How Tea Is Grown in Nepal: From Himalayan Tea Gardens to Your Cup
Nepal has become a significant name in specialty tea, and most of that comes down to geography. The gardens we buy from in Ilam and Taplejung sit at 5,000 to 7,000 ft, and that altitude shapes everything about how the tea grows and how it tastes. Here is how tea goes from a nursery cutting to a finished leaf in Nepal, and why the result tastes the way it does.
The history of tea cultivation in Nepal
Tea in Nepal is younger than in most growing countries. It began in the 1860s, when Ilam Tea Estate was established. The early focus was orthodox black tea, following the example of Darjeeling next door. Green, white, and oolong came later, as buyers abroad started looking for specialty tea.
Growing conditions in Nepal
Eastern Nepal's hills suit tea well, and we buy only from the highest gardens, at 5,000 to 7,000 ft in Ilam and Taplejung. That is where the flavour is most concentrated.
Nights are cool and days are warm. The monsoon brings plenty of rain from the Bay of Bengal, Kangchenjunga helps regulate it, and the skies clear after the monsoon ends. The soil drains well, runs slightly acidic, and holds a lot of organic matter, which is what Camellia sinensis prefers.
Major tea-growing regions in Nepal
Tea grows across eastern Nepal, including Dhankuta, Terhathum, and Panchthar. We source from just two districts, Ilam and Taplejung, because of their altitude and terroir.
- Ilam is where Nepali tea started, in 1863, and its gardens sit at 5,000 to 7,000 ft. Our Floral Green, Floral White, Muscatel Black, Gold Black, Organic Light Green, and Floral Oolong all come from here.
- Taplejung has Nepal's highest-elevation tea gardens, at 6,000 ft. It produces our Special Black Tea (Theba Black), the rarest tea we sell.
How tea is grown in Nepal
Propagation and planting
New bushes start from seeds or cuttings and spend 12 to 18 months in a nursery before they go into the ground. Planting usually happens during the monsoon. The bushes go in rows, spaced according to the variety and the slope.
Field management
Regular pruning keeps the bushes in shape and pushes out new growth for each flush. Two of our four farms, Farmers Tea Co and Sandakphu Tea Estate, are certified organic and fertilize the traditional way, with cow manure and compost. Pests are handled with integrated pest management, and the organic farms use neem-based treatments. At this altitude the gardens mostly live on rainfall, with extra irrigation only when it's needed.
Harvesting Nepali tea
Plucking runs from March to November across four harvest flushes. For high-quality orthodox tea the standard is "two leaves and a bud," and in peak season each bush is picked every 7 to 14 days. All of our farm partners pluck by hand, which lets them choose each shoot and keeps the leaves from being damaged.
Types of tea produced in Nepal
Our gardens in Ilam and Taplejung make four kinds of tea:
- Orthodox black tea is the most common. It has a honey and grape muscatel character that holds its own against Darjeeling.
- Green tea is floral and sweet, with no bitterness, and more people abroad are drinking it every year.
- Oolong tastes of honey blossom, orchid, and soft peach. It is a small but growing niche internationally.
- White tea is made in small quantities from specific cultivars at Farmers Tea Co in Ilam. Expect spring blossom, a little rose, and a velvety texture.
Challenges in Nepali tea cultivation
Weather at high altitude is getting harder to predict, and that affects both quality and yield. Many young people are leaving to work abroad, so there are fewer skilled pluckers. Nepal also has to compete with large producers that sell tea more cheaply, and the remote gardens have limited roads and processing facilities.
Sustainable practices
Two of our four farm partners, Farmers Tea Co and Sandakphu Tea Estate, are certified organic, and a third, Norling, is working toward certification. 5% of Nepal Hills Tea sales go straight back to our farm partners. The gardens aren't expanding into new land, so the forest cover and wildlife corridors around them stay intact. Because the farms rely on rain and the slopes drain naturally, they need very little water infrastructure.
Taste what Ilam and Taplejung produce
The Nepal Hills Tea Sampler Kit ($30) has 10 teas from all 4 of our farm partners: black, green, white, and oolong, grown at 5,000 to 7,000 ft. We ship across Canada, the USA, and select regions around the globe.
Frequently asked questions
What makes Nepali tea unique compared to other origins?
Mostly the altitude. At 5,000 to 7,000 ft in Ilam and Taplejung, cool nights and thin air slow the leaf down. The slower growth concentrates flavour compounds, particularly geraniol, phenylacetaldehyde, and L-theanine, and leaves fewer of the tannins that make tea bitter. You get a layered, complex cup that is still smooth. Our customers often describe it as "complex but never harsh."
How long has Nepal been producing tea?
Since 1863, when the first saplings went into the ground in Ilam. That was the same year Darjeeling's industry was taking shape just across the border. More than 160 years of growing and processing experience goes into the small-batch teas that come out of Ilam and Taplejung today.
Can tourists visit tea gardens in Nepal?
Yes. Ilam is one of Nepal's most popular places for agro-tourism. In Kanyam, at the Antu Hill viewpoint, and around Ilam Municipality you can walk the gardens, try plucking between March and November, and tour the factories. Go during the first flush (March to May) or the autumn flush (October to November).
Meet the Writer
Bhaskar Dahal
Bhaskar Dahal is a second-generation tea entrepreneur and founder of Nepal Hills Tea Inc, a Canada-based tea company sourcing directly from farm partners in Ilam and Taplejung, Nepal.
