Amidst green hills dressed in dense forests and mountain streams, and topped by plumes of mist sits Ilam, the untrodden land of the eastern Terai. Although just a short jaunt from the Indian border across from Darjeeling, the town rarely makes it onto the itineraries of most travelers. A quick glance at the verdant agricultural tracts of land that cascade down the low peaks all around is enough to see that this is tea country. In the town centre, you can get Ilam tour guides to organize walking tours of the surrounding plantations or picnics at gorgeous mountain lakes that shimmer like mirrors between the emerald hills. They can also set up trips to nearby holy sites and shopping excursions to its bazaars that throb with the scents of homegrown tea leaves and spices.