Kanyam Tea Estate

Kanyam is one of the most recognisable tea estates in Nepal, sitting just east of the Indian border in Ilam District. The garden is part of the eastern Himalayan tea belt that continues across the border into Darjeeling, and its teas share much of the muscatel-and-floral character of that more famous region. Kanyam is widely visible in Nepali tourism as one of the country's best known 'tea hills'.

Tea cultivation in Ilam dates to the late 19th century, when seeds were brought from Darjeeling, but Kanyam in its current commercial form was developed in the 1980s as part of Nepal's broader effort to formalise a tea industry to its east. The estate is operated by Nepal Tea Development Corporation and sits on rolling green ridges that are now a major domestic tourist destination - heavily photographed from the main road through Ilam.

On the production side, Kanyam makes orthodox black teas in a recognisably Darjeeling-derived style, with first-flush and second-flush plucking calendars closely paralleling those across the border. Bushes are a mix of China-variety seed-grown plants and clonal cultivars introduced over the past few decades. Quality varies more than the best Darjeeling estates, but the top lots have repeatedly drawn favourable comparisons to Darjeeling auction teas at a fraction of the price.

Signature teas

• Kanyam First Flush
• Kanyam Second Flush
• Himalayan Orthodox Black

Certifications

Nepal Tea Board

Visiting

The estate is a major Nepali tourist destination on the Ilam highway; walking through the bushes and viewing the factory is straightforward.