Embarking on a walk through the cardamom and tea plantation guests are accompanied by a guide. The plantation is spread over several undulating hillocks with a dirt path snaking through. Tea bushes on both ends are mostly waist high interspersed with fruit trees – elderberry, jackfruit, mangoes, orange and cashew – your tour guide will narrate the history behind the introduction of these trees to the area. The path winds uphill at a point and the walk continues until it reaches a height where spectacular panoramic view presents itself – hill slopes, many with their peaks wrapped in cloud and mist, draped in plantations and forests extending to the horizon. At this point the tour concludes and guests are escorted to the resort. In the course of their walk guests may also interact with people working on the plantation and participate in the various processes that go into the growing of cardamom and tea.
Tea Tasting
A rather special experience at Tea Harvester is the tea tasting session in the resort subsequent to the plantation walk. Numerous kinds of teas are grown in the plantations here, around Munnar. Good tea is an exquisite indulgence, nevertheless choosing good tea requires discernment. Tea made in the traditional, artisanal way retains the sophistication that soil and climate bequeath to the leaves. Tea packed at source, retains its freshness and maintains the purity of its origin. The best teas are of single origin, entirely from a particular area or from the same estate.
Brewing is the extraction of the goodness nature has induced in the black, oolong, green or white tea leaves. Using the right amount of tea for the volume of tea you wish to brew is critical, as is the method of brewing. A varied selection of leaves is displayed in the restaurant and guests are invited to taste the brews obtained from the leaves.
Bird Watching
In the Munnar area predominant kinds of vegetation are mostly grasslands, shrub and shola forests, southern montane wet temperate forests and the landscape is composed of glens, hollows and valleys. Shola forests also contain subtropical broad leaved forests that merge into the evergreen forests at lower altitudes.
These habitats are home to a fascinating variety in avian species, both, endemic and migratory, making Munnar a hotspot for birders. Some of the species that are spotted include Vernal Hanging Parrots, Southern Hill Mynas, Asian Fairy Bluebirds, Malabar Parakeets and Loten’s Sunbird. White-Bellied Treepie, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Gold-Fronted Leafbird, Rufous Babbler, Tawny-Bellied Babbler, Black Eagle, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Nilgiri Flower Pecker, Chestnut-Headed Bee-Eater, Crested Serpent Eagle, Oriental White-Eye to name a few. Spots ideal for birding include - Top Station & Pothamedu viewpoint. Do contact the resort manager for detailed information on birding sites.
Trekking
The hills and forests around Tea Harvester offer numerous trails and routes that are ideal for treks. Terrains vary and routes pass over mountains, through forests and valleys, towering peaks and plantations. Do contact the resort manager for suggestions on routes to take.
our address
Tea Harvester Munnar
Chungath Estate
Power House Road, Dobipalam
Chithirapuram P.O., Munnar
Pin: 685 565, Kerala, India.
