thekkady periyar national park & wildlife sanctuary

Thekkady's Periyar National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary, with its outstanding scenic beauty and diverse range of wildlife, is the ideal illustration of nature's gift. The Periyar National Park is known as the best-protected sanctuary for elephants and tigers in the region of Kerala. In this blog, you will find everything you need to know for your visit to Periyar National Park.

Why should you visit Periyar National Park?

Periyar’s manmade lake, which has been around for 100 years, beautifies the park very well. Thekkady is mostly famous for its wild elephant population and its dense Western Ghats woods. Many of Periyar's deep valleys are covered in dense tropical evergreen trees, making it nearly impossible for sunlight to penetrate. Amazingly, these trees can reach heights of up to 130–140 feet when completely grown. Near the borders of the lake and other bodies of water, certain park areas include marshy grasslands. There are also scattered areas of semi-evergreen woodland throughout the park that serve as crucial cover for a variety of animal species. If you are all in for nature, Periyar National Park is definitely the place to be.

Periyar National Park's History:

An earlier dam known as Mullaperiyar was built over the west-flowing river Periyar during the reign of the Pandavas in the 12th century. As a result, an artificial lake is built in the spot that is now the sanctuary's center, greatly improving its attractiveness. The valley's features and surrounding terrain underwent a significant shift as a result of the construction of this lake.

The reserve, which presently makes up the majority of southern Kerala, served as the Travancore rulers' hunting grounds during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Best time to visit:

Periyar National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the very few national parks in India that is accessible year-round. Despite the fact that sightings change with the season, the park allows visitors and naturalists access year-round at set admission and exit times.

This national park is open 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The best times for bird-watching are at daybreak and dusk. Although, the best time to look for the big cats is in the afternoons. However, after 8 PM, the animal reserve is also open for night safaris.

Resorts to stay at:

Amritara Shalimar Spice Garden

A journey to Thekkady's mountains is a straightforward solution for Kerala's hot and muggy lowlands. Near the Periyar Tiger Reserve, at an elevation of 800 meters, is the Shalimar Spice Garden Resort. Here, life is straightforward, and the air is generally cool. The straw-covered houses are flanked by bright green spice plantations and trees covered in cardamom, nutmeg, and mangoes. This is definitely a place to add to your bucket list when visiting Thekkady.