Periyar City Information | Excursions in Periyar Kerala

Information

Periyar is an important tourist destination of the state of Kerala. This city of Periyar is well known by rest of the world for its wildlife sanctuary. This Periyar National Park is famous for availability of a rare species called the Nilgiri Tahr.

Many other rare species are also available in this park. Periyar lies in the scenic western ghat of the Deccan and in the district of Idukki of Kerala.

The Project Tiger take over the Tiger conservation of this park in 1972. It will be better to plan trips to Periyar during the months of October to June.

Around the park are some interesting aromatic spice gardens. Many have good guides who’ll tell you about the medicinal value of each spice and maybe startle you with how much of the research is millennia old. 

When to go: The tourist season is from September to May and particularly the Christmas - New Year holidays.  From February onwards it starts getting warmer and though this could be distinctly uncomfortable, it has its benefits.

The animals are easiest to spot now as elephant and chital (spotted deer) alike flock to the waterholes. Avoid weekends when the park can get quite full with people looking for a daylong getaway.

Accommodation: There are enough possibilities to suit different budget requirements both inside and outside the park. The entire gamut from cheap basic to expensive luxury will present itself before you.

Inside the park it is also possible to stay in the very rudimentary set up of the observation tower or ‘machaan’ (like the hunters would in earlier days).

This gives you a very good chance at game spotting. Be sure to carry bedding and food, and mosquito repellent or you might find it easier to stay up than you thought!

Do carry sturdy and comfortable shoes for your nature walk, dull clothes, some warm and waterproof clothing, and mosquito repellent. Cameras and camcorders too are allowed into the park but the latter has to be accounted for with a ticket.

There are several restaurants outside the park including some fairly posh ones with great food and ambience. Inside the park it’s a different matter altogether.

The Rest Houses provide you with a cook but carry your own supplies. If you’re camping out on the observation tower the entire bedding and eating arrangement has to be yours.

Most visitors tour the park on the two-hour boat rides around Periyar Lake. Rather than the larger sized public boats, which proportionately dim your chances of actually seeing game, go for a smaller private boat, which would correspondingly tilt the odds in your favour.

Early morning and dusk are the best times for wildlife. In the afternoons they all tend to disappear into the shade of the thick forests.

A morning ‘trek’ is another great way of doing some serious game watching. A knowledgeable guide will take you to all the hot spots and point out anything interesting like pug marks (if you are really lucky) or chital droppings.

Some hotels offer more serious treks into the forest that a keen enthusiast will enjoy.

Getting There and Around: The nearest airport is not in Kerala but at Madurai (140 km) in Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, Thekkady is closest to the Kochi international airport (190 km). The nearest railhead is Kottayam from where it takes about 4 hours by bus, marginally lesser by car.

Buses to Periyar usually originate and terminate at Aranya Nivas, a posh hotel inside the Park. They do halt briefly at the town of Kumily, just outside Periyar.

The sanctuary is very well connected by bus to many towns in Kerala and neighbouring Tamil Nadu. There are bus connections from Ernakulam (6 hours), Kottayam (4 hours), Trivandrum (8 hours), Kovalam (9 hours), Munnar (4 ½ hours) and Kodaikanal (6 hours).

Jeep and elephant safaris are also a good perch from where to view the animal world. A little ‘encouragement’ from you would probably take the mahout off the beaten path to more rewarding locations.If you are staying outside the park then a rented bike or local bus will take you to the park’s entrance.

Contact us for Prior Booking at our 24 Hours desk on the following mobile Nos: +91-99428 99555 , 98424 30308 , 99425 87000 . Email Id : info@tourisminsouthindia.com, Fax No: 0422 - 2331605

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