{ India Tours } -- { Wildlife National Parks } -- { Periyar National Park }
Periyar National Park
About Periyar National Park
Periyar, a highly protected area, is Project Tiger reserve in the State of Kerala. Situated in the towering mountains of the Western Ghats along the border of Tamil Nadu, the protected area sprawls over an area of around 780 sq km. Declared a sanctuary in 1934, Periyar became the only Tiger Project in the state of Kerala in 1978 and later declared as a national park in 1982. Periyar is currently one of the most exciting biosphere reserves in the country with a large variety of flora and fauna. Thekkady is also another name of the park. Thick forests, lakes and an enthralling range of animals, birds and reptiles make it a tourist attraction for animal and nature lovers. A large herd of elephant is the main attraction. Wildlife Of Periyar National Park
More than 60 different species of mammals, including many endangered ones, have been spotted in the park. There are an estimated 30 tigers in the reserve. The Periyar lake attracts around 1000 Indian elephants. Other mammals found here include Bison, sambar (horse deer), mouse deer, barking deer, Dholes (Indian wild dogs), mongoose, foxes and leopards. Rarely found are the elusive Nilgiri tahr. Four species of primates are found at Periyar. Among the avian residents are over 300 different kinds including cormorants, darters, kingfishers, the great Malabar hornbill and racket-tailed Drongos. 45 different kinds of reptiles can also be found in the protected area.
Flora Of The Park
Evergreen or semi-evergreen rain forests cover 3/4th of the entire protected area, with typically tall tropical tree species such as Cullenia exarillata, etc. Damp leaves forest, Eucalyptus plantation and grassland can be found. The Periyar artificial lake as well as the Periyar River and Pamba rivers make up the waterbodies. A variety of flora including flowering plants and ferns can also be found.
Added Attraction of Periyar
Cradomom Hills: Periyar and Kumily are the most convenient points from which visitors can easily explore Kerala’s eternal beautiful Cardamom hills.
Kumily: Situated just 5-kms from Periyar, Kumily, well-known for spice trade, is soon becoming a popular tourist place. Kottayam (120 km) and the temple town of Madurai (140) km) would be worth a visit.
Boat Cruises: Cruising on boats along the Periyar lake can be a marvellous experience as you can spot a family of Elephants, Wild Boar, and Sambar Deer by the water’s edge. Best time to visit:
The ideal months to visit the park are from October to June as the weather is cool and pleasant. Heavy rainfall can deter one's journey in the months of July and August.
How to reach:
By Airways: Nearest Airport is Madurai in Tamil Nadu (140 km) and Kochi or Cochin in Kerala (200 km).
By Railways: Nearest railway station is Kottayam (115 km).
By Roadways: You can drive down from Thiruvananthapuram which is 270 km away. The other approach roads are from the cities of Cochin (200 km), Kottayam (115 km), and Madurai (140 km).
