Spend three unhurried days in Ilam, the tea-growing heart of eastern Nepal. The 3 Days Ilam Tour Package (2 nights / 3 days) starts at Bhadrapur airport or the Kakarvitta border and explores the green hills that face Darjeeling across the frontier: the terraces of Kanyam, the Kanchenjunga sunrise at Shree Antu, the sacred lake of Mai Pokhari and the old hill bazaar of Ilam, with its painted wooden houses and the country’s oldest tea estate, planted in 1863.
Ilam district spans 1,703 sq km of mountainous terrain from 610 m to 3,636 m, drained by the Mai, Jogmai, Puwamai and Deomai rivers, with a climate that ranges from subtropical to temperate – perfect for growing fine orthodox tea, cardamom, ginger and broom grass. On day one you walk through Kanyam Tea Garden, commercially planted since 1972, and can climb the 1,040 steps to Sano Pathivara Temple. 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.
On day two you drive to Ilam bazaar and visit Mai Pokhari, a 12-hectare mid-hill wetland of nine-cornered sacred water and a Ramsar site, surrounded by rhododendron and magnolia forest and rich in birdlife. On the last morning see the view tower and park above Ilam town before driving back to Bhadrapur or Kakarvitta.
Why choose this tour?
- Kanyam, Shree Antu, Mai Pokhari and Ilam bazaar at a relaxed pace.
- Private vehicle, guide (for non-Indian/Nepali guests), entrance fees and breakfast included.
- Easy to combine with a flight from Kathmandu or a Darjeeling/Sikkim tour.
Who is it for?
Tea lovers, nature and bird enthusiasts, couples and families. The grade is easy. Flights to and from Bhadrapur are quoted separately.
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