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PERIYAR NATIONAL PARK – Kerala
The Periyar National Park is nestled among the Pandalam Hills and Cardamom Hills of the
south Western Ghats, situated close to the Tamil Nadu border. The park is spread over an area of
about 350 sq km. The national park is located at Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala. It was
declared a tiger reserve in the year 1978. In the year 1982, it was established as a national park. The
park is also popularly referred to as Thekkady or Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Fauna
Tigers and elephants are the most popular animals of the sanctuary. The animals that the tourists can sight here are the Nilgiri langur, Nilgiri tahr, Lion-tailed macaque, Dole, Barking deer, Gaur, etc. The reptile species of the sanctuary include Python, Monitor Lizards, King Cobra, etc.
Avian fauna
Cormorants, Darters, Racket-tailed drongoes, the great Malabar Hornbill, Kingfishers, etc. are the prominent avian fauna species here.
Flora
The prominent trees of Periyar National Park are sandalwoods, rosewoods, teak, mangoes, banyans, jamun, sacred fig, kino tree, sacred fig, bamboos and so on. The rare medicinal gloriosa lily is also found here in this park.
Getting there
The nearest bus terminal is located at Kumily. The nearby railhead is at Kottayam, about 114 km away. Madurai in Tamil Nadu (about 140 km away) and Kochi in Kerala (approximately 200 km) are the nearby airports.
Tourist information
Quality accommodation facilities are available at the Bamboo Grove rest house which is solely managed by the Kerala Forest Division. Boat safari is the only way to commute through the park. This is the only park national park in the country that remains open even during the monsoon season.
Bamboo rafting, hiking through the park, excursions on bullock carts to the local villages and tribal heritage sites, trekking and night time jungle expeditions are the popular eco-tourism activities that are organized by the park authorities for the visitors.
General information
Periyar National Park, Idukki, Thekkady, Kerala, India.
Ideal time to visit: October to June.
Entry timings: 6:00 am - 6:00 pm.
© Arked
Fauna
Tigers and elephants are the most popular animals of the sanctuary. The animals that the tourists can sight here are the Nilgiri langur, Nilgiri tahr, Lion-tailed macaque, Dole, Barking deer, Gaur, etc. The reptile species of the sanctuary include Python, Monitor Lizards, King Cobra, etc.
Avian fauna
Cormorants, Darters, Racket-tailed drongoes, the great Malabar Hornbill, Kingfishers, etc. are the prominent avian fauna species here.
Flora
The prominent trees of Periyar National Park are sandalwoods, rosewoods, teak, mangoes, banyans, jamun, sacred fig, kino tree, sacred fig, bamboos and so on. The rare medicinal gloriosa lily is also found here in this park.
Getting there
The nearest bus terminal is located at Kumily. The nearby railhead is at Kottayam, about 114 km away. Madurai in Tamil Nadu (about 140 km away) and Kochi in Kerala (approximately 200 km) are the nearby airports.
Tourist information
Quality accommodation facilities are available at the Bamboo Grove rest house which is solely managed by the Kerala Forest Division. Boat safari is the only way to commute through the park. This is the only park national park in the country that remains open even during the monsoon season.
Bamboo rafting, hiking through the park, excursions on bullock carts to the local villages and tribal heritage sites, trekking and night time jungle expeditions are the popular eco-tourism activities that are organized by the park authorities for the visitors.
General information
Periyar National Park, Idukki, Thekkady, Kerala, India.
Ideal time to visit: October to June.
Entry timings: 6:00 am - 6:00 pm.
© Arked