You’d probably expect a scene like this somewhere in Sri Lanka, but here it is: a tea plantation in Russia.
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Eugene Makhanko/kukarta.ru
The Olympic city of Sochi is a most unusual place. Palms and beaches mingle with ski resorts, while the fertile soil feeds Russians with unusual subtropical berries and fruit. Hard to believe, but there’s also a tea plantation out there.
Anastasia Dzhamirze/kukarta.ru
To see one of the most northernmost tea plantations (Russia’s record was beaten in 2012 by Cornwall in the UK), head to Matsesta, a popular spa resort just 10 km southwest of Sochi.
Elena Khvostova/kukarta.ru
That's what the guys from the
Kukarta project did this fall. Kukarta.ru is a website for active travelers in southern Russia. The team is passionate about hunting for natural treasures in the Krasnodar region and beyond.
Eugene Makhanko/kukarta.ru
"There are just four of us: a driver, two cameramen and a reporter," says Eugene Makhanko, web-designer, amateur photographer and co-founder of Kukarta.
Eugene Makhanko/kukarta.ru
"We enjoy traveling around our lovely region and exploring it as it is without any guides, just on our own. 1.5 years ago we decided to share our experiences with a wider audience"
Eugene Makhanko/kukarta.ru
"The trip to the Matsesta tea plantation was a great experience. It was organized by the local car showroom
Keyauto, so we had plenty of opportunities to get the most out of it. The highlight was the bird's-eye-views from the quadrocopter."
Eugene Makhanko/kukarta.ru
In November the plantation is pretty empty, but in summer lots of locals head there on the weekend. Tourists rarely reach it, as most of them limit themselves to the beach or ski resorts.
Elena Khvostova/kukarta.ru
Matsesta tea is very popular among locals. Sold everywhere in Sochi, it is held in high regard in southern Russia as one of the regional trademarks.
Elena Khvostova/kukarta.ru
Just like Englishmen, Russians are keen devotees of tea. Originally imported from China, tea made its first steps on Russian soil in the 17th century. Since then it has firmly established itself as a part of the national tradition.
Anastasia Dzhamirze/kukarta.ru
The Matsesta tea plantation was founded in 1947 but has a long history behind it.
Elena Khvostova/kukarta.ru
The first attempts to engraft Chinese trees in Sochi were undertaken in the late 19th century. All of them failed, until around 1901 Judas Koshman, a farmer and plant breeder, succeeded in developing the specific Russian cultivar today known as Krasnodar tea.
Elena Khvostova/kukarta.ru
Sochi has a modern face, but the taste of its tea has remained the same since Tsarist times.
