Wayanad Tea Museum: A Mother-Daughter Tea Adventure in Kerala
When my daughter and I set foot in Wayanad, the hills embraced us with their emerald charm. Little did I know this would turn into one of the most memorable days of my life—a day steeped in tea, laughter, history, and an unexpected dash of adrenaline. It was my daughter’s idea to visit the Wayanad Tea Museum, and I happily agreed. But what I didn’t expect was her next suggestion: ziplining across the tea estates! I’ve never been adventurous, but her enthusiasm was contagious. After a bit of coaxing (okay, a lot!), I found myself harnessed and ready, soaring above the velvety green plantations at 59 years old!
It turned out to be one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life.
Exploring the Wayanad Tea Museum: Where History Brews
The Wayanad Tea Museum is a charming blend of history, culture, and the natural beauty of Kerala’s tea estates. It is the first tea museum in Wayanad, introduced by Harrisons Malayalam Ltd. and housed in a vintage factory built in 1911.
Inside the museum, we discovered century-old tea processing machines, black-and-white photographs of the colonial era, and fascinating exhibits on tea cultivation. The museum beautifully showcases the journey of tea from leaf to cup.
One section even connects the story of tea to the Boston Tea Party—a surprising global twist in a local museum!
A Tea Tasting Delight at Wayanad Tea Museum
No visit to the Wayanad Tea Museum is complete without sipping the locally grown teas. We savoured freshly brewed teas and sampled their special iced lemon tea—a refreshing surprise on a warm day. I learned that tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world after water!
The museum also displayed the different types of chai and explained the difference between Orthodox, CTC, and Green teas. As a lifelong tea lover, it was a joy to experience the variety firsthand.
Zip-lining Over Wayanad Tea Estates: My Big Leap at 59!
The highlight of our visit to the Wayanad Tea Museum wasn’t just tea—it was the thrill of zip-lining! My daughter instigated this big leap of faith, pushing me to try something outside my comfort zone. Though I am not an adventurous person, I gave in to her persuasion.
Flying over the tea gardens, wind on my face, the world below awash in green—I had the time of my life. It was pure freedom, pure joy, and a memory forever steeped in love and laughter.
Tea History: From Leaf to Legacy
The Wayanad Tea Museum doesn’t just showcase tea; it tells the story of how tea shaped Kerala. The British introduced tea plantations here, and the museum preserves this legacy through artefacts, rare teas, and stories of the local communities who built this thriving tea culture.
🍃 A Peek into the Wayanad Tea Museum
Housed in a historic wooden structure built in 1911 by Harrisons Malayalam Ltd., the museum whisks you back in time:
- Ground Floor: Illustrated tea history, antique kettles, the Boston Tea Party, and the journey from leaf to cup.
- First Floor: Colonial-era tea processing machines, old clocks, vintage computers—a mechanical storyteller’s delight.
- Second Floor: A delightful café where I savoured a glass of refreshing iced lemon tea and my daughter tried the lavender tea.
🍵 Tea for Every Mood
The museum’s tea chart instantly lifted our spirits:
- Need sleep? Try Lavender
- Feeling anxious? Sip Tart Cherry
- Feeling stressed? Go for Chamomile
- Need energy? Black Tea is your hero
We sampled masala chai, peppermint, lemongrass, ginger, green, and more—each cup infused with stories.
🌱 Tea Trivia That Touched My Heart
- All teas—black, green, white—come from the Camellia sinensis plant.
- Orthodox vs. CTC vs. Green Tea: Orthodox uses whole leaves, CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) uses granules, and Green is minimally processed.
- Fun fact: Tea was once used as a form of currency in Siberia, and even today, the Irish lead the world in tea consumption.
- Did you know that Da-Hong Pao tea costs a mind-boggling $1.2 million per kilo? Talk about luxury in a teacup!
☕ Moments Steeped in Love
We laughed, clicked selfies, argued over caffeine trivia, and basked in the soft, misty sunshine. The museum wasn’t just a building filled with artefacts; it became a backdrop to one of my most precious mother-daughter memories.
Getting There: Your Tea Trail to Wayanad
- By Air: The nearest airport is Calicut International, approximately 95 km.
- By Train: Kozhikode railway station is around 85 km away.
- By Road: Well-connected by scenic routes from Kozhikode, Bangalore, and Kochi.
📍 Visitor Essentials
Wayanad Tea Museum Timings & Entry Fees
- Timings:
Tuesday to Sunday: 9 AM – 6 PM (Closed on Mondays) - Entry Fees:
Museum: ₹50 | Factory Tour: ₹100 | Tea Tasting: ₹50
Ziplining: ₹300 | Cycling: ₹100 | Hiking: ₹1000
Travel Tips for Wayanad Tea Museum Visitors
✔️ Best time to visit: October to March
✔️ Wear comfortable clothes and shoes
✔️ Photography is allowed
✔️ Don’t miss the tea tasting sessions
✔️ Try zip-lining for an unforgettable experience
Why This Museum Stands Out
- A slice of Wayanad’s history preserved in wood and iron.
- A rich archive of India’s tea culture.
- A rare blend of learning, sipping, and soaring across the skies.
- The Wayanad Tea Museum is not just about tea—it’s about stories, learning, and taking that first adventurous step. This journey taught me that no matter your age, there’s always room for a new cup of joy.
- Thank you, my daughter, for this push into a moment I never knew I needed. I walked in for tea and walked out with memories for life.
Final Thoughts: Brew Memories, Not Just Tea
As we headed home, I asked my daughter, “Which tea was your favourite today?”
She smiled and said, “The lavender—the one that brings calm”. She had the chocolate tea as well and carried a stash home.
And I realised—our day was the perfect brew: a little adventure, a lot of love, and plenty of laughter.
So, if you find yourself in Wayanad, let yourself sip, stroll, and maybe even zip.
Can’t make it to Wayanad? Take a sip of the experience through this virtual photo tour—your window into the soul of the Tea Museum!
While we are in Kerala, do read about Kerala’s Heritage Pokkali Rice and try my favourite Flower Appam with Kerala Egg Curry Recipe
#BlogchatterFoodFest
Tags: #WayanadTeaMuseum, #TeaTastingWayanad, #TeaHistoryKerala, #KeralaTourism, #MotherDaughterTravel, #TeaMuseumsIndia, #ZipliningWayanad, #WayanadAttractions, #TeaCultureIndia
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Mister Tikku.
@wordsmithkaur
@wordsmithkaur
I’m more of a coffee person myself, so tea rarely gets my attention—but your post on the Wayanad Tea Museum had me completely hooked! The way you’ve detailed the history, the process, and the charm of the place made me feel like I was walking through it myself. I had no idea so much went into tea production, and your photos really brought the experience to life. Honestly, I never thought I’d be fascinated by a tea museum, but here we are! Your writing has a way of making even a non-tea drinker appreciate the art and culture behind it.
Lovely post. We went to one such museum in Munnar. No ziplining though! Don’t have the courage but walked around the estate.
This sounds like a must do, must see! I love the idea of ziplining, though I am scared too of this. And I would like to go hiking too. Do they take you inside the tea gardens around, as it costs a lot INR 1,000? I must say 50 bucks for tea tasting is pretty reasonable.
Despite being a coffee person myself, I would love to experience a tea museum! This looks like a perfect day for girls! I would definitely like to take my daughters on such outing.btw, lovely pictures!
Absolutely loved this guide! 🍃 The Wayanad Tea Museum looks charming, and you captured its history, scenic beauty, and tea-tasting experience so well. I’m bookmarking this—can’t wait to sip some Wayanad tea IRL
I am not a tea person but exploring wayanad is something I so look forward too and mostly ziplining.
Ok where do I even start – images absolutely beautiful, your experience feels exciting also The museum’s tea chart is definitely something I’m saving. I love how you covered it all from emotions to information. Thank you for such a refreshing blog (definitely wanting to visit this place)
I loved how you brought the Wayanad Tea Museum to life, it felt like a quiet, immersive walk through history.
The blend of culture, craft, and nature makes it such a unique stop. Definitely adding it to my Kerala itinerary. I also love how detailed this post is!
I’ve been to the Wayanad Tea Museum too, and it’s truly an amazing experience. The charm of the place, the stories, and that stunning view… I could visit again and again. And zip-lining over the tea gardens is Pure magic Loved reliving it through your words.
Wow sounds amazing. A museum for tea varieties that is extremely new learning. I am glad to know about the varieties of tea.
What a beautiful experience! I loved reading about your mother-daughter adventure, so heartwarming and inspiring. Ziplining at 59 is truly amazing. Kudos to you! We visited Wayanad last year and my husband and son did the ziplining. I wanted to try too but chickened out last minute, mostly because of my weight. Reading your story makes me want to give it a shot next time! And we missed the Tea Museum, so that’s definitely going on our list now.
What a beautiful blend of history, adventure, and motherhood! Your story warmed my heart like a good cup of chai. Ziplining at 59? Truly inspiring—and now Wayanad is on my list!
This post whisked me straight into Wayanad’s charm—century-old tea heritage, that immersive aroma, and Mother‑daughter moments. I’m genuinely inspired to visit, savor the stories, and learn tea’s deep roots. Thank you for this heartfelt journey!
Good going Harjeet. Age is just a number. I would have been too scared to zipline at 59. I had visited the Wayanad Tea Museum long back with my husband. Thanks for refreshing the memories.
This post brought such a treasure trove tea related stories and trivia.As someone who loves her Tea , i thoroughly enjoyed the tea tales and it is so thrilling to see you ziplining across the tea estate. Looks like a great Mother-Daughter trip in Wayanad.
While the museum is compact, the blend of local context, like Wayanad’s tea plantation heritage and tribal connections, with global tea history is well presented, and this guide is very informative.
Yay! Welcome to Kerala 🙂 I am so glad that you had this unique experience. I went to a tea museum in Munnar and Ooty. 🙂
As a chai lover I loved this post. Right from the tea museum to the zip lining through tea estates, this is one experience I would love to have whenever I go there. Nice pics!
I love the flavored and herbal teas more than Milk tea these days. So I must visit here and explore each flavour and I am sure I will not come back without buying atleast a few flavours if not all.
Oh wow I didn’t know about this place, very interesting. Will definitely visit next time.
India’s southern part is still untouched to me, and Wayanad is definitely a must-visit. I have created an itinerary of places to visit; I surely will add this to that Wayanad itinerary. Looking so pretty.