Antu Hill of Ilam District

Shree Antu is 50 KM far from district headquarter ‘Ilam’. It covers 18.8 Square Kilometers. It lies on 957 m to 1800 m elevation range. It lies on the lap of Antu danda with natural beauty. Antu danda is famous for sunrise. We believe that this is the place where sun rise for the first time around Nepal. Panorama Mountain View can see from this place. You can see landscape of Darjeeling, Silguri, Mirik etc of India and some places of Nepal. The road to Shree Antu is linked with Mechi highway at Chhipitar (Fikkal). There are different ethnic communities including Lapcha. Tea and Milk are the major products of this VDC. Shree Antu is also known for Paying guest or home-stay. It is potential for agro-tourism.

Access: 

Road (under construction) is connected with Mechi Highway at Chhipitar (nearby Fikkal). So, you can get direct jeeps service from Birtamode, Fikkal or Ilam bazaar. Nepalese and Indian tourists can enter through Chhabise or Okaty (Indo-Nepal boarder).

Food and Accommodation: 

Shree Antu is famous for paying guest or home-stay. So, you can stay with local people and pay reasonable amount for lodging and fooding. Local people serve local food items with Antu tea. You can experience your sleep in traditional houses and rooms. You can experience local life too. You can also experience jackal win with local foods.

Best Season: 

You can visit Shree Antu anytime and experience local life and learn about agriculture basically Tea. But, there is certain time for sunrise i.e. October to December and March to June for sunset. Occasionally, you see sunrise and sunset in other time too.

Major attractions:

Antu Danda: 

Antu Danda is known as Dipendra peak which lies on the boarder of Shree Antu and Samalbung VDC of Nepal. ‘Athu’ means highest point in Lapcha language later became antu. It lies at elevation of 1823 M. It is good place for sunrise and sunset. You can see the breath taking Mountain View from here especially third highest peak of world i.e. Mt. Kanchenjunga. There is thick forest of pine trees on the peak. Information office cum ticket counter and view tower are under-construction at the peak. Mud road follows up to the peak.

Antu Pond: 

Antu pond is nearby Bhanjayan. It is middle of tea garden with beautiful flower garden. This is human-made garden. During the season, there is boating facility too. There is an island at the side of pond which increases beauty of the pond. There different colors fishes under the water of the pond.

Gufapatal: 

It is in Ward No.-8 of Shree Antu VDC at the elevation of 1827 M. It is named after cave. People say, Lama lived in caves there before. It is like an end of horizon (of earth). You can see different places of Darjeeling. It is nearby Indo-Nepal boarder. So, most of the visitors are Indians.

Mechi River: 

Mechi River is boarder of Eastern Nepal. The origin of the river starts from ward No.8 of Shree Antu. 

Nearby the origin, there is a pillar (Jange) No.26. It is called Chhabise too. This is best place to visit eastern boarder of Nepal.

Nageshowri:

It is a religious spot. Nearby the temple there is a forest with old trees. There are many herbal plants. So, this is developing as an herbal park.

Lapcha community and Lapcha Museum:

Lapcha are honest and helpful. 38 Lapcha families live in this VDC. They have traditional tools and weapons which were used during the war between Nepal and Tibet. They also have their own language, culture, religion, customs etc. According to history, Lapcha protected Shree Antu and Samalbung VDC to merge in India. Lapcha museum is under construction. But, people keep the traditional weapons and tools which you can ask to see.

Tea Factories: 

Ilam Tea Producers P. Ltm and Ganesh Himal Tea Producers P. Ltm are two factories around Shree Antu. Annually, they produce 7.5 lak KG Tea (esp. orthodox black tea). Normally, local people are employed in these factories beside tea-makers (They are from Darjeeling). There is a cheese factory in Shree Antu too. These factories are open universities for them who want to learn about tea processing and producing. Tea gardens and these factories are important for tea-tourism.

Flowers: 

Flowers are trade-mark of Shree Antu. People sell their flowers and earn money. Orchid, Godawari, Cactus, Begunia, Cycle-man, Rose, Angelia, Carnation etc are flower which you can find in local gardens of Shree Antu. Shree Antu is especially famous for Orchid.

Tea and Agro tourism: 

Shree Antu is great for natural beauty & it has great potentiality for agro-tourism. Tea is major agro-product which is covered 605 Square KM of land. Besides that, Cardamom, Ginger, Broom-sticks, milk etc are other major agro-products of Shree Antu.

Besides these, there are many-more to see around Shree Antu like forests, temple, picnic spots etc. Visiting Shree Antu is great experience. You can experience village life of eastern Nepal. Welcome to Shree Antu, land of Sunrise and Tea.