Ilam Tea Garden Tour - Taste of the fresh tea

Kathmandu City
Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal and is the main centre for hotels, restaurants and shopping centers. There are places in this city where one can find all the modern amenities such as restaurants, bars, hotels with swimming pools, sauna, and internet and at the same time there are places with narrow streets, tiny shops, 2000 years old temples, stone gods, age old houses with beautifully carved peacock windows.

Ilam
Ilam, a hilly district situated in the far eastern Nepal. This district is fully covered by hills except some parts of inner Terai. The district covered by pleasant natural geo-structure, temperate climate, low green hills and fertile lands, has been made prosperous by the hard work of the farmers.

The district is famous for tea and six 'As' - aalu (potato), alaichi (cardamom), aduwaa (ginger), akabare khursani (red round chilly), olan (milk) and amliso (a grass from which brooms are made, Thysanalaena). This district is proceeding towards modern agricultural business from the traditional cereal farming. Among the six 'As', potato, ginger, cardamom, red round chilly, milk and amliso are exported to Siliguri and Darjeeling in India whereas milk is taken to Kathmandu via Biratnagar and Tea is exported to foreign countries. Ilam is inhabited by the people from various ethnic groups and is an interface of different cultures and religions. Ilam has exciting natural green hills covered with tea plantation and forest, diverse climate, simple living style and houses depicting its own arts and unique style.

Shriantu:
Antu Hill situated in the far east of Ilam, famous for viewing sunrise. Most of the flat land of the Terai, Mirik, Kurseong, Darjeeling along with beautiful tea gardens can be seen from this place.

Ilam Bazaar:
It is the district headquarters of Ilam and is situated at the altitude of 1208m. This is the city of houses and temples that reflects its own originality and geo-structure and old tea gardens. The oldest tea factory and tea gardens in Nepal exist here. Small cozy and economic wooden houses which reflect their originality and rich sculptural tradition are the center of attraction.


Maipokhari:
This pond is situated at the top of Maipokhari and Sulubung. It is 188 sq. hec. in area with a radius of 750m and it has nine corners. This pond, situated in the middle of forest with rhododendron and magnolia campbelli (chhap) is important from the point of view of natural scenery, religious importance and pilgrimage to goddess.