their tea, are ready to welcome you with simplicity and warmth.

Samabeong

Samabeong – which means « black bear’s den » – was established in 1882 and is the largest Darjeeling garden we work with. At 2,010 metres above sea level at its highest point, its seedlings produce subtle and excellent teas.

Subarna

A cooperative of small producers whose secluded gardens are situated between 1,000 and 1,400 metres above sea level, surrounded by a thick virgin forest conducive to a high level of biodiversity.

Going in search of organic fair trade tea

A wonderful adventure

It’s much more than a trip, we are offering a unique adventure with a chance to experience real life in India. In the foothills of the Himalayas, you will discover the history, work and energy of the men and women who grow Les Jardins de Gaïa tea.

At the heart of Les Jardins de Gaïa :

Guided by passion, respect for mankind and nature, we have developed close and privileged relationships with our producer partners.

These human relationships are the key to our shared success!

“According to the Touareg proverb, three things are needed for making tea: time, embers and friends. Taking the time to really appreciate them, just like a high-quality Darjeeling which is so dear to me – is that not the perfect way to find the serenity that seems to be lacking in the real world?
“I wish you an excellent trip to India, full of interesting encounters, sharing and discovery, all based around a unique common factor: tea.”

Arlette Rohmer – Les Jardins de Gaïa’s Founder

For a detailed programme and an information pack and booking form, contact:

Pierre, Yumanlink: +33 (0)6 60 62 17 21 / [email protected]