Echoes of the Highlands

Tales of labour, leaves, and shared cultures

Ekathra’s Tea Tour invites you to journey beyond the rolling green carpets of Kerala’s tea estates, into the lives of the people who make this landscape what it is. Set against the misty hills of Wayanad and Idukki, this experience takes you into the heart of tea-growing villages—where every cup is steeped in stories of resilience, cultural fusion, and quiet endurance.

In the highlands of Wayanad, you’ll meet indigenous communities who have long worked these lands, their rhythms guided by the seasons and the soil. Here, the connection to nature is ancestral, and the struggles are as real as the smiles. Walking through these settlements, guests engage with local traditions, learn about the challenges faced by tea labourers, and experience the deep-rooted relationship between people and plantation.

In Idukki’s iconic tea town of Munnar, the story takes on a different hue. Generations of Tamil-speaking migrants, who came seeking livelihood decades ago, now form the backbone of the tea industry. Their music, food, language, and customs have blended with Kerala’s own, creating a unique cultural landscape where temples and traditions from both states thrive side by side. Guests are welcomed into workers’ quarters, community spaces, and kitchens where warmth and pride replace formality.

More than a scenic tour, this is a people’s journey—into the lives behind the leaves, the hands that pluck, the voices that sing on cold mornings, and the quiet dignity that sustains entire valleys. With Ekathra, you don’t just visit a tea plantation—you become part of a living, working world shaped by heritage, hard work, and hope.