Ilam Shree Antu Danda Tour

The Ilam Shree Antu Danda Tour is a must-do for those looking to experience breathtaking sunrise and mountain views in the Ilam district of Eastern Nepal. Located just a 3-hour car drive from Ilam Bazaar, the trek’s destination, Antu Danda, is a beautiful hillock standing at an altitude of 2,328m above sea level. The trail passes through lush tea bushes and offers stunning natural scenery. Antu Danda is also renowned for its breathtaking sunset views, with the Eastern Himalayan massif serving as the perfect backdrop.

The Antu Danda viewpoint offers panoramic views of the eastern Himalayas to the north, the Terai landscape to the south, and the tea-growing regions of Darjeeling to the east. On clear days Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak at 8,586m, and Kumbhakarna stand out along the northern skyline. Ilam is a diverse area, home to various ethnic groups such as Limbu, Rai, Lepcha, Magar, Tamang, and others. Visitors can also opt to stay with a Lepcha community through homestay and learn more about their unique culture and traditions.

Antu Danda offers well-facilitated hotels and cottages for accommodation. The development of these facilities is a result of the increasing flow of tourists visiting Ilam and hiking up to the Shree Antu hill.

Shree Antu Danda is a ridge in Suryodaya Municipality, Ilam district, in Koshi Province at the eastern end of Nepal. The view tower on the summit stands at 2,328m, and the ridge is the Nepal side of the boundary with West Bengal in India. You will see the place written as Antu Danda, Antu Dada, Shri Antu, Shree Antu and Antu Hill. They are all the same hill. Danda is simply the Nepali word for a ridge.

Road distances, measured to the village and viewpoint area:

• Fikkal, the junction on the Mechi Highway: about 14KM
• Ilam Bazaar: about 49KM, allow 2 and a half to 3 hours
• Birtamod, the Jhapa transport hub: about 59KM
• Kakarbhitta, the usual land entry from India: about 63KM
• Bhadrapur, the nearest airport: about 65KM
• Darjeeling, crossing at Pashupatinagar: about 46KM
• Biratnagar: about 148KM
• Dharan: about 151KM
• Kathmandu: about 500KM, 12 to 13 hours by road

The distance from Ilam Bazaar is short and the drive is not. The road drops off the Ilam ridge, runs southeast along the highway through Kanyam and Fikkal, then climbs again to Antu, so the time is in the terrain rather than the kilometres. The last leg leaves the highway at Chhipitar just outside Fikkal and climbs continuously for 14KM. It is blacktopped and takes ordinary cars, jeeps and motorcycles, but ignore any routing engine that offers you 17 minutes for it.

From Kathmandu the sensible arrival is by air. Bhadrapur is under an hour by plane against 12 to 13 hours by road, and the drive up from the airport takes the rest of the morning. Nothing on this hill is high enough for altitude to be a concern.