Kanyam Tea Garden Ilam: What to See, Do & How to Get There (2026)

Kanyam is 43 kilometres from Ilam Bazaar along the Mechi Highway. The road climbs steadily through terraced farmland and then, somewhere around the last bend before the estate, the hillside changes. The fields disappear and every slope in every direction is covered in low, trimmed tea bushes running in straight rows. The factory sits in the middle of it at 1,676 metres. The smell of processing tea reaches you before the building does.

This is the most visited single attraction in eastern Nepal and still one of the least known among foreign travelers. Most visitors are Nepali domestic tourists and Indian day-trippers from Siliguri and Darjeeling who cross at Pashupatinagar, 16 kilometres away. If you are staying in Ilam, Kanyam is a half-day trip. If you are coming from the Mechi Highway, it is a 45-minute detour off the main road that is worth every minute. For a broader picture of what eastern Nepal offers beyond Kanyam, the top 10 places to visit in eastern Nepal covers the full region.

TL;DR

• Kanyam is 43 km from Ilam Bazaar and 30 km from Birtamode on the Mechi Highway

• The tea estate covers 240 hectares, with 200 hectares under cultivation producing 125,000 kg of orthodox tea annually

• Main activities are walking the tea rows, factory visits, horse riding, and photography

• No entry fee to the garden, factory visit is free or nominal charge

• Stay in Fikkal, 5 km away, as Kanyam itself has no lodges

• Best time is March to May for first flush harvest and October to December for clear skies

Quick Overview: Kanyam Tea Garden

What Is Kanyam?

Kanyam is the highest tea estate in Ilam district, sitting at the foot of the Kanchenjunga range. It was set up under the Nepal Tea Development Corporation with help from the British government, and its first tea plants were put in the ground by the late King Birendra. The estate produces some of Nepal's finest orthodox tea, sold across the country and exported internationally.

The garden sits along the Mechi Highway at the edge of the district boundary, making it the first major attraction visitors reach when entering Ilam from the south or west. Fikkal, the small town 5 kilometres away, is where most visitors base themselves, though serious tea travelers often continue to Ilam Bazaar or Shree Antu for a fuller eastern Nepal experience. The full picture of what Ilam district offers beyond Kanyam is in the Ilam homestay and eastern Nepal travel guide.

Things to Do at Kanyam Tea Garden

Walk the Tea Rows

The most straightforward thing to do and still the best. The rows run up and down the hillside in parallel lines, close enough together that the leaves brush your arms as you walk between them. Morning is the right time, before the mist burns off and before the day-trip jeeps arrive from Birtamode. The light between 6 and 8 AM sits low across the rows and the mountains behind are still sharp.

During plucking season (March to May and October to November), you can watch the pluckers work. Each plucker moves along the row taking the top two leaves and a bud, the only part of the plant used for orthodox tea. The speed is the thing that surprises most visitors. An experienced plucker covers a row in minutes.

Tea Factory Visit

The factory at the center of the estate processes the freshly plucked leaves in four stages: withering (drying the moisture out), rolling (breaking down the leaf cells), oxidation (the stage that gives tea its color and flavor), and final drying. Each stage has a different smell. The rolling room smells sharp and grassy. The drying room smells like toast. Visiting during production hours gives you the full sequence. Ask the factory staff before going in. There is no formal tour but most staff will walk you through if you show up during working hours.

Horse Riding

Kanyam is one of the few places in Nepal where horse riding through a working tea garden is a standard tourist activity. Local operators at the estate offer rides through the rows for NPR 500 to NPR 800 per person depending on duration. Popular with domestic tourists and straightforward to arrange on arrival. No booking needed.

Photography

The combination of green rows, mountain backdrop, pluckers in traditional dress, and the factory buildings makes Kanyam one of the more photogenic places in eastern Nepal. The upper rows, reachable by a 20-minute walk from the factory, give you a wider view across the estate with Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak, visible on clear mornings to the north.

How to Get to Kanyam

From Ilam Bazaar: Shared jeeps run from Ilam Bazaar to Fikkal and Kanyam throughout the day. Journey time around 1.5 hours, cost NPR 150 to NPR 200 per person. A private jeep from Ilam Bazaar costs NPR 2,000 to NPR 3,000 one way.

From Birtamode / Mechi Highway: Kanyam is 30 km from Birtamode. Shared jeeps and local buses run from Birtamode regularly. Journey around 1 hour. For travelers coming from the Kakarbhitta border crossing or the Indian side at Siliguri, this is the most direct approach to Kanyam without going to Ilam Bazaar first.

From Pashupatinagar (India border): Only 16 km from Kanyam. Indian day visitors from Darjeeling and Siliguri commonly drive directly here without stopping in Ilam.

Where to Stay Near Kanyam

Kanyam itself has no accommodation. Fikkal, 5 kilometres down the road, has guesthouses and small hotels at NPR 800 to NPR 1,500 per night. If you want to stay inside a tea garden rather than near one, base yourself in Ilam Bazaar, Shree Antu, or Barbote and take a day trip to Kanyam from there.

The Nepal Village Homestay in Barbote is the closest verified homestay listing on Nepal Homestays to Kanyam, surrounded by tea gardens and run by a family that arranges tea factory visits and guided walks for guests. If you want to be closer to the Shree Antu sunrise viewpoint, the Shree Antu Homestay in Ilam is another verified option further into the hills with direct mountain views.

For red panda spotting and forest walks in the broader Ilam region, the red panda in Nepal guide covers the best trails and habitat areas in eastern Nepal.

Best Time to Visit Kanyam

March to May is the best time. First flush plucking starts in March and the garden is at maximum activity. The rows are bright green after the dry winter, pluckers are working every morning, and the factory runs through the day. Weather is warm and clear. The Nepal homestay packing list covers what to bring for an eastern hill stay across different seasons.

October to November is the second best window. Second flush plucking wraps up in early October. Mountain views are sharpest after monsoon. The garden is green and the light is clean.

June to September is monsoon. The garden is intensely green but the factory output slows and mountain views disappear behind cloud. Fine for a visit but not the best conditions.

December to February is the coldest period. The garden is dormant, no plucking, factory is quiet. Worth visiting if you want the estate to yourself and clear winter mountain views on a good day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kanyam famous for?

Kanyam is famous for being the highest and most productive tea estate in Ilam district, producing some of Nepal's finest orthodox tea. It is also known for horse riding through the tea rows and views of the Kanchenjunga range.

How far is Kanyam from Ilam?

Kanyam is 43 kilometres from Ilam Bazaar, around 1.5 hours by jeep. It sits along the Mechi Highway at the western edge of Ilam district.

Is there an entry fee for Kanyam Tea Garden?

No entry fee for the garden. Horse riding costs NPR 500 to NPR 800. Factory visits are free but check with staff before entering during production.

Where do I stay near Kanyam?

Fikkal, 5 km away, has basic guesthouses. For a homestay experience, stay in Ilam Bazaar or Barbote and visit Kanyam as a day trip. The Nepal Village Homestay in Barbote is a verified option on Nepal Homestays that arranges tea estate visits for guests.

What is the best time to visit Kanyam?

March to May for first flush harvest and maximum garden activity. October to November for clear mountain views and post-monsoon greenery.