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  1. Home
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  1. Home
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  3. Nepal
  4. Slow Down, Breathe Deep, and Discover Eastern Nepal

Slow Down, Breathe Deep, and Discover Eastern Nepal

2 Nights 3 Days NepalMountain RetreatSunshine Villa Fikkal
Slow Down, Breathe Deep, and Discover Eastern Nepal
Slow Down, Breathe Deep, and Discover Eastern Nepal
Slow Down, Breathe Deep, and Discover Eastern Nepal
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Key Highlights

Coffee Farm Walk

A short hike from the villa takes you through Nepali villages and into a local Ilam coffee plantation, giving you a real look at Nepal's growing coffee culture. Along the way, a nearby coffee factory shows the full process from raw bean to finished cup. It is a morning that makes you see your next cup of coffee very differently.

A short hike from the villa takes you through Nepali villages and into a local Ilam coffee plantation, giving you a real look at Nepal's growing coffee culture. Along the way, a nearby coffee factory shows the full process from raw bean to finished cup. It is a morning that makes you see your next cup of coffee very differently.

Coffee Farm Walk
Coffee Farm Walk

Tea Garden Walks

The Ilam tea gardens begin right at the edge of the property, which makes them one of the most natural parts of any stay at Sunshine Villa. Walking through the rows of tea bushes with cool air and the scent of fresh leaves around you tells you very quickly why Ilam is considered Nepal's tea capital. The fertile soil, the cool temperatures, and the high rainfall of eastern Nepal all show up in every cup.

The Ilam tea gardens begin right at the edge of the property, which makes them one of the most natural parts of any stay at Sunshine Villa. Walking through the rows of tea bushes with cool air and the scent of fresh leaves around you tells you very quickly why Ilam is considered Nepal's tea capital. The fertile soil, the cool temperatures, and the high rainfall of eastern Nepal all show up in every cup.

Tea Garden Walks
Tea Garden Walks

Sunrise at Kanyam

Twenty minutes from the villa, Kanyam sits above the hills and delivers a sunrise view over the tea gardens and the distant peak of Kanchenjunga that is one of the best in east Nepal travel. The sky shifts from dark blue to gold as the layers of hills and gardens come into view, making the early alarm feel like a very good decision. It is a morning most people remember for a long time.

Twenty minutes from the villa, Kanyam sits above the hills and delivers a sunrise view over the tea gardens and the distant peak of Kanchenjunga that is one of the best in east Nepal travel. The sky shifts from dark blue to gold as the layers of hills and gardens come into view, making the early alarm feel like a very good decision. It is a morning most people remember for a long time.

Sunrise at Kanyam
Sunrise at Kanyam

Forest Cabin and Valley Views

A gentle trail from the villa leads to a cabin in a quiet forest looking out over the valley, and the walk there is enjoyable on its own. The cabin is a great place to sit, listen to the sounds of nature, and let time pass without any plan. When the sun starts to set, the view from the cabin over the valley is something genuinely worth staying for.

A gentle trail from the villa leads to a cabin in a quiet forest looking out over the valley, and the walk there is enjoyable on its own. The cabin is a great place to sit, listen to the sounds of nature, and let time pass without any plan. When the sun starts to set, the view from the cabin over the valley is something genuinely worth staying for.

Forest Cabin and Valley Views
Forest Cabin and Valley Views

Buddha Park

The Buddha statue near Fikkal stands over the valley with a scale and detail that genuinely surprises you when you see it for the first time. Beyond the statue, the sunset from this spot is one of the best in the area, with the valley and hills spreading out below as the light changes. It is a short visit that adds a meaningful cultural touch to the stay.

The Buddha statue near Fikkal stands over the valley with a scale and detail that genuinely surprises you when you see it for the first time. Beyond the statue, the sunset from this spot is one of the best in the area, with the valley and hills spreading out below as the light changes. It is a short visit that adds a meaningful cultural touch to the stay.

Buddha Park
Buddha Park

More about this escape

Sunshine Villa was built using rammed earth, a construction technique that keeps the rooms insulated and comfortable even when the temperature drops in the hills at night. The building sits on the hillside like it has always been there, and the peaceful quality of the property is something you feel as soon as you arrive. The Suryodaya Kitchen serves three meals a day, an American breakfast to start, a traditional Nepali lunch, and a Bhutanese-inspired dinner in the evening, all prepared with fresh ingredients sourced from farms in the surrounding area. Between meals, the days fill up easily with guided walks through tea estates, coffee plantations, and Nepali villages that give you a real and unhurried look at life in Ilam. The bar and lounge is a comfortable and welcoming space to sit with a cup of organic Ilam tea and watch the hills change as the evening comes in.

Itinerary

1

Day 1: Into the Hills

A 45-minute flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur connects to a scenic 1.5-hour drive up into the hills of Fikkal, with the valley spreading out below the road as it climbs higher. After settling into the rammed earth suite, the evening finds its natural home in the glassed-in lounge with a cup of organic Ilam tea and the mountain mist rolling in outside. The Drukpa Dinner, made from local ingredients with a Bhutanese touch, brings the first day to a warm and easy close.


Meals: Drukpa Dinner 

Activities: Arrival drive, villa exploration, evening tea in the lounge

2

Day 2: Tea, Culture, and Good Cheese

The Sunshine Breakfast starts the morning before a guided nature walk from the villa through local tracks and rolling tea estates that give the day an early and very good foundation. The afternoon moves to Buddha Park and a nearby Buddhist monastery before heading to Lucky Dairy for a guided cheese tour and tasting that rounds out the day in the best possible way. The Suryodaya Lunch, a traditional Nepali set meal, can be had between the morning walk and the afternoon cultural visits.


Meals: Sunshine Breakfast, Suryodaya Lunch, Drukpa Dinner 

Activities: Tea estate walk, Buddha Park, monastery visit, Lucky Dairy cheese tour and tasting

3

Day 3: Coffee and Last Goodbye

Breakfast at the villa opens the last morning before a relaxed walk through the Ilam coffee farms, where the light through the trees and the smell of fresh coffee make for a very good final few hours. The walk ends naturally before the drive back down to Bhadrapur and the short flight home to Kathmandu. A Nepal mountain retreat at Sunshine Villa tends to stay with people, and most guests are already thinking about coming back before the airport is even in sight.

Meals: Sunshine Breakfast 

Activities: Ilam coffee farm walk, departure to Bhadrapur

Slow Down, Breathe Deep, and Discover Eastern Nepal

Want to customize this itinerary?

This is a sample escape by Sunshine Villa Fikkal. Tailor it to your travel dates, group size, and preferences.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What's Included

Nature & Cultural Activities

Guided nature walk through local tracks and rolling tea estates

Tea garden walk through Ilam tea plantations at the edge of the property

Ilam coffee farm walk with visit to local coffee factory

Buddha Park visit with valley and sunset views

Buddhist monastery visit

Lucky Dairy guided cheese tour and tasting

Forest cabin walk with valley views

Evening organic Ilam tea in the glassed-in lounge

Accommodation & Extras

2 nights accommodation at Sunshine Villa Fikkal in selected room category

Sunshine Breakfast (American style) each morning

Suryodaya Lunch (traditional Nepali set meal)

Drukpa Dinner with Bhutanese-inspired dishes using local ingredients

Bar and lounge access throughout the stay

Heated mattress and en suite bathroom in every room

Wi-Fi access in all rooms

Not Included

Additional Activities

Sunrise trip to Kanyam viewpoint

Sunrise trip to Shree Antu viewpoint

Tin Talle Waterfall hike through villages

Village walks through surrounding countryside

Extra guided walks beyond the scheduled itinerary

Personal Expenses

Alcoholic beverages and additional drinks

Personal purchases and souvenirs

Tips and gratuities for guides and staff

Transportation & Insurance

Flights to and from Bhadrapur Airport

Airport transfers to and from the villa

Travel insurance coverage

Private vehicle rental for independent exploration

Professional photography permits

Good to Know

Packing for the Hills

Evenings and early mornings in Ilam get cold even during warmer months. Bring warm layers, waterproof shoes with good grip for muddy tea garden paths, and a light rain jacket since rainfall is common throughout the year.

Sunrise Viewpoints

Kanyam and Shree Antu offer some of the best sunrise views in eastern Nepal but require leaving before dawn. Ask staff to arrange transportation the evening before so everything is ready when you wake up.

Dietary Needs

The kitchen prepares all meals using fresh local ingredients. Let staff know about any food allergies or dietary restrictions when you book so they can plan suitable meals for you.

Tea Purchasing

 Ilam is Nepal's most celebrated tea-growing region and fresh tea leaves and packaged varieties are available directly from local producers near the villa. Ask the staff which farms sell directly to visitors for the freshest options.

Best Time to Visit

Optimal periods to experience Slow Down, Breathe Deep, and Discover Eastern Nepal at its finest, based on weather conditions and overall visitor experience.

October to December

About your stay

Sunshine Villa Fikkal

Suryodaya -09, Ilam, Nepal

Sunshine Villa Fikkal is a rammed-earth mountain retreat in the tea-growing hills of Ilam in eastern Nepal, and it is one of the most peaceful places you can stay in the country. The property sits on a hillside covered in tea plantations, with rolling mist, birdsong, and views of Kanchenjunga making up the backdrop of every single day. From organic meals made with local produce to guided walks through tea gardens and coffee farms, the whole stay is rooted in the land and the people around it.

Your Accommodation

Sunshine Villa has three room types, all built from rammed earth and designed to feel warm, quiet, and naturally connected to the hillside surroundings. The Rammed Earth Villa House has two Superior Deluxe King Rooms and two Superior Deluxe Twin Rooms spread across two floors, with the upstairs rooms at 22 square meters and the downstairs rooms at 15 square meters, all sharing a comfortable living room with sofas and a table. Rammed Earth Rooms are 16 square meters with a king bed, a heated mattress, an en suite bathroom, and a hot water shower, with the natural walls keeping the room comfortable even in the cool mountain air outside. Deluxe Rooms are 15 square meters with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the hills and tea gardens, a king bed, a heated mattress, and an en suite bathroom. All rooms come with Wi-Fi, a work table, and windows that open fully to the fresh air and sounds of the landscape outside.

Sunshine Villa has three room types, all built from rammed earth and designed to feel warm, quiet, and naturally connected to the hillside surroundings. The Rammed Earth Villa House has two Superior Deluxe King Rooms and two Superior Deluxe Twin Rooms spread across two floors, with the upstairs rooms at 22 square meters and the downstairs rooms at 15 square meters, all sharing a comfortable living room with sofas and a table. Rammed Earth Rooms are 16 square meters with a king bed, a heated mattress, an en suite bathroom, and a hot water shower, with the natural walls keeping the room comfortable even in the cool mountain air outside. Deluxe Rooms are 15 square meters with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the hills and tea gardens, a king bed, a heated mattress, and an en suite bathroom. All rooms come with Wi-Fi, a work table, and windows that open fully to the fresh air and sounds of the landscape outside.

Amenities & Services

Restaurant
Airport Shuttle
Garden
Mountain View
Heritage Tours
Nature Walks
Yoga
Cultural Activities
Accommodation
Accommodation
Accommodation
+1 more

FAQs

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