Tea from the Himalayas: The Tokla Range from Nepal

Most of the tea Nepalis drink comes from one place: the cool, misty hills of the eastern Himalayas. Tea has been grown here since the 1860s, on mountain slopes that sit right against the border with Darjeeling — close enough that Nepal and Darjeeling share the same monsoon-fed, mist-wrapped climate. The bushes climb from the warm plains up to ridges well over a thousand metres, where they grow slowly in thin mountain air.

That setting is the whole point. High elevation and cool mist slow the tea bush down, so the leaves develop more concentrated aroma and a brighter, brisker character than tea grown fast on hot lowland plains. Nepal’s Himalayan gardens produce both styles you will recognise: delicate, fragrant orthodox (whole-leaf) teas in the Darjeeling mould, and the stronger, granular CTC tea that Nepali households brew every morning into milky, sugary chiya.

Two things give mountain-grown tea its signature. First, altitude: the higher and cooler the garden, the more slowly the leaf matures, building the floral, muscatel notes that high-grown Himalayan tea is loved for. Second, the misty monsoon climate of Nepal’s eastern hills keeps the bushes flushing tender new shoots, which carry the most flavour. It is the same reason Darjeeling next door commands its reputation — Nepal’s Himalayan tea grows from the same soil and weather.

For everyday tea, though, what matters most in a Nepali kitchen is strength. CTC (crush-tear-curl) processing rolls the leaf into small, hard granules that brew fast and dark, standing up to milk, sugar, ginger and spice without disappearing. That is exactly the cup most of us grew up on, and it is where the Tokla range begins.

Tokla is a Nepali tea brand that brings this Himalayan tea tradition to the everyday cup, and we stock four of its teas — enough to cover the whole day, from the first strong glass of chiya to a calming evening brew.

Tokla Gold Tea (1kg) is the workhorse: a granular CTC black tea built for milk tea. It brews deep and brisk, holds its own against full-fat milk and sugar, and one generous 1kg bag lasts a tea-drinking household for months — the practical buy if chiya is a daily ritual. Tokla Masala Tea (1kg) takes that same strong base and blends in the warming chai spices — cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, clove and pepper — so a proper masala chai is one scoop away, no separate spice mix required.

For convenience there are the tea bags. Tokla Gold Leaf Tea (37.5g) comes in three styles — Leaf (a clean, classic black cup), Masala (spiced, in a bag), and Detox — easy single-cup brewing for work or travel. And Tokla Green Tea (37.5g) covers the lighter end of the day with five flavours: Fresh (plain green), Jasmine, Mint, Lemon and Honey Lemon — gentle, lower-caffeine cups for the afternoon and evening.

For dudh chiya (Nepali milk tea), the secret is to actually boil it rather than steep. Bring water and milk — roughly half and half, or to taste — to a boil in a small pot, add a heaped teaspoon of Tokla Gold or Masala Tea per cup and a spoon of sugar, and let it boil and rise for two to three minutes until it turns a rich caramel colour. Strain and serve hot. For masala chai, the Masala Tea blend already carries the spices; add a few crushed cardamom pods or a slice of fresh ginger if you like it fierier.

The green teas want the opposite touch: gentler. Use water that is hot but not fully boiling — let a boiled kettle sit for a minute — and steep a bag for just two to three minutes so it stays fresh and grassy rather than bitter. The Jasmine and Mint are lovely without anything added; the Honey Lemon and Lemon make an easy, soothing evening cup.

Whether you want a 1kg bag of strong CTC to see you through months of morning chiya, a ready-spiced masala blend, or a box of green tea bags for the afternoon, the Tokla range is the simplest way to keep authentic Nepali Himalayan tea on your shelf.

We ship all of it across Canada from our Vancouver store — so tea grown high in the Himalayas of Nepal can be steaming in your cup, wherever in the country you call home.