East Nepal Tour: Antu, Sandakpur & Janakpur

Route: 6 Days / 5 Nights | Kathmandu – Bhadrapur – Shree Antu – Sandakpur – Kanyam – Dharan – Bhedetar – Janakpur – Kathmandu

Trip Overview

Most visitors to Nepal head west to Pokhara or north to the Everest region. This journey goes the other way, to the quiet east, where the country begins its day.

Why East Nepal? Eastern Nepal is one of the country's least-visited and most varied regions. In a few hours of travel you pass from the warm plains of Jhapa, through green hills of tea, cardamom and pine, to high ridges where the Kanchenjunga range, the third highest mountain in the world, fills the northern sky. The east is the homeland of the Limbu and Rai communities, and Lepcha, Sherpa, Gurung and Newar families also live in its hills. Further south, in the Terai, you meet the Maithili culture of the ancient Mithila kingdom. Each region has its own language, food and festivals, and visitors are welcomed warmly in village homestays and small town hotels.

This is also the birthplace of Nepal's tea industry. Ilam's first tea estate was established in 1863, and its hills still produce some of the finest orthodox tea in the country. Here, the roads are quieter, the villages are slower, and travellers often find themselves among the only visitors at the viewpoints.

The journey

You start in the clouds at Shree Antu, a hilltop village in Ilam often celebrated as the place where Nepal sees its first sunrise. From the view tower, the first light touches Kanchenjunga above a sea of cloud and tea-covered hills. From there you travel on to Sandakpur, a windswept ridge on the Nepal-India border from which four of the world's five highest mountains can be seen on a clear morning. You then walk through the tea gardens of Kanyam, visit the hill temples of Dharan, breathe the cool air of Bhedetar, and finish in Janakpur, the ancient Mithila city and the birthplace of Goddess Sita.

Sandakpur, the heart of the trip

At 3,636 m, Sandakpur is the high point of the journey and one of the most dramatic viewpoints in the eastern Himalaya. It sits on the Singalila Ridge, a long mountain spine that carries the border between Nepal and India. From the summit, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu rise in the distance, while the entire Kanchenjunga massif stretches in front of you in the outline known as the Sleeping Buddha. The road to the ridge is rough and rewarding, travelled for decades by sturdy Land Rovers and jeeps, and the last section is on foot through rhododendron and bamboo forest. Lodges are simple, the nights are cold, and the dawn, when the sky clears, is something you remember for years.

What you will experience

In six days you move from Himalayan dawn to lowland pilgrimage, passing through snow views, tea country, Limbu and Rai hills, and the Maithili heartland. The pace is relaxed, with a mix of scenic drives, short walks, temple visits and local meals, plus one half-day uphill walk to Sandakpur. Very few itineraries bring all of these together in a single, well-paced route, and this one is designed so that you see the east not as a quick stop but as a complete destination.

Spotlight: Sandakpur, the Roof of the Far East

Sandakpur (also spelled Sandakphu) rises to 3,636 m on the Singalila Ridge, the long mountain spine that forms part of the border between Nepal and India. It is the highest point along the ridge and one of the few places in the region where you can look at the Himalayas almost at eye level.

The view. From Sandakpur, four of the world's five highest peaks can be seen on a clear day: Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse and Makalu. The long snow line of the Kanchenjunga massif looks like a giant figure lying on its back, which is why it is known as the Sleeping Buddha. At sunrise, the whole range turns from pink to gold within minutes.

Land Rover country. Since the 1950s, villages along this ridge have relied on tough old Land Rovers to carry people and supplies up the rough road. The vehicles are part of the identity of the place, and the tradition still shapes how people travel here.

Border country. The ridge is a living border. Nepali and Indian villagers share the same trails and the same tea shops, and Sandakpur is one of the few places where you can stand with a foot in each country. The Indian side of the ridge falls within Singalila National Park, known for rhododendron forests and Himalayan wildlife, including the elusive red panda.

Kalpokhari. Along the way you pass Kalpokhari, a small dark pond that local people treat with reverence. Tradition holds that the water stays clean on its own, and the spot is peaceful at any hour.

Lodging. Facilities on the Nepal side are few and simple, with only a handful of lodges, so rooms are basic and the experience is authentic. Expect warm blankets, hot meals and very cold nights.

When to go. October and November offer the clearest skies and the best mountain views. March to May brings rhododendrons in bloom across the slopes. The monsoon (June to September) is best avoided, as the road becomes slippery and the mountains hide behind cloud. Winter can be extremely cold, with frost and occasional snow.

Why This Journey Is Different

Ready to Explore the East?

Sunrise at the roof of the far east, tea gardens in the mist, hill temples and the birthplace of Sita: this is the Nepal that few travellers see. Contact us to customise dates, hotels and activities for your group.