Periyar National Park

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Location: Kumily, Kerala, India
Area covered: 778 sq km
Main Wildlife Found: Elephant. Tiger, Leopard, Nilgiri Langur
Best time to visit: October to June
Places To Stay Taj Garden Retreat

About Periyar National Park
Situated within the confines of the Western Ghats in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve is one of the most captivating wildlife parks in the world. The picturesque lake in the heart of the sanctuary was originally 26 sq km but now spans an area of 55 sq km. This perennial source of water, which initially led to the submersion of large tracts of forestland, slowly attracted wild animals. It eventually resulted in the adjoining forests being granted protection by the Maharajah of Travancore.

Periyar (also Thekkady) is a park where one can witness playful pachyderms, whose population is currently around 800. The population of tigers is also increasing appreciably. The terrain ranges from hilly to flat grassland areas at the edges of the lakes. The vegetation is of moist deciduous type.

The months of March and April constitute the driest part of the year, because of which the animals spend a lot of time near the lake in the Periyar National Park. Even the tiger may be spotted approaching the waters in the Periyar National Park. Animals may be seen from motorboats on the lake or from watch towers set up in the Periyar National Park. There is a good chance of spotting an occasional tiger in this relatively peaceful corner at the Periyar National Park.

Wildlife Attraction in Periyar National Park
Elephant
While at Periyar you just cannot miss enjoying the Fauna. Periyar and elephants are synonymous and one cannot be thought of without the other. Herds of playful wild elephants have made Periyar Lake their favourite haunt for frolicking in the water. Scores of them can be witnessed bathing and swimming here. The Indian female elephants do not possess tusks like their African relatives. They are also not as swarthy as their African counterparts.
read more about Elephant

Avian Population
Some 260 species of birds are found at Periyar. These include darters, cormorants, ibises, grey herons, mynas, flycatchers, orioles, wood pigeons, kingfishers, kites, ospreys, thrushes, and an appreciable number of blue-winged parakeets.

Other Residents
Other inhabitants of Periyar include the leopard, wild dog, barking deer, mouse deer, Nilgiri langur (a primate), bonnet macaque, sambhar, porcupines, squirrels, gaur (Indian bison), wild boar, and sloth bear. There are approximately 40 tigers in the area as per the latest census. The tigers, along with the Nilgiri tahrs (a kind of a wild goat), are elusive creatures. However, an early morning visit, with luck on one's side, can yield positive results.

Fauna Attractions
The flora here is composed mainly of marshy grasslands. The forests are a mixture of grasslands, fire-resistant low-growth vegetation, deciduous forests, semi-evergreens, and tropical evergreens. It is good to be cautious of the blood-sucking leeches that are found in plenty here

Safaris
Boat rides offered on the Periyar lake provide you with the best chance of observing wild life. Sightings of large herds of elephants and other animals are quite frequent during boat rides. The timings for boat rides are 7, 9, 11 AM & 2, 4 PM.

Other Attractions
The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve offers plenty of opportunities for recreation and enjoyment. One can swim in the lake or get permits for angling that are easily available from the forest Officer in Thekkady. Boat rides on the lake are definitely a must, and motor launches are available throughout the day from 6 am to 4 pm. Exhilarating treks through the forest to the temple of Mangla Devi can also be organised. Lectures on wildlife preservation are organized regularly at the park and these can be of help in understanding the wild creatures and their environment. Late afternoon is just right for another walk down the lakeside. The evening walk along the lake is always tinged with forebodings of danger combined with exhilaration at being in such a beautiful place.

How to get there
By Air : The park is accessible from Kochi and Madurai airports. Indian Airlines operates daily Delhi-Cochin (8:00), Mumbai-Cochin (11:05), Bangalore-Cochin (13:00) and Chennai-Cochin flights

By Rsail : The nearest major rail junction to the Periyar National Park is Kottayam, connected to Delhi through the Kerala Exp. (11:30, Daily) to Mumbai through Kanyakumari Exp. (15:45, Daily) to Bangalore through Kanyakumari Exp. (22:00, Daily) and Chennai through Trivandrum Mail (20:00) & Trivandrum Exp. (16:15).

By Road : The Periyar National Park is well connected by bus service to the state capital Thiruvananthapuram (271 km). To access the place from Cochin, take the NH49 to Thripunithara. From there, state highway 15 will take you to Ettumanur via Keecherry, Thalayolaparambu and Vaikom. Take the SH1 to Kottayam and finally NH220 to Thekkady via Kanjirappally, Peermade, Vandiperiyar and Kumily.

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