7 Days in Assam

By Richa

on Aug 09, 2016, Updated Oct 12, 2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Thank you to my favorite Tea and Lifestyle brand – Teabox for sponsoring this trip and giving me a chance to understand how much goes into that one cup of tea

I can’t believe it’s been three weeks since I’m back from the most amazing trip to the far and beyond – Assam and I still haven’t shown you pictures. I’ve never been to the north eastern parts of India. My farthest trip that side has been as far as Kolkata and that too recently so imagine my excitement when I was asked by Teabox to go on a trip where my main job was to eat and experience the culture of Assam.

Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
Tea Estate at the Singpho Eco Lodge in Margherita

Our trip started at a quaint town called Margherita which is named after an Italian queen. I expected history and mystery at Margherita, but what I didn’t expect is tea growing everywhere. Like everyone, I had imagined only large tea estates with lush gardens and men and women picking tea. But Assam is a different story. Tea grows everywhere and every house in Margherita had it’s own mini tea garden.

Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
The Singpho Eco Lodge where we stayed in Margherita

Local assamese food is usually steamed or boiled and is full of unexpected flavours. The secret is their use of local herbs and spices that they forage from the forest. I had my fill of pork, fish, chicken, bamboo shoot, banana flowers etc. that were sometimes lemony, sometimes garlicky and other times spicy – nothing like anything I had ever tasted before.

Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
The famous Bhut Jhalokia or Ghost Chilies being sold at the local market
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
The weekly bazaar

We had a lot of ground to cover, and after spending time with the Singpho tribe, we visited three tea estates – Chota Tingrai, Halmari and Zaloni. Tea estates are a township of their own. Imagine a few hundred acres of land, neatly demarcated into tea plantations, with schools, hospitals, grocery stores and at the helm of everything stunning bungalows occupied by the estate manager.

I can’t even begin to describe the beauty, diversity and charm of the entire experience. So I’ll leave you with a few pictures that I hope capture everything that I experienced.

Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
When we were out on a walk early in the morning. Women in local dresses.
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
Tea Tasting at Halmari Estate. Halmari has broken it’s own record time and again of the most expensive CTC tea
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.
Assam, the largest producer of tea in the world is a beautiful north eastern state in India, lush with tea gardens, culture and history. Visit this far away state to go tea picking, taste the best black teas and eat delicacies like pork, bamboo shoot curry, banana flour and hard to find herbs.

Explore More

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

10 Comments

  4. That’s really interesting to hear. This time most women wore t-shirts on top. Thanks for stopping by Mohan 🙂

    Reply

  5. I was with tea from 1968 to 1974. now I found that Women wearing tea shirts is a great thing. In those days they used to wear only Gavancha around their waists and Jacket.Thank you for the posts

    Reply

  6. Hey Anindya, thanks for stopping by! Margaret’s Hope is from Darjeeling, but I was in Assam. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to visit it soon and will write about it 🙂

    Reply

  8. North East has always been my list for long however never made it other than work . there is an interesting story for one of the Tea Gardens called Margarets Hope . Will you come up with one more detailed post ?

    Reply