Munnar Tea Trail Tour: Walk plantations, visit factory, taste tea

Walk among tea pickers, then learn what makes the leaf in your cup

A guided activity in Munnar where you walk through Lockhart tea estate for a few hours, spend time with tea pluckers and learn their daily work, then move to the factory for a tour of the 1936 Lockhart facility and its Orthodox tea production process, ending with a structured tea tasting. A live guide speaks English, Hindi, Tamil or Malayalam. The tour includes transport from your starting point, entry to the plantation and factory, fruits, snacks and bottled water.

The experience

You start at Rijo Villa, the meeting point, and travel to Lockhart tea estate in Munnar's hills. The walk takes a few hours through the plantation itself, not a viewing platform, but the rows where the work happens. You see tea pluckers at their daily task and spend time with them, learning about their local culture and how they live. The route also passes views of Chokramudi Peak and Idli hills. A licensed guide who speaks your language walks with you the whole way.

After the plantation, you move to the Lockhart tea factory, built in 1936 and still running with its original machinery. The factory is known for Orthodox tea production done the traditional way. You get a briefing on how tea is made, the history of the process, and the health benefits of tea. Then comes the tea tasting section. This is structured training, not just a sip, but a course designed to teach you how to taste tea properly. The program has nine levels, each one building your knowledge of tea blending and tasting in more depth.

Transport is included from your starting point and back to the same place. Luggage storage and a rest room are free at the office. Fruits, snacks and bottled water come with the tour. If you're staying at a hotel elsewhere in Munnar, additional pickup and drop-off can be arranged for an extra cost.

What’s included

• Transport from your starting point and return.
• entry to Lockhart tea estate and the 1936 factory.
• a licensed guide in your choice of English, Hindi, Tamil or Malayalam.
• fruits, snacks and bottled water.
• structured tea tasting training.
• luggage storage and rest room access at the meeting point.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDepartures at 10:00 and 14:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (5 to 80 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish, Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Public transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by munnar valley trekking & tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're staying in Munnar without a car or arriving for an afternoon: the tour starts and ends at a fixed point in town, and transport is included, so you don't need to arrange your own way to the plantation or factory.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the walk through the tea plantation?

The plantation walk takes a few hours. You move at a pace that lets you spend time with the tea pluckers and see how they work, so it is not a rushed route.

What exactly happens in the tea tasting section?

Tea tasting here is a structured training course, not just a casual sample. The program has nine levels, each one teaching you more about how to taste tea and understand tea blending. The factory designed this training to give you real knowledge about tea, not just a quick taste.

Is the Lockhart factory still in operation?

Yes. Lockhart tea factory was built in 1936 and still produces tea using Orthodox methods and its original machinery. You see the factory at work and learn how the process happens, not a museum display.

What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

The tour includes transport from your starting point in Munnar and back, entry to the plantation and factory, a licensed guide, fruits, snacks, bottled water, and all fees and taxes. If you need pickup from a hotel outside the starting point, that can be arranged for an additional cost.