Lush Green Tea Estates in Pithoragarh District – Tea Picking Experience with Stunning Panchachuli & Himalayan Snow Peak Backdrop
The Tea Gardens of Chaukori are among the most scenic and lesser-known tea estates in India, located in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand at an altitude of around 2,010 metres. Chaukori is renowned for its unobstructed views of the Panchachuli peaks and other Himalayan ranges, and the tea estates here add a magical layer of lush green terraced gardens against this dramatic snow-capped backdrop. The Chaukori tea gardens are managed by the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) and produce high-quality Kumaon tea that is gaining recognition among tea connoisseurs for its distinctive flavour profile.
Visitors to the tea gardens can walk through the neat rows of tea bushes, learn about the tea plucking and processing process, and enjoy freshly brewed Kumaon tea with views of the Himalayas. The combination of morning mist over the tea gardens and the golden glow on snow-capped peaks in the distance is one of the most photographed sights in the Kumaon region. Unlike the more commercialized tea tourism of Darjeeling and Munnar, the Chaukori tea gardens offer a quiet, unhurried experience with very few tourists. The KMVN tourist rest house at Chaukori overlooks these very gardens, making it an ideal base for enjoying morning walks through the estate.
March to May for new tea flush and clear Himalayan views. September to November post-monsoon for crystal-clear mountain views and second flush tea. April in particular is excellent when rhododendron flowers add red and pink hues to the green tea gardens. Avoid peak monsoon (July–August) when mist can obscure the Himalayan views.
Nearest railway: Tanakpur (~96 km) or Kathgodam (~165 km). Taxi from either to Chaukori via Pithoragarh.
Buses from Pithoragarh (54 km) and Almora to Chaukori. State buses and shared jeeps available.
Drive from Kathgodam (~165 km) via Almora and Pithoragarh. Beautiful mountain drive through Kumaon hills.