Temi Tea Garden is Sikkim's state-owned tea estate, founded in 1969 under the last Chogyal, Palden Thondup Namgyal. About 177 hectares of bushes run down a slope of the Tendong range at roughly 1,200–1,800 m, facing the Teesta valley and Kangchenjunga. It moved to organic cultivation from 2005.
Temi is one of the most photographed slopes in Sikkim: rows of tea bushes curving down a hillside, a winding estate road lined with cherry trees, the factory halfway down and the deep Teesta gorge below. On clear days Kangchenjunga rises across the valley. It is about 50–55 km and 2.5–3 hours from Gangtok via Singtam and Tarku, and under an hour from Ravangla.
The estate was established in 1969 under Palden Thondup Namgyal, the last Chogyal of Sikkim, and is run by the state government. It covers about 177 hectares (440 acres) and produces around 100 tonnes of tea a year, much of it orthodox leaf sold at auction in Kolkata, the rest packed under names such as Temi Tea and Sikkim Solja. It began organic conversion in 2005.
Visitors can walk the estate roads freely, watch plucking in season (March to November), visit the factory when staff allow, and buy fresh tea at the estate shop. In November, cherry blossom lines the road and the state holds its Cherry Tea Festival. Stay overnight at Cherry Resort or the restored Temi Bungalow to have the garden to yourself at dawn.
Highlights
What to see and do
Estate road walk
Walk the winding road down through the bushes from the top gate to the factory, about 2–3 km, with views over the Teesta gorge. Early morning light and mist make it the best time for photos.
Plucking season
From March to November, pluckers move along the rows taking two leaves and a bud. First flush (March–April) and autumn flush (October–November) produce the most prized teas.
Factory and tasting
When staff allow, see withering, rolling, oxidising and drying, then taste the grades side by side at the estate shop. Visits depend on season and production schedules.
Cherry blossom in November
Cherry trees along the estate road flower in November, pink against green tea and snow peaks. The state has held a Cherry Tea Festival here most years since 2018.
Overnight in the estate
Cherry Resort and the restored Temi Bungalow sit inside the garden, letting you walk the rows at dawn before day visitors arrive from Namchi and Ravangla.
The story of Temi Tea Garden
A king's tea on a missionary hillside
Before there was tea at Temi there was a mission. Scottish missionaries built houses and a church on the slope in the early 20th century; the government acquired the buildings in 1954. In 1969, in the last years of the kingdom, Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal established a tea estate on the hillside, with gentle slopes running off the Tendong range and loamy soil well suited to tea. Temi became Sikkim's flagship estate, winning the Tea Board of India's All India Quality Award in 1994 and 1995. In April 2005, years before Sikkim declared itself India's first fully organic state in 2016, the estate began converting to organic cultivation, certified by the Swiss body IMO. Today about 400 workers tend the bushes and the factory, and the old mission bungalow, damaged in the 2011 earthquake, has been restored as a heritage stay. When you drink Temi tea, you are tasting a project begun by the kingdom and carried on by the state.
Temi won the Tea Board of India's All India Quality Award in 1994 and 1995, a decade before it began converting to organic cultivation.
Source: Wikipedia: Temi Tea Garden
About three-quarters of Temi's tea has been sold at auction in Kolkata; the rest is packed for domestic sale under names such as Temi Tea and Sikkim Solja.
Source: Wikipedia: Temi Tea Garden
Early-20th-century Scottish mission buildings on the slope predate the estate; the government acquired them in 1954, fifteen years before the tea was planted.
There is no frequent shared service to the estate gate. Take a shared jeep from Gangtok towards Namchi or Ravangla and get off at Temi or Tarku, then a local taxi, or travel via Namchi. Expect about ₹200–300 a seat from Gangtok plus ₹300–500 for the last stretch.
Private car
About 52 km and 2.5–3 hours from Gangtok via Singtam and Tarku, under an hour from Ravangla, and 1.5–2 hours from Namchi. A small car day trip from Gangtok costs about ₹4,000–5,000; most people combine Temi with Ravangla or Namchi.
From Bagdogra / NJP
About 115–120 km and 4–4.5 hours via NH10 to Singtam, then up through Tarku. If NH10 is closed after monsoon slides, drivers come through Darjeeling district, Jorethang and Namchi, which takes longer.
Permits in South Sikkim
Indian nationals need no permit anywhere in Namchi district. Foreign nationals need the standard Sikkim Restricted Area Permit, applied online through the e-FRRO portal after arriving in India since 12 January 2026, with approval usually in 24–48 hours; no extra protected-area permit is needed for South Sikkim as we understand it. Sikkim collects a ₹50 per tourist entry fee at hotels, valid 30 days, with under-fives exempt. Forest department rules and fees may apply in Maenam and Kitam sanctuaries. Check current status before you travel.
Two stays sit inside the estate. Cherry Resort, on land owned by the Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation and privately run, is the value choice with tea views from most rooms. The Temi Bungalow, a restored mission-era bungalow with matching cottages managed by Eco Adventure Resorts, is the premium option, with meals and tea tastings. Simple homestays in Temi and Tarku villages nearby cost about ₹1,500–2,500 per person with meals.
Temi Tea Garden was established in 1969 under Palden Thondup Namgyal, the last Chogyal of Sikkim. Some sources give earlier dates for initial planting; 1969 is the date in most records. It has been run by the state government since.
Is Temi tea organic?
Temi began converting to organic cultivation in April 2005, certified by the Swiss body IMO. Sikkim later declared itself India's first fully organic state in 2016. Check current certification details on packaging when you buy.
How far is Temi Tea Garden from Gangtok?
About 52 km and 2.5–3 hours by road via Singtam and Tarku. A small car day trip costs about ₹4,000–5,000. It is under an hour from Ravangla and 1.5–2 hours from Namchi.
Is there an entry fee for Temi Tea Garden?
Walking the estate roads has been free at the time of writing. Factory visits, if allowed, may carry a small fee. Rules change, so check current status before you travel.
What is the best time to visit Temi?
March to May for first flush and spring flowers, and October to November for clear views, autumn flush and cherry blossom. The monsoon (June–September) is green but cloudy and wet. Winter is clear but there is little plucking.
Can we stay inside Temi Tea Garden?
Yes. Cherry Resort, a value-priced resort on STDC land run privately, and the Temi Bungalow, a premium heritage stay managed by Eco Adventure Resorts, are both inside the estate. Homestays in Temi and Tarku villages nearby are cheaper.
Is Temi Sikkim's only tea garden?
Temi is Sikkim's main and best-known tea estate and has long been described as the state's only large one. A few small private gardens have come up in recent years, but Temi remains the flagship. Its tea is sold under the Temi and Sikkim Solja names.
Can we combine Temi with Ravangla and Namchi?
Yes, this is the classic South Sikkim loop. From Gangtok, go to Temi (night at the estate), on to Ravangla for Buddha Park and Ralang, then to Namchi for Samdruptse and Char Dham, and down to Siliguri or NJP.
Where can we buy Temi tea?
At the estate shop near the factory, which offers the freshest stock and fair prices. Temi tea is also sold in Gangtok shops and online. Look for the Temi Tea or Sikkim Solja labels and check the flush and packing date.
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