Duration: aprox. 7 hours. Check rates and available days.
The Tea Route in Misiones, Argentiona, is an ideal experience to travel, learn more about the history of tea in South America and taste local tea products. A day-long excursion full of sensations: harvest green leaves by hand, and discover stories and collection methods.
Followed by a three-course lunch designed to delight you with a tea pairing and ending with a tea tasting. This activity takes place at Camelias Golf y Campos de Té, in Oberá, 160 km from Puerto Valle.
ORIGINS OF TEA IN ARGENTINA
The history of tea in Argentina dates back to 1923, with the arrival of a Ukrainian priest named Tijón Hnatiuk to a town called Tres Capones in the province of Misiones, who brought camellia sinensis seeds as a gift for his family.
His brother Wladimir was in charge of sowing them in order to multiply them. In the 1930s, this led to the development of several tea plantations. But it was in the 1950s that the planting and mass production of this product began.
Export Quality Tea from south america
Currently Argentina is one of the world’s main producers of tea, as well as one of the main exporters. According to a FAO report based on data from 2017, Argentina produces 79,000 tons of black tea per year and exports almost 73,000 tons, of which 90% is sold abroad.
Projections for the year 2027 indicate that production could grow by about 20,000 tons. With this volume forecast, Argentina also designs, produces and exports refined tea machinery to optimize its own production and that of other countries.
In 2007, Camelias Golf y Campos de Té was created. It is located on a farm that has certification in sustainability standards and environmental care, with the goal to preserve nature and the environment, based on three pillars of sustainability: environmental protection, social equity and economic viability.
This golf course has 9 holes and an area of 35 hectares landscaped by the renowned Argentine designer Roberto Serra.
In the property, there are numerous plantations of Camellias Sinensis, from which black, green and other varieties of teas are manufactured, hence the reference to tea plantations in the name of the golf course.
THE TEA HOUSE AT PUERTO VALLE
Within the estate is the Tea House, which was built by an English couple in 1910. Recently restored, it preserves the same 20th century architecture, wood panels and original style.
Among the activities that you can enjoy in this experience is the Tea Route, where you will learn about the history of tea in South America, harvest tea leaves by hand, and discover stories and methods of collection that were used in the past as well as those that are used in the present.
In the amazing landscape of the tea garden, we can relax and enjoy a three-course lunch designed to highlight the pairing with tea, ending with a tasting of various types of tea.
To learn more about the culture of mate in Argentina, we recommend you visit the Yerba Mate Establishment with us.