Published 24 October 2026 · BluVira Exports, Kotagiri
Tea is grown in dozens of countries, often cited as around 60. Most of the world’s tea, though, comes from just six: according to ITC figures for 2024, China, India, Kenya, Turkey, Sri Lanka and Vietnam together grow about 90% of it. Within each country the growing regions differ widely, and one of the biggest influences on the cup is altitude.
Why altitude matters
As a rule, tea from low, warm plains grows fast and gives a strong, dark, full-bodied cup. Tea from high, cool hills grows more slowly and gives a lighter, brighter and more fragrant cup. Climate, soil, the tea plant variety and how the leaf is made all play a part too, but altitude is a useful first guide to what a tea will taste like.
The main tea regions at a glance
| Region | Altitude | Typical cup |
|---|---|---|
| Assam, India | about 45–150 m (river plains) | Strong, malty, brisk, dark |
| Dooars and Terai, India | mostly plains; up to 1,750 m | Full, smooth, bright; mostly CTC |
| Darjeeling, India | 600–2,000 m | Light, floral; muscatel in the second flush |
| Nilgiris, India | 1,000–2,500 m | Bright, brisk, fragrant |
| Munnar, India | 950–2,600 m | Medium to full, brisk |
| Sri Lanka, low-grown | up to 600 m | Dark, strong, sweet |
| Sri Lanka, mid-grown | 600–1,200 m | Full, bright, coppery |
| Sri Lanka, high-grown | above 1,200 m | Light, bright, fragrant |
| Kenya | 1,500–2,700 m | Bright, brisk, red liquor (CTC) |
| Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi | roughly 1,200–2,500 m | Bright, brisk |
| Malawi | roughly 600–1,200 m | Softer; used in blends |
| Yunnan, China | 1,000–2,500 m | Pu-erh and black tea (Dian Hong) |
| Fujian, Anhui, Zhejiang, China | 100 to over 1,000 m | Green tea, oolong, Keemun, Lapsang |
| Taiwan, high-mountain oolong | 1,000–2,600 m | Floral, creamy oolong |
| Japan (Shizuoka, Kagoshima; matcha from Uji and Nishio) | up to about 800 m | Green tea: sencha, matcha |
| Nepal (Ilam, Dhankuta) | 900–2,200 m | Darjeeling-style orthodox |
| Indonesia (Java, Sumatra) | 600–2,000 m | Light, smooth; used in blends |
| Vietnam | roughly 200–1,500 m | Green and black tea; used in blends |
| Bangladesh (Sylhet) | 50–200 m | Strong, Assam-like |
| Turkey (Rize) | roughly sea level to 1,000 m | Bright red, drunk plain |
| Argentina (Misiones) | roughly 200–600 m | Mild; used for colour in blends and iced tea |
Altitudes are typical ranges for each region’s tea gardens; individual estates can lie outside them. Figures for India, Sri Lanka and Kenya are from their national tea boards; the others are approximate.
What makes the Nilgiris unique
The Nilgiris, or Blue Mountains, rise from the plains of South India where the Western and Eastern Ghats meet. Several things set their tea apart:
- High-grown tea in South India: gardens lie between about 1,000 and 2,500 metres, which places the Nilgiris among the world’s high-grown tea regions, alongside the hill country of Sri Lanka and the highlands of Kenya.
- Tea almost all year round: the hills catch both the south-west and north-east monsoons, so tea is plucked through most of the year. Most northern regions stop for the winter.
- Winter and frost teas: in the cold, dry months the bushes grow slowly and give the most aromatic teas of the year, including the prized frost teas.
- A bright, brisk, fragrant cup: the Tea Board of India describes Nilgiri tea as crisply brisk and bright, with a golden liquor and delicate floral notes. It is enjoyable without milk.
- Clear when cold: Nilgiri tea keeps its clarity as it cools, where many black teas turn cloudy, which makes it a favourite for iced tea and ready-to-drink tea.
- A protected origin: Nilgiri Orthodox tea is a registered Geographical Indication of India.
- Good value: at the Indian auctions, Nilgiri CTC usually sells well below Assam CTC, so it brings brightness to a blend and lowers its cost.
In short, the Nilgiris give you a high-grown cup, close in character to the teas of Sri Lanka’s hills, from a region that makes tea through most of the year. To compare Nilgiri with India’s best-known lowland tea, see Nilgiri vs Assam tea for blending, for grade names see Nilgiri tea grades explained, and if you buy for Saudi Arabia see importing Nilgiri tea into Saudi Arabia.
BluVira Exports is based in Kotagiri, in the Nilgiris. We buy Nilgiri tea at the Coonoor auction and directly from factories and estates, and export orthodox and CTC grades. See our Nilgiri tea range.
Want to taste Nilgiri tea?
Tell us what you make, the grades you buy and your volume, and we’ll send samples with an indicative price. We reply within one working day.