The Periyar Tiger Reserve named after the Periyar River is one of the most prestigious wild life tracts on the Western Ghats. The Periyar Lake, which runs through the middle of the sanctuary, was created in 1895 by building a dam across the Periyar River to divert the water for irrigation. The forests around the lake were declared as Reserve Forests. The first step towards conservation was taken by the Maharaja of Travancore by appointing Mr. Robinson as the first game warden in 1899.Based on his recommendations, the forests around the lake was turned into a sanctuary called Nellikkampetty Sanctuary in 1934.The sanctuary was declared as a Tiger Reserve in 1978 under the Project Tiger Scheme. In 1982, the core area of the Sanctuary (350sq.kms) was notified as a National Park.
The Periyar Tiger Reserve & Sanctuary covering an area of 777 sq. kms is a renowned destination for wildlife tourists & nature enthusiasts. The vistas of Periyar with its creeks, islets & peninsulas provide an ideal habitat for a wide variety of wild life. The altitude varies from 900mtrs to 2019mtrs.Topography is uneven & encompasses forests, grasslands & the lake. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park. This is the only sanctuary in India where one can have the unique experience of viewing wild life at close quarters from the safety of a boat in the lake. The greatest attraction of Periyar, however, is the herds of wild elephants that come down to play in the lake. Besides the tiger, the sanctuary is also home to Elephants, Gaur (Indian Bison), Sambar Deer, Wild Boar & a varied species of monkeys including the Nilgiri Languor & the Lion Tailed Macaque. There is also a variety of bird life of which Snake birds (Darters), Cormorants, Kingfishers & Grey Heron are commonly sighted. Boating and Trekking are the common means of sighting wild life in the Sanctuary.
Presenting a panorama of majestic mountains and verdant valleys draped in stunning green, Thekkady is the ultimate gateway for the traveler looking for a tranquil holiday in the lap of nature. The vast stretches of plantations and the luxuriant forest cover offering great trails, make Thekkady a trekker’s delight. The locality is also famous for spice cultivation, Kumily; the nearest town is renowned as a Spice trading center. The town is surrounded by plantations of Cardamom, Pepper, Ginger, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove, All Spice, Vanilla & also of Tea & Coffee There are varieties of activities, like Nature Walk, Jungle Patrol, Gavi, Trip to Mount, Bamboo Rafting, Boat Ride, View Point, Spice Plantation Tour, Tea Plantation Tour, Elephant Junction & Ayurveda, which are conducted and can be arranged for our Guests.
Different nature trails traversing diverse habitats form the trekking routes, generally 4 to 5 Km. in length. This is an interpretive program offering excellent opportunity to watch birds, butterflies and other wildlife. The trails often pass through evergreen and moist deciduous forests interspersed with marshy grasslands. A maximum of 5 persons can go for trekking at a time along each nature trail, accompanied by a trained tribal guide. The nature walk is the right program to feel nature, her whispers and smell her flowers.
This is part of the regular night patrolling in the fringe eco development zone of the tiger reserve. The trekking could be done between 7 PM. And 4 AM and could be taken by person having proper physical and mental fitness to trek through the wilderness in the night. The maximum duration for a slot is 3 hours and the maximum capacity of one slot is limited to 8 visitors (to move in two separate teams). They will accompany two protection watchers and one-armed forest guard!
Try the limits of your senses-sight, hearing and smell and take in the totally different world of nocturnal jungle life
Gavi, a picturesque land is one of the most off-the-track destinations ideal for a wilderness retreat replete with trekking, canoeing and facilities for boarding. There are hills and valleys, tropical forests, sprawling grasslands, shoals, cascading waterfalls and cardamom plantations. Endangered species including the Elephant, Nilgiri Thar, and Lion-Tailed Macaques are often sighted at the outskirts of Gavi.
Mount is a beautiful picnic spot, 25 Km from the resort from where one gets to see waves of mountains, grasslands and Sholla forest. The drive is through the scenic tea gardens. A packed picnic lunch can be provided at the spot
This is a dawn to dusk range hiking and rafting program through some of the richest forest tracts of Periyar Tiger Reserve. Starting at 8 AM from the boat landing, a mosaic of habitats will be traversed before the group gets into rafts made of bamboos. The forests are rich in bird life and arboreal animals like giant squirrel and nilgiri langur. The rafting is for about three hours and one gets a panoramic view of forest-clad hills reflected in the lake. Animals like elephant, gaur and sambar are sighted keeping close to the edges of the lake. The team would be back to the boat landing by about 5 PM. An armed guard and 4 guides will accompany a maximum of 10 tourists. Tea, snacks and packed lunch will be served en-route.
The first and the foremost activity of a tourist in Thekkady is boating in the Peiyar Lake. K.T.D.C. and forest department are operating the boats. Daily 5 trips, each of two hours are arranged. The timings are 0700, 0930, 1130, 1400 and 1600 hrs. Also 1600 hrs ride is for 1.5 hrs while the rest of the rides are for 2 hrs. The boat landing is 3 kms. from the hotel. Half an hour before the ride one has to leave from the hotel.
Just 17 Kms. away from the hotel, this point from where one could have a beautiful panoramic view of the Tamil Nadu valley. If you have your own car, then you can take a guide, or otherwise a Car can be hired.
A fascinating and informative guided tour can be arranged to neighboring spice plantations as well as smallerscale spice gardens whose owners take pride on their adoption of organic farming methods. A must for any food-oriented visitor, a spice plantation visit enables you to get a deeper understanding of how the spices, like cardamom, pepper, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, all spice, vanilla etc., used in everyday cooking throughout the world are grown, harvested and processed before they find their way to your local supermarket.
Besides enjoying and relaxing in the charm of this enchanting place, visiting the tea plantation and tea factory is another essential part of a tourist’s itinerary. A guided tour can be taken for the same.
One of the most fascinating and famous activities of Thekkady is the Elephant ride. There are two different programs, which guest can choose from. The first one is a half an hour program where you can enjoy elephant ride along with feeding them and clicking photos with them. The second one is a two-hour program where along with enjoying elephant ride and feeding them you can actually give a bath to the elephant and in turn the elephant gives you a shower. Also one can see a demonstration of how elephants were used to dragging timber in the olden days.
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