Gunung Mas Tea Gardens (Perkebunan Teh Gunung Mas) Tours

Set in Puncak, high in the cool West Java hills around Bogor, the Gunung Mas Tea Plantation dates back to the Dutch colonial era. At the 6,000-acre (2,428-hectare) site, today owned by the Indonesian government, visitors can tour the tea factory and plantation and opt for hiking, horseback riding, and even paragliding in season.

A private Gunung Mas Tea Plantation tour includes a visit to the tea fields, a factory tour, a tasting, the opportunity to buy some tea, and perhaps a guided hike or horseback ride. Gunung Mas is also a popular stop on wider Java highland tours, which typically include the Bogor Botanical Gardens.

The Gunung Mas Tea Plantation is located just before the Puncak Pass, a couple of miles off the highway between Bogor and Bandung. Most visitors opt for a round-trip door-to-door tour or private driver. Alternatively, you can catch the bus or train from Jakarta to Bogor, then pick up a Bandung-bound bus. Expect the journey by private transit to take at least five hours.

Tea is harvested in Indonesia year-round, so it’s possible to visit Gunung Mas Tea Plantation at any time. If tandem paragliding in Puncak is on your agenda, then June, July, and August offer the best potential for dry weather, although paragliding is possible year-round if the weather cooperates.

Javanese tea has a legacy dating back to the 19th century. The Dutch in Indonesia were the first colonial power to grow tea outside China, and tea plantations are still scattered across Java, Sumatra, and other islands. Today the 12th-largest tea producer in the world, Indonesia exports almost all of its tea for brands such as Twinings.