About the Ilam District

The picturesque Ilam district is one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal, situated 600kms from Kathmandu. The highest point is Sandakpur, elevation 3000m. Ilam also attracts many researchers who come here to research rare birds and the Red Panda.

Ilam stretches from Terai belt to the upper hilly belt. The name Ilam is derived from a Limbu language; "il" means Twisted and "lam" means Road. Ilam is a today one of the most developed places in Nepal. Its tea, ILAM TEA, is very famous and exported to,many parts of Europe. The main source of income in,this district is tea, cardamon, milk, ginger and potato.This place als has a religious importance. The devi temples has a great importance attached with it and lots of people come here just for pilgrimage.The major attraction of Ilam is the 9-cornered Mai Pokhari Lake, also known as the abode of the goddess.

Ilam is one of the richest districts in Nepal in terms of its bio-cultural diversity, natural landscape and flourishing professionalism in agricultural, especially in the cash crops sector. Ilam is the most famous for the production of tea. It is widely famous for 6 major cash crops, all initiating from the same vowel sound in Nepali, so it is also known as the district of '6' as Potato, Cardamom, Ginger, Red Round Chilly, Milk and broom grass are the major cashcrops.

It is rich in its own kind of social and cultural heritages. People here live in peace and harmony irrespective of caste, creed, race, religion and culture. A wide range of ethnic - groups with their typical customs, traditions and cultures resides here.These include Lepchas (tribes entitled as proper natives of Ilam), Gurungs, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas and many more.

Cultural Heritage: The main festivals observed here are Hindu festivals, Lepchas' New Year, Limbus' Udhauli Ubhauli, Newars'Saparu (Gai Jatra), Kirat Rais' Sakewa Sili and so forth. Dances and the rhythm of musical instruments take place in the market and village areas. Apart from the well-established tourist destinations, there are other important locations in the country with potential. Based on secondary literature, which include NTB publications,the ADB Eco-tourism Project Report and other relevant publications, the following sites are recognized as potential eco-tourism destinations. ShriAntu Danda and Adjoining Areas: ShriAntu Danda and adjoining areas, renowned for the splendor of their lush green hillocks, spectacular landscape of tea gardens, and cultural and historical uniqueness, hold great eco-tourism potential.

The area has great climatic and geographical variation, some of its hill stations tower up to around 4,000 meters, which if developed well, could offer tourists the option of skiing on snow-clad mountains. These spots also offer breath taking glimpses of Mt. Everest, Kangchenjunga, Makalu, and spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and endangered species like red panda. However, careful planning is needed to develop this area as an attractive and competitive eco-tourism destination while also safeguarding against any negative environmental,cultural and economic impacts.