Ilam Tea Gardens

Ilam sits at around 1,200 metres in the far eastern hills, on the same ridge system as Darjeeling a short distance across the Indian border, with the same soils, altitude and climate, and the tea grown here is orthodox leaf of comparable style that for many years was sold into the Darjeeling trade rather than under its own name. That has been changing, with Nepali estates and smallholder cooperatives building their own reputation and selling directly. The estates are the landscape: clipped green terraces over rolling hills, with pickers working the rows and factories processing through the season. Ilam town is small, and around it are Mai Pokhari, a sacred lake, and viewpoints toward Kanchenjunga.

What you actually see

• Clipped tea terraces - green rows across rolling hill country.
• Picking and processing - the factories working through the season.
• Smallholder cooperatives - the growers selling under their own name.
• Kanchenjunga views - the massif visible from the ridges on clear days.

When to go

March to November covers the flushes, with first flush in spring and autumn flush the other prized picking. Winter is dormant and the gardens quiet. October and November give the clearest mountain views.

Honest expectations

Factory visits need arranging in advance rather than turning up. The area is a long way from Kathmandu, usually reached by flight to Bhadrapur and a road journey. Accommodation in Ilam is basic. Much Nepali tea is still sold through Indian channels, which growers will discuss.

Nearby

Mai Pokhari lies north; the Indian border is east.