Kanyam

llam is the far eastern district of the country, inhabited by people of different colors living in peace and harmony. Neighboring the famous Indian hill town of Darjeeling, it is situated on the foothills of Mount Kanchanjunga, The third highest peak in the world. Ilam is adorned with an almost limitless range of lush-green tea gardens. The rolling hills covered with tea leaves are simply majestic. The thick white fogs alternatively descend to veil the gardens and then suddenly vanish. Greenery prevails all over the hills of Ilam all around the year. Ilam Tea Garden located near Ilam Bazaar and Kanyam Tea Garden located halfway between Terai plain and Ilam Bazaar are the major gardens of Nepal

Places of Interest

Antu Danda:

Antu Danda, situated at an altitude of 1677m in Ilam District, is famous for its unique views of Everest and Kanchanjunga. It is the best vantage point for viewing sunrise and sunset. There is a motorable road from Ilam to Chhipitar from where one can reach Antu Danda on foot. This exhilarating trekking along the lush green hills takes about 3 hours.

Mai Pokhari:

Situated at an altitude of 2438 meters, Mai Pokhari is a famous place of pilgrimage in Ilam district. Lying at about thirteen kilometers north of Ilam Bazaar, this beautiful place consists of the pond whose circumference is more than one kilometer. Altogether there are nine ponds in the area some of which are large enough for boats. This place becomes alive every year during 'Harisayam Ekadashi' when a one-night fair is held. This place is a famous picnic spot for nearby people Mai Pokhari can be reached in four hours from Ilam Bazaar in jeep. On the way are the villages of Chureghanti, Bakhaute, Dharapani and Hasbire Bhanjyang, which offer commanding views of the snowy peaks towards north.

Sandakpur

Sandakpur at 3,636 meters on the international Napal - India borderline provides majestic view of the Himalayas, Mt. Kanchanjunga , Mt. Kumbhakarna , and Mt. Makalu and even Mt. Everest . Rare wildlife like red panda, musk deer and wild bird Danphe can be seen in the forest of this area. From Illam Bazaar one can go up to Maimajhua Khorsanitar via Mai Pokhari in a vehicle. From here one has to trek for about 15 hours to reach Sandakpur.

Kanyam and Fikkal

Kanyam and Fikkal have large tea estates for which Ilam 140 years. These tea plantation areas are popular among tourists for picnicking, sightseeing and taking photographs. Fikkal is a business centre in the area. It falls on the Mechi Highway on the way to Ilam.