Reach Kanyam by taxi or bus and start early, when the air over the tea is clear. The mapped lanes run down through the estates to Fikkal, 5.3 km with about 150 m of descent and almost all on tea-estate and village roads, so allow 1.5 to 2 hours with stops. Kanyam sits at about 1,800 m by one source, with a 240 ha garden, and an operator suggests a factory visit before you leave. Fikkal is the commercial centre of the area, with a weekly haat on Thursdays, hotels and shops, and it is the base for the Antu Danda walk the next day.
Ilam Tea Gardens and Antu Danda
A three-day walk in Ilam's tea country: down through the Kanyam estates to Fikkal, then 16.7 km to the Antu Danda watchtower for a sunrise over Kanchenjunga, Makalu and Everest, with no permit.
- Days3
- Max altitude2,328 m
- Distance38.8 km
- Ascent1,315 m
- DifficultyEasy
- Best monthsMar–Jun, Sep–Nov
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Photo: Bijay chaurasia · CC BY-SA 4.0
This itinerary is a draft and hasn't been verified yet. Always confirm stages with your guide.
Written by FindTrekkingPartner teamReviewed by FindTrekkingPartner teamHow we reviewFindTrekkingPartner
Ilam Tea Gardens and Antu Danda is a 3-day trek in the Ilam region of Nepal that climbs to 2,328 m. Foreign trekkers can find a partner for it on FindTrekkingPartner by posting a trip with their dates, budget and pace. Matches stay private until both trekkers agree, and the service is free. At mid-range rates a licensed guide costs about USD 28 per person over 3 days when four trekkers share, against USD 112 for one trekker alone. The best seasons are Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov. The Nepal Tourism Board April 2023 rule requires a licensed guide in national parks and conservation areas. Local practice differs (checked 19 October 2026): the Khumbu municipality opted out and issues its own trek card, and day hikes are rarely checked, but follow the rule and hire a guide; confirm with your agency. Last verified: October 19, 2026. Sources: Nepal Tourism Board, DNPWC, Department of Immigration.
Sources:Department of Immigration, NepalNepal Tourism BoardDepartment of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation
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Overview
Starts from Kanyam3 days · max 2,328 m
Best seasons: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
The Ilam Tea Gardens and Antu Danda trek is a three-day walk through the tea country of eastern Nepal: a morning down through the Kanyam estates to Fikkal, then the road walk from Fikkal to the Antu Danda watchtower (about 2,000 m), a night near the viewpoint, and the return at sunrise. On our map the three days are 5.3 km, 16.7 km and 16.7 km, with about 610 m of climbing on the two long days, and almost all of it on village roads and tea-estate lanes. An operator gives 11 km and 3 to 4 hours up and 5 to 6 hours back, so we allow 4 to 6 hours each way. No permit, no flight inside the route and no altitude are involved, and the best months are March to June and September to November.
What the walk is like
Day one is a gentle descent from Kanyam, the best-known tea garden in the district, to the bazaar town of Fikkal. Day two follows village roads east to Shree Antu, past tea, cardamom and forest, and ends at Antu Danda, where you sleep close to the watchtower. Day three starts before dawn for the view of Kanchenjunga, Makalu and Everest, then returns to Fikkal by the same road or by a vehicle from Shree Antu. The walking is easy but long, mostly on roads, so it suits people who like to take the days slowly.
Day by day
Day one is 5.3 km down from Kanyam to Fikkal, 1.5 to 2 hours, mostly on tea-estate roads. Day two is the long walk to Antu Danda, 16.7 km on our map and 4 to 6 hours with stops, sleeping close to the watchtower. Day three is the sunrise and the return to Fikkal, another 16.7 km, with the option of a vehicle from Shree Antu. Mai Pokhari is not on the walking route, since it lies in a different part of the district, but it makes an easy extra morning if you have a vehicle.
Getting there and away
Most visitors fly to Bhadrapur or Chandragadhi in Jhapa and drive north to Fikkal, which is about 700 km from Kathmandu by road. Kanyam is a short ride from Fikkal. A vehicle can pick you up from Shree Antu on day two or three.
Permits, guides and costs
No trekking permit or TIMS card is needed, and Ilam lies outside any national park, conservation area or restricted area, so no guide is required; one is optional. Costs are two nights of lodging, the transfers and any guide; see the cost section for ranges.
Season and safety
Spring and autumn are best, and autumn is clearest for the Himalayan view. The roads are muddy in the monsoon and mist can hide the sunrise, so build in a spare morning. See our guide rule page for the rule in full.
Highlights
- Kanyam, the best-known tea garden of Ilam, with long views over the estates
- Fikkal bazaar and its Thursday haat
- Sunrise from the Antu Danda watchtower over Kanchenjunga, Makalu and Everest
- Easy walking on village roads with no permit and no altitude
- Mai Pokhari, a Ramsar-listed lake, as a drive from Ilam Bazaar
Route map
Route data from OpenStreetMap, not yet checked by our team. Use it for planning, not navigation.
Day by day
Walk east from Fikkal on village roads through tea gardens, cardamom fields and patches of forest to Shree Antu and the Antu Danda hill. One operator gives 11 km and 3 to 4 hours for this walk; the road we mapped is 16.7 km with about 610 m of climbing and a similar amount of descent, so we allow 4 to 6 hours with stops for tea. Mist and heat can both build by afternoon, so start early and carry water. A homestay near the viewpoint puts you a short walk from the watchtower for tomorrow's sunrise, with the hills of Darjeeling on the horizon on a clear evening.
Climb the watchtower before dawn: an operator lists Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), Makalu (8,463 m) and Everest (8,848 m) from here on a clear morning. After breakfast, walk back to Fikkal on the same roads, 16.7 km on our map, which the same operator gives as 5 to 6 hours. If your legs are tired, a vehicle can meet you at Shree Antu, and a drive of about 1 hour to Pashupatinagar or about 3 hours to Ilam Bazaar takes you on towards Mai Pokhari or the airport.
What it costs
Estimated all-in cost per person: lodge and food by altitude, transport, permits, and the guide and porters. The more trekkers share a guide and porters, the less each person pays. As of October 2026.
| Style | 1 trekker | 2 trekkers sharing | 4 trekkers sharing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $30–$60* | $30–$60* | $30–$60* |
| Mid-range | $170–$290* | $110–$180* | $80–$150* |
| Comfort | $190–$310* | $150–$240* | $120–$210* |
Share a guide, save money
At mid-range, a solo trekker pays about $170–$290; four trekkers sharing one guide and two porters pay about $80–$150 each (49% less at the top of the range).
Breakdown for 2 trekkers sharing
| Item | Budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodge and food | $30–$60 | $40–$80 | $50–$100 |
| Guide | — | $40–$70 | $40–$70 |
| Porters | — | $20–$40 | $40–$80 |
Budget uses public transport and no porter; mid-range shares one porter between two trekkers and a private vehicle; comfort gives each trekker a porter. A guide is included where one is required or the style is mid-range or comfort.
Nightly lodge and food (room and a dal bhat meal)
2 nights Below 2,500 m: room $2–$9, dal bhat $4–$7
Not included
No published price found for: Fikkal to Kanyam by taxi or bus; Antu Danda back to Fikkal by vehicle (optional). Totals marked * leave these out; ask your agency. A lodge-based walk with no permit: the costs are two nights, meals and transfers. A guide is optional.
Cost sources
- PriceNepal: Nepal Travel Cost Guide 2026 (2026-05-14)
- Third Rock Adventures: Nepal trek budget planner (2026-05-09)
- Himalayan Partner: Guide and porter price in Nepal 2026 (2026-02-10)
- Shikhar Adventure: Annapurna Circuit trek cost (2026-02-03)
- Nepal Tourism Board: Trekking Permit (2026-10-18)
Estimates from operator guides, not quotes. Tips, insurance, gear and Kathmandu hotels are not included; USD at the platform exchange rate.
Photos
Frequently asked questions
An operator gives 11 km and 3 to 4 hours up, and 5 to 6 hours back. Our map follows village roads for 16.7 km, so we allow 4 to 6 hours each way.
Yes, by vehicle: sources give about 3 hours from Ilam Bazaar and about 1 hour from Pashupatinagar. Sleeping near the viewpoint is better for the sunrise.
An operator lists Kanchenjunga, Makalu and Everest at sunrise, and the hills of Darjeeling on a clear day.
Yes. It is the best known tea garden in Ilam, with a 240 ha estate and a factory that operators include in tours, and it is a short ride from Fikkal.
March to June and September to November. Autumn has the clearest air, and the monsoon brings cloud and mud.
Sources
Along the trail
Stays, medical help, water and sights on each day of the route.
1. Kanyam → Fikkal
- Viewpoint · Viewpoints · 1,644 m
- Kanyum cottage village · Stays · 1,604 m
- Phikkal Hospital · Medical · 1,562 m
- Hotel Shikher · Stays · 1,579 m
- Hotel Bishal · Stays · 1,561 m
- Hotel Sonam · Stays · 1,556 m
Show all 10 places
- Viewpoint · Viewpoints · 1,644 m
- Kanyum cottage village · Stays · 1,604 m
- Kharel hotel and Lodge · Stays · 1,548 m
- Rinchhen Hotel and Lodge · Stays · 1,546 m
- Rinchen Hotel & lodge · Stays · 1,541 m
- Sun Hotel and Lodge · Stays · 1,544 m
- Phikkal Hospital · Medical · 1,562 m
- Hotel Shikher · Stays · 1,579 m
- Hotel Bishal · Stays · 1,561 m
- Hotel Sonam · Stays · 1,556 m
2. Fikkal → Antu Danda
- Hotel Snow View · Stays · 1,641 m
- Shri Antu Pharmacy · Medical · 1,644 m
- ABC Homestay · Stays · 1,643 m
- Kaijen Hotel · Stays · 1,642 m
- Kausal Homestay · Stays · 1,694 m
Show all 6 places
- Hotel Snow View · Stays · 1,641 m
- Shri Antu Pharmacy · Medical · 1,644 m
- ABC Homestay · Stays · 1,643 m
- Kaijen Hotel · Stays · 1,642 m
- Kausal Homestay · Stays · 1,694 m
- Khadka Homestay · Stays · 1,703 m
3. Antu Danda → Fikkal
- Antu Hill · Viewpoints · 1,824 m
- Antu Lake · Nature · 1,658 m
- Hotel Elite · Stays · 1,575 m
- Lodge · Stays · 1,560 m
- Hotel Dawa · Stays · 1,559 m
- Pathivara poly clinic · Medical · 1,576 m
- Hotel Mandala · Stays · 1,564 m
Show all 11 places
- Antu Hill · Viewpoints · 1,824 m
- Pradhan Homestay · Stays · 1,684 m
- Misara Homestay · Stays · 1,694 m
- Ghimire Homestay · Stays · 1,643 m
- Antu Lake · Nature · 1,658 m
- Antu Homestay · Stays · 1,662 m
- Hotel Elite · Stays · 1,575 m
- Lodge · Stays · 1,560 m
- Hotel Dawa · Stays · 1,559 m
- Pathivara poly clinic · Medical · 1,576 m
- Hotel Mandala · Stays · 1,564 m
Last verified on Oct 19, 2026Report outdated info