Rolling green tea terraces, misty ridges and a sunrise over the third-highest mountain on earth – Ilam is Nepal’s answer to Darjeeling, just across the border. The 2 Days Ilam Tour Package (1 night / 2 days) picks you up at Bhadrapur airport or Kakarvitta on the eastern border and takes you by private vehicle into the hills of Ilam, with a guide (for non-Indian/Nepali guests), entrance fees, dinner and breakfast included. It is ideal for travellers flying in from Kathmandu or crossing from Siliguri, Darjeeling or Sikkim.
Ilam’s first tea estate was planted in 1863, and its high-grown orthodox teas are prized for their delicate, Darjeeling-like flavour. Your first stop is Kanyam Tea Garden, commercially planted since 1972, where neat rows of tea bushes roll over the hillsides; walk among the pickers, take photos in traditional dress and sip fresh Ilam tea with chhurpi, the local hard cheese. If you like, climb the 1,040 steps to the hilltop temple of Sano Pathivara for a wide view over the gardens.
In the afternoon you continue to Shree Antu for the night. Shree Antu (about 2,300 m), on the ridge right on the Nepal–India border, is famous for one of the most beautiful sunrises in the eastern Himalaya: as the sun climbs out of a sea of clouds over the plains of Bengal, its first rays light up Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), the third-highest mountain on earth, and the peaks of Sikkim. After breakfast you drive back down to Bhadrapur, Kakarvitta or Pashupatinagar.
Why choose this tour?
- Nepal’s tea country and a Kanchenjunga sunrise in one night.
- Convenient start and end at Bhadrapur airport, Kakarvitta or Pashupatinagar.
- Private vehicle, guide, entry fees, dinner and breakfast included.
Who is it for?
Tea lovers, photographers, couples, families and Indian visitors from Darjeeling, Siliguri and Sikkim. The grade is easy. October–December and March–May give the best views; spring is the main picking season.
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