10 Best Places to Visit in Ilam

Ilam is a hill district in Nepal's eastern development zone. The hill station is best known for its tea gardens and is one of Nepal's most populated regions. Its unique nature and biodiversity draw many tourists.

Ilam is one of the popular attractions that holidaymakers who fly to the eastern part of Nepal enjoy. It lies between the Himalayan ranges and offers a large variety of places in the summer season, which attracts many visitors. We've enlisted Ilam's ten must-visit places.

Location of Ilam in Nepal

Ilam falls in Province No. 1 on the eastern side of Nepal. It is one of Nepal's popular hill stations and occupies an area of 1,703 sq km.

Ilam's altitude varies from 3,636 m to 140 m and is internationally bordered by Darjeeling, India, in the east and Dhankuta and Morang in the west. To the south of Ilam lies Jhapa, and in the north lies Panchthar.

Where does Ilam get its name?

The place's name is derived from the Kiranti language, where Il stands for twisted, while Lam stands for the lane .

Ilam is usually a winding highway that can be encountered when driving to this spot. It's also sometimes called Charkhol, indicating the four-river junction: Jogmai, Mai, Puwamai, and Deaumai.

What is Ilam best known for?

Ilam is famous for its export-quality tea-gardens and milk. Ilam's most outstanding tea is shipped to many European countries. In addition to the beverage, the place is also regarded as the leading producer of cardamom, ginger, potato, and broom .

Ilam's climate is characterised as tropical, subtropical, and temperate, attracting numerous holidaymakers to this area.

Rare birds and animals such as red pandas, black bears, and tahrs, as well as trees such as rhododendrons, chimal chaaps, and sal, are present at the hill station.

Ilam is also renowned for its cultural richness and is home to ethnic groups such as Limbu, Rai, Tamang, Magar, Lepcha, Sunuwar, Kulung, Sampang, Gurung, Newari, Sherpa, Bantawa, Chamling, and Yakkha.

What are Ilam's 10 best areas to travel to?

Antu Danda
Mai Pokhari
Sandakpur (Sandakphu)
Kanyam and Fikkal (Phikkal Bazaar)
Pathibhara Devi
Mai Beni
Siddhi Thumka
Gajur Mukhi (Gajurmukhi Devisthan)
Choyatar and Hangetham Forests
Todke Falls (Todke Jharna)

As mentioned above, we have described the ten most visited places in Ilam today in this post.

1. Antu Danda

Antu Danda is one of those locations you can't forget when in Ilam. It boasts stunning views of the Himalayan sunrise and sunset.

Danda, in Nepali, means 'hill,' and the place is situated at 2,328 meters above sea level. From here, you can see the flatlands of Terai, terraced farmlands, dense pine forests, and tea gardens below.

On a clear day, you can also see India's hill stations, such as Kurseong, Darjeeling, and Mirik, from Antu.

You will enter Antu Danda after an hour of driving from Pashupatinagar, though it takes about three hours from the main Ilam Bazaar. Once you've arrived in Antu, you can stay at one of the famous local homes or a homestay.

2. Mai Pokhari

Another significant Ilam attraction is Mai-Pokhari (pond), which has nine corners. A dense forest of juniper, oak, and birch surrounds the magnificent lake.

The place boasts flowers such as rhododendrons and orchids. If you're fortunate enough, you'll get to witness some unusual animal species, such as red panda, musk deer (Kasturi), porcupine, leopard, jackal, and many more.

Mai Pokhari: Tranquil Alpine Beauty

Credit:yetritrailadventure.com

Even Mai-Pokhari has a religious meaning. It is called a holy pond devoted to Goddess Bhagwati.A fair is conducted annually between October and November, in which Hindus and religious groups from Nepal, India, and Bhutan participate.

Mai Pokhari is 18 km from Ilam Bazaar and can be reached in a private taxi within 30 minutes.

3. Sandakpur (Sandakphu)

Sandakpur is situated at an elevation of 3,665 m on the Nepal-India frontier. In India, it branches out into West Bengal's Darjeeling region.

Tourists can take a private cab from Ilam to Maimajhuwa Khorsanitar. After a five-hour trek, we will eventually arrive at Sandakphu.

When in Sandakpur, we can appreciate the magnificent views of the highest mountains in the world, such as Mt. Everest (8,848 m), Mt. Kangchenjunga (8,586 m), Mt. Makalu (8,485 m), Mt. Lhotse (8,516 m), and Mt. Kumbakarna (7,710 m).

The location is well known for bird watching, and the region is home to the national bird of Nepal, the Danfe ( Himalayan monal ). Sandakpur also harbours endangered species such as musk deer and red panda.

4. Kanyam and Fikkal (Phikkal Bazaar)

Ilam is renowned for its tea gardens, and shrubs were planted in Kanyam and Fikkal over 140 years ago.Kanyam is accessible to both inbound and outbound visitors who come to take pictures, sightseeing, and picnics.

Beautiful Kanyam city

Fikkal is one of Ilam's commercial hubs and the centre for arriving visitors from Darjeeling, India.On Thursdays, there is a weekly haat held where local farmers and vendors come to sell their products.

5. Pathibhara Devi

Located in the eastern region of Nepal, the Pathibhara Temple is the most visited holy site.

It is considered a sister temple to Taplejung's original Pathibhara Devi, and those who can't afford to visit the original temple at 3,794 m can visit this one, located just above Sunmai.

The religious site is located in Hanspokhari, just above the highway to Ilam-Mechi.

6. Mai Beni

Mai Beni is situated in Ilam's foothills and marks the intersection of two sacred rivers, Mai Khola and Jogmai Khola.

It is approximately 3 km from the main town and is renowned for its Lord Shiva shrine. Hundreds of worshippers visit Mai Beni in January to take a dip in the holy waters during Manghe Sankranti.

7 . Siddhi Thumka

Standing at 1,693 m above sea level, Siddhi Thumka is located about 18 km from Ilam's Ajambare Danda.

The spot is renowned for its stunning sunrise and sunset views, as well as its breathtaking vistas of the Everest and Kangchenjunga mountains, including the Mahabharat and Churia ranges.

In addition to these, some other famous Siddhi Thumka destinations are the Khnadrung Cave, Singhadevisthan, Fulbari, Namthala, Pankhelung Falls, Ratopani, and Falgunanda Manghim Temple.

On the southeastern side of Siddhi Thumpka, rice paddy fields and orange cultivation are significant draws for agricultural tourism.

8. Gajur Mukhi (Gajurmukhi Devisthan)

Gajur Mukhi is a prominent Hindu religious site in eastern Nepal. It is situated on the shores of the Deumai River at an elevation of 500 meters.

It is believed that pilgrims who visit this holy place will be rewarded with a boy, while a voice will be given to the voiceless.

Gajur Mukhi Devisthan is roughly 40 km from Ilam Bazaar. On the day of Kartik Purnima (November), a massive Mela (fair) is held annually.

9 . Choyatar and Hangetham Forests

Hangetham is a popular destination for forest protection campaigners and wildlife enthusiasts. Constructed on Ilam's north-eastern edge, Hangetham sits at 2,170 m high in the Jamuna VDC. The area is renowned for its changing weather patterns, thick fog, lush trees, and Ilam's spectacular vistas.

The forest of Hangetham and Choyatar is well known for housing a diverse range of wildlife, including the red panda, leopard, thar, charibag, black bear, thakthake, and rajpankhi.

The forest is a natural habitat for birds such as the munal, hawk, and kandevaccur. The woods are filled with rhododendrons, chap, sunakhari, bante, katush, chiraito, and other plants.

You may also join a Buddhist temple nearby, Naya Bazaar and Thumke, when in Hangetham.