Fikkal is the commercial centre of this part of Ilam, a strip of shops and stalls on the Mechi Highway a short drive north of Kanyam. Farmers bring in vegetables, oranges in winter, cardamom after the autumn harvest and broom grass, and traders load them onto lorries bound for Birtamod and the Indian border. A slow walk through the market gives a good picture of the hill economy that tea is only one part of.
We then sit down at a tea house that sells teas from Kanyam and the smaller gardens around Fikkal and Shree Antu. The tasting usually covers an orthodox black tea, a green tea and, when available, a white or hand-rolled speciality, brewed properly with timing and temperature explained. You learn how to tell a spring tea from a monsoon one and why Ilam teas often sell across the border.
Fikkal is also the place to stock up on snacks for the drive: fresh fruit, roasted corn, sel roti in the mornings and local biscuits. Many shopkeepers accept Indian rupees in small notes, but Nepali rupees make life easier.
Good for
- Couples
- Families
- Groups
- Solo
Questions travellers ask
Is Fikkal the same as Kanyam?
No. Fikkal is the market town a few minutes north of Kanyam on the Mechi Highway. Kanyam is the tea estate itself. Most hotels, banks and shops are in Fikkal.
Can I carry tea back to India?
Yes, reasonable quantities for personal use are routinely carried across at Kakarbhitta. Keep shop receipts. If you are buying for resale, ask about current customs rules first; check current status before you travel.
Which Ilam tea is best to buy?
For gifts, a spring (first flush) orthodox black tea or a good green tea from a named garden. Monsoon teas are cheaper and stronger, good for milk tea. Ask for the harvest month and garden on the pack.
