Periyar Sanctuary- Kerala

Situated in the districts of Idduki and Pathanamthitta in southern state of Kerala, Periyar Sanctuary is a very famous Elephant and Tiger Reserve of India. The protected area is spread over 925 sq km. The core zone of the protected area was declared as a Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in 1982. Also known as “Thekkady” the park is situated in the Cardamom and Pandalam hills of the Western Ghats.

The sanctuary is regarded as one of the most picturesque places to visit for the nature lovers in the country. The mountain ranges surrounding the region award supreme beauty to the sanctuary area. Periyar and Pamba Rivers originate from the dense forests of this astonishing wildlife sanctuary. Boating facility is available to the visitors, which is one of the best ways to relish the beauty of the sanctuary and also spot some amazing birds and animals.

However, the core area of the sanctuary is not accessible to the visitors. The world famous temple of Sabarimala visited by millions of pilgrims annually is a huge attraction around the Periyar Sanctuary area.

The flora and fauna found in the Periyar Sanctuary is of the supreme variety as in other parts of the “God’s own country”, Kerala. The summers are very hot here, thus nature enthusiasts should visit the place in the period of October to June, which is probably when the weather is just fine.

The major area of the sanctuary is covered by Evergreen Rainforests. The tree species of Vateria Indica, Hopea Parviflora, Canarium Strictum, Artocarpus Hirsutus and Bischofia Javanica are found here in plenty. The sanctuary is also very renowned for being a home to around 350 species of plants that are rich in medicinal qualities.

The fauna found in the region include Gaur, Sambar, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Dholes, Kingfishers, Darters, Python, and King Cobra. The fishes include Trout, Salmon and others are also found in the rivers in the Periyar Sanctuary. There are around 160 varieties of butterflies in the sanctuary area.

The nearest airport is at Cochin. Kottayam is the nearest major railhead while tourists can reach the Periyar Sanctuary by road. Kumily is the nearest town from the sanctuary.