Periyar National Park, Thekkady (Kerala) | Safari, Timings, Accomodation

Periyar National Park, Thekkady Overview

The Periyar National Park in Thekkady, Kerala, is one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world and the best-protected reserve area that one can lay eyes on in India. Famous for its gorgeousness, greenery and stillness, the park is the dwelling place of abundant significant species, including the royal tigers and majestic elephants apart from other reptiles, fishes and birds. This National Park is an amazing coming together of nature, adventure and beauty. A place which allows you the peace and serenity you so desire, an opportunity to be one with nature and just a normal sighting of a Tiger or two, Periyar National Park is full of beautiful sights and sounds.

The Periyar National Park is spread over 257 square miles and the rivers Pamba and Periyar flow through it. These rivers help the plants and animals to nurture and flourish. This site attracts thousands of tourists to it every year, who come from all parts of the world to take pleasure in the boat cruises, jungle safaris in the form of jeep safaris and elephant safaris, and prominent eco-tourism activities, that are the speciality of this national park. These eco-tourism activities are a noble attempt to safeguard the environment and include options such as Jungle Patrol, Border hiking, Bamboo Grove, Bamboo Rafting, Periyar Tiger Trail, Jungle Inn, Jungle camp and Bullock Cart discoveries.

The attractions at the national park are perfect places for enjoying boating at the magnificent lake, trekking through the dense forests, or simply sitting back to spot an animal or two. It is no uncertainty that this place is the ideal holiday destination, which offers adventure and nature beautifully rolled into one. The wide range of activities, decent and affordable accommodation, as well as easy accessibility, makes Periyar National Park a must-visit tourist spot in Kerala.

1. Boating at Periyar Lake

Spotting beautiful and healthy deer near the water body is ubiquitous. Unfortunately, this facility is not available throughout the year as heavy rainfalls cause these services to be shut down tempora (Read More)rily.

The timings for the boat cruise are 7:25 AM, 9:15 AM, 11:15 AM, 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM. Each cruise lasts for about 30 minutes.

2. Periyar National Park Jeep Safari

Jeep safaris are ideal for individuals or small groups. Photographers especially prefer this option to click the ferocious and majestic animals in all their beauty and grandeur. The full day safari st (Read More)arts in the early morning hours, while the last trip starts by three in the evening.

The timings for the night safari are 11:00 PM to 3:00 AM.

3. Periyar Tiger Trail, Thekkady

Tourists trek along the Tiger Trail and thick vegetation of the reserve along with guides and Forest Department officials is an experience worth remembering. Tourists can also spot elephants, sambhars (Read More), and tigers there.

Bamboo Rafting is a perfect activity for all the water sports enthusiasts. The facility is offered by the Forest Department at Thekkady where one can enjoy the activity in the catchment area of the na (Read More)tional park.

A trekking program conducted into the wilderness, border hiking is offered by various agencies and also by the Forest Department of the region.

Jungle Night Patrol is one of the top thrilling things to do in Thekkady. It is a trekking activity which begins at two points in the Periyar National Park- Entrance Gate of the Periyar Tiger Reserve (Read More)and from the Bamboo Grooves. The activity is performed under the supervision of an armed guard and two professional guides. The thrilling activity is surely going to give you an adrenaline rush and a memory for a lifetime.

Time Required : 3 - 4 hrs

Flora and Fauna at Periyar National Park

The Periyar National Park is home to many threatened and endangered species like elephants and tigers. One can easily spot white tigers, Indian elephants, wild pigs, flying squirrels, fruit bats, sloth bears and jungle cats here. More than 266 species of birds, including migratory ones, also live here. Top birds to spot here are Malabar grey hornbill, white-bellied blue flycatcher, Sunbird, great hornbill, black-necked stork and Nilgiri wood pigeon. 45 species of reptiles, including lizards, snakes and turtles; 40 species of fishes and more than 160 butterfly species are found here. The floral beauty of the place is equally enchanting. Top flora of this park comprises of teak, mangoes, rosewood, tamarind, bamboos, sacred fig, sandalwood, jacarandas, Indian conifer and others. Plants of medicinal importance and coffee, cardamom and tea plantations can also be found here.

Attractions near Periyar National Park

The Periyar National Park has many prominent attractions in it, such as the Mangala Devi temple, Periyar Lake and Cardamom hills amongst others.

1. Mangala Devi Temple: This ancient temple is located inside the national park and is open to the general public only once in a year.
2. Pullumedu: This famous spot for pilgrims overlooks the auspicious Lord Iyyappan temple of Sabari Mala. People visit Pullumedu especially during January. A glittering light in the sky, which appears during this time, is considered to be a deity in spiritual form by devotees.
3. Periyar Lake: One of the most famous attractions in the park, this lake is known for river rafting, boat cruise, boat rides and bird watching.
4. Hill Region: The northern and eastern borders of the Periyar National Park are surrounded by mountains. These mountains are a great spot for trekking; Kurisamala to Kumily and Kumily to Pandikuzhi being the most famous routes.
5. Cardamom hills: These hills with cardamom plantations are undoubtedly the most exotic spot in the park and are famous for the guided trips that take place here via jeeps.
6. Forest Regions: The forest areas in the park are full of thick tropical evergreen trees and are a great area for forest trekking.

History of Periyar National Park

The construction of the Mullaperiyar dam in the 12th century led to the formation of the Periyar lake reserve. This artificial water body helped numerous species of plants and animals to thrive here naturally; observing which the Maharaja of Travancore, Balarama Varma, declared the area to be a private game reserve to avoid encroachment of tea plantations in the area. After the political integration of India in 1950, the sanctuary was declared as a wildlife reserve. In 1978, the park was declared as a tiger reserve and in 1982; it gained recognition as a national park.

Eco Tourism at Periyar National Park

Park-centred eco-tourism is the hallmark of the Periyar National Park. These programmes are conducted by locals and include a broad range of activities. You can take part in the Nature Walk, and Green Walk, which is a trekking programme that offers fantastic opportunities to watch birds and butterflies amongst other wildlife; or the Clouds Walk, which is guided trek where you can have a look at grasslands, evergreen forests and the expanses of land. Other options also include the Jungle Patrol, Border hiking, Bamboo Rafting, Periyar Tiger Trail, Bamboo Grove, Jungle Inn, Jungle camp and Bullock Cart discoveries.

Periyar National Park Timings and Entry Fees

The Periyar National Park is open on all days from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Guided nature walks take place from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM to 05:00 PM.
The timings for Border hiking and bamboo rafting are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The entrance fee to the Periyar National Park is as follows:
1. Adults:
a) Indians: INR 33
b) Foreigners: INR 450
2. Children:
a) Indians: INR 5
b) Foreigners: INR 155
The other applicable fees are as follows:
1. Boat Safari: INR 150 for people above 11 years of age and INR 50 for the rest
2. Tiger Trail Trek: INR 5,500 for one night and INR 7,500 for two nights

Best Time To Visit Periyar National Park

The best time to visit the Periyar National Park is in the winter season, in November to February. The weather is delightful at this point. The additional perks of visiting the national park in this season are that you can also spot some migratory birds and flowering plants will be in full bloom. Rafting and boat cruise also become more exciting due to the recent rains.

Stay Near Periyar National Park

If you wish to stay inside the Periyar National Park, you will find a forest guesthouse. This guesthouse is operated by KTDC, and prior booking is required. In the peak seasons, it is rare to get accommodation here due to the high demand. You can also stay at nearby hotels in Thekkady. Hotel Sandra Palace, Periyar Woods, Elephant Route Resort and Hotel Tigers Roare are some good options.

How to reach Periyar National Park

If you are travelling by air, the nearest airports to the park are Madurai and Kochi, which are at a distance of 136 kilometres and 190 kilometres from Thekkady respectively. Both private and government buses are easily available to Thekkady from various states and cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Salem, Trichy and others. The nearest railway station is located in Kottayam, 114 kilometres away from Thekkady. Once at the airport/railway station, you can easily hire a cab to reach Thekkady or the park directly.

Air: Nearest airport is Cochin International Airport from where you can hail a cab or catch a bus till Kumily Village
Rail: Nearest Rail head is Kottayam or Ernakulam
Road: Kumily Village is well connected by public & private buses to major cities across Kerala.

Thekkady Travel Packages

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3 Days / 2 Nights

Wild Thekkady Weekend Tour Package

Kochi(0N) → Thekkady(2N)

₹ 15,760

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₹10,250/person

5 Days / 4 Nights

Incredible Kerala Holiday Package for 4 Night 5...

Kochi(0N) → Munnar(2N) → Thekkady(1N) → Alleppey(1N)

₹ 18,560

19% off

₹15,000/person

7 Days / 6 Nights

Munnar Alleppey Kovalam Tour Package

Kochi(0N) → Munnar(2N) → Thekkady(1N) → Alleppey(1N) → Kovalam(2N)

₹ 32,900

14% off

₹28,000/person

8 Days / 7 Nights

Magical Kerala: Backwaters, Hill Stations, and ...

Kochi (0N) → Munnar(2N) → Thekkady(1N) → Kovalam(1N) → Kanyakumari(1N) → Kovalam(1N) → Alleppey(1N)

₹ 32,460

11% off

₹28,700/person

4 Days / 3 Nights

Thekkady Munnar Tour Packages: 3 Nights 4 Days

Kochi (0N) → Munnar(2N) → Thekkady(1N)

₹13,700/person

5 Days / 4 Nights

Kerala Munnar Tour Package with Thekkady

Kochi(0N) → Munnar(2N) → Thekkady(1N) → Alleppey(1N)

₹ 23,000

8% off

₹21,000/person

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Periyar National Park Reviews

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Rohit Shroff

on Periyar National Park 6 years ago

Periyar is an amazing place to be if you love greenery. Take the morning boat ride to experience an amazing serene ride in the middle of the jungle. You will be spotting lots of animals on both sides (Read More) of the river. You can also take the night trek wherein you walk in the middle of jungle late at night along with forrest officials.