periyar
Home | Periyar
Thekkady Hills View
The rich forest area of Periyar in Thekkady is one of the world's most fascinating natural wildlife reserves. Spread in an area of 777 sq km, of which 360 sq.km is thick evergreen forest, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a tiger reserve in 1978. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mulla Periyar dam across the Periyar river adds to the charm of the park. Here, you can enjoy the unique experience of observing wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat on the lake. Though the greatest attraction of Periyar are the herds of wild elephants, you can also see gaur, sambar deer, tiger, jungle cat, sloth bear and wild boar which can be sighted from the boats. There are about 265 species of birds including migrants, which make your boat ride more lyrical.
Kumily
Located within the Cardamom Hills, is Kumily. It is a prominent destination due to its proximity to Periyar Tiger Reserve and is an important hub of spice trading. The lingering aroma of spices is bewitching and numerous tourists visit this exotic town to enjoy the picturesque views, stay in the hotels and visit the Tiger reserve. Tours to spice plantations are arranged for tourists to view how spices are cultivated.
Murikkady
Situated 5 kms from Thekkady. Washed in fresh spice scented air, Murikkady is a panorama of cardamom, coffee and pepper plantations.
Pandikuzhi
This is about 5 kms away from Kumily. Cradled between Chellarkovil and the Tamil Nadu State border, this picturesque place is a popular picnic spot. Pandikuzhi offers great opportunities for trekking and is a photographer's delight.
Cardamom Hills
These are the mountainous regions in Kerala which produces cardamom, pepper and coffee. The thick plantations of cardamom covering this hilly area have given it the name of Cardamom Hills.
Periyar Lake
It is an enriching experience to take a boat cruise along the Periyar Lake. If you wish to see the varied topography of the forests of Periyar then arrange for a boat cruise on the Periyar Lake. If you are a keen observer you might get to se the spotted tigers, playful elephants or the red eyed bisons. This is one of the major tourist attractions in Thekkady.
Periyar National Park
One of the of the most interesting tourist attractions in Thekkady, the Periyar National Park is famous for its different species of flora and fauna. The National Park which also is a Tiger Reserve is the home for a number of animals like Gaur, Wild Pigs, Sambar, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer and Indian Wild Dog. If you are lucky enough you can get to see the herd of playful elephants on the banks of the Periyar River.
Periyar Animals
Periyar is a veritable paradise of elephants. Herds of playful wild elephants can be seen near the Periyar lake, their favorite haunt for frolicking in the water. Periyars wildlife variety includes the tiger, sambar, barking deer, mouse deer, the Nilgiri langur, wild dog, porcupine, lion tailed macaque, Malabar squirrel and sloth bear. There are approximately 40 tigers in the area as per the latest reports.
Periyar Birds
Some 260 species of birds are found at Periyar. These include darters, cormorants, ibises, gray herons, mynas, flycatchers, orioles, wood pigeons, kingfishers, kites, ospreys, thrushes, and an appreciable number of blue-winged parakeets
Periyar Tiger Reserve
Periyar tiger Reserve, Thekkady, is an example of nature's bounty, with great scenic charm, rich bio diversity and providing veritable visitor satisfaction. Sprawled over an area of 777 Sq .km., Periyar is one of the 27 tiger reserves in India. Zealously guarded and efficiently managed reserve is a repository of rare, endemic and endangered flora and fauna and forms the major watershed of two important rivers of Kerala, the Periyar and Pamba
Chellarkovil
Just 15 km from Kumily, the small village of Chellarkovil is famous for its beautiful views of the cascading waterfalls and lush green plains that slope down into the Cumbum coconut groves. The natural picturesque scenic views amidst unspoiled nature are a treat to city dwellers.
Mangladevi Temple
The ancient Mangala Devi temple is perched atop a thickly wooded hill and affords a panoramic view of the scenic surroundings. The temple is located 15 km from Thekkady. Built in the Pandian style of Kerala architecture, this quaint temple stands in the dense forest at the top of a peak 1337 m above sea level and is on the fringe of the Tamil Nadu-Kerala boundary. The 2000 year old temple is dedicated to the brave Mangaladevi or Kannagi, the protagonist of the Tamil epic Sillapadhikaram. A distraught Kannagi is said to have burnt down Madurai after her husband was wrongly accused of being a thief and killed. Prayers are conducted in this temple only once in a year on Chithra Purnima, the full moon day in the month of April-May. On this holy day, the temple hums with activity as devotees flock here in large numbers.
Pullumedu
The beautiful hill station at Pullumedu is 26 km from Periyar and 43 km from Thekkady. It is known for its scenic beauty. Well landscaped gardens, an array of flowers and wildlife adds to the charm of Pullumedu. The holy shrine of Sree Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala and the illuminations during Makara Jyothi can be easily seen from this place. Due to its rugged terrain, Pullumedu can be accessed by a jeep and as it is a portion of the restricted forest zone, you need special permission from Wildlife Preservation Officer to visit here.
Ramakalmedu
On the Thekkady-Munnar Road, about 15 km from Nedumkandam is located the scenic Ramakalmedu. With pristine weather, rolling lush green hills and crisp mountain air makes Ramakalmedu an enticing hill retreat. From the top of the hills, you can get panoramic views of the villages of Cumbum and Bodi.
Vandiperiyar
Just 18 km from Thekkady, Vandiperiyar is the largest town on the banks of the River Periyar. It is one of the commercial hubs of the region with a few large tea factories in operation and is also home to the Government Agriculture Farm and Flower Garden. The township is beautiful with the river meandering close to the city, boating, fishing and other water sports can be enjoyed.
Boat Cruises
Boat cruises make the best bet to explore the wilds of Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Today the Periyar Lake presents an excellent boating spot for tourists. Although it is unusual to see many animals from the boats, still you spot a family of Elephants, Wild Boar, and Sambar Deer by the water's edge.
Periyar Fauna
The Fauna in Periyar is the best that a wildlife sanctuary can offer to the adventure tourists. The native Fauna in Periyar includes wild animals like the Gaur, the Wild Dog, the Indian Giant Squirrel, the Sloth Bear, the Large Brown Flying Squirrel, the Common Otter, the Wild Boar, the Small Indian Civet, the Nilgai, and 3 other species of deer like the Sambar, the Mouse Deer and the Kakar.
Periyar Flora
The flora in Periyar National Park primarily consists of Tropical Evergreen forests (30,500ha) and Semi-evergreen forests (27,500ha) around the tank. In the central part of the park, Moist-deciduous forests and Woody grasslands abound.
At about 1,963 species of blossoming plants belonging to 823 genera and 159 families have been pointed and recognized by the experts of the Kerala Forest Research Institute and Kerala Forest Department for Periyar National Park.
