Location : Kerala
Major Attractions : Elephant, Tiger
Best time to Visit : October to June


About Periyar National Park
Situated in God's own country Kerala, Periyar National Park, also known as Thekkady Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most picturesque wildlife habitats in the country. It is an ideal place to watch giant Elephants frolicking on the banks of lake Periyar along with other numerous species of animals and birds. Recently made a part of project tiger, it has done wonders to the Tiger population in the region with the population of these striped predators continuously on the rise. The terrain is a mix of hilly and flat areas with most of the area being occupied by moist deciduous type vegetation.

The dry months of March and April is the ideal time when you can watch animals drinking water on the banks of lake Periyar. An ideal way to spot the animals is to take a motor boat ride in the lake or get up on one of the watch towers set up at various points in Periyar. It is probably your best chance of spotting a tiger or a leopard.

Wildlife Attractions in Periyar National Park
While elephants are the most popular residents of Periyar, there are plenty of other animals that call the place home including the tiger, leopard, barking deer, nilgiri langur, sambhar, squirrels, wild boar and nilgiri tahr. The best way to spot these animals is an early morning safari by the lake side.

Besides animals, Periyar also houses over 250 species of colorful avians which include such fascinating animals as the cormorants, grey herons, wood pigeons, kites, blue winged parakeets, mynahs, ibises and orioles. The acres of deciduous forests provide ideal nesting grounds for these birds.

Stay At
Periyar National Park offers a number of quality accommodation options for the visitors. The best staying options in and around Periyar include Taj Garden Retreat (located on the boundaries of Periyar National Park, the resort boasts of 32 cottage style well appointed rooms), Spice Village (located just outside Periyar, the resort offers 52 huts including 5 luxury suites), Lake Palace Hotel (the luxury hotel provides 6 deluxe rooms and good quality food) and Aranya Nivas (the luxury resort run by Kerala Tourism Development Corporation offers a multi-cuisine restaurant and a large swimming pool).

Getting There
By Air : Cochin is the nearest and most convenient airport, connected by daily Indian Airlines flight to most of the major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai. Madurai is another airport located at an easily approachable distance from Periyar.

By Rail : Kottayam is the nearest major railhead which is conveniently connected to major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai. From

Kottayam, one can board a bus or hire a taxi to reach Periyar.

By Road : State transport buses connect Periyar to all the major neighbouring cities in and around Kerala. Taxis can also be hired from most of the neighbouring cities. Some of the distances to Periyar from neighbouring cities are Bangalore (497 Km), Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) (271 Km), Kottayam (119 Km) and Cochin (200 Km).

Important Information for Visitors

• Boat rides are offered in lake Periyar several times a day, the timings for the same are 7, 9, and 11 AM & 2, 4 PM.
• Entry to the park is through Thekkady village.
• Entry fee to the park is Rs. 25 for Indians and Rs. 300 for foreigners.
• The park remains open everyday from 6 AM to 6 PM.