Periyar Tour

Set high in the ranges of the Western Ghats, in Kerala, is the Periyar famous for its National Park and Tiger Reserve. The park has a picturesque lake at the heart of the sanctuary. Formed with the building of a dam in 1895, this reservoir meanders around the contours of the wooded hills, providing a perennial source of water for the local wildlife. Herds of elephant and sambar, gaur and wild pigs wander down to the lakeside and can be observed from the launches that cruise the lake. In March and April, during the driest period here, the animals spend a lot of time near the lake and the elephants can be seen bathing and swimming in the reservoir.

A glimpse may be had even of the tiger during this season, as it comes to the water. Periyar also harbors the leopard, wild dog, barking deer and mouse deer. On the rocky outcrops along the lake, monitor lizards can be seen basking in the sun. Visitors who trek into the Park often see a python and sometimes even a king cobra. Although an excursion on the splendid artificial lake is the standard way to experience the sanctuary, you can also walk around with the local guide in a small group. Wild Elephant herds come to the lake to frolic in the water. There are boat services which takes the visitor around the lake. The best season to visit the park is between October and June.

Prime Attractions in Periyar

The Periyar Lake
A boat ride on the lake will make your Periyar tour absolutely fantastic. Sighting the elephants from the boat is very easy, as they come in herds near the lake to frolic in the water. The lake is also the most ideal place to watch the birds. So take a boat ride and enjoy the picturesque surroundings of the lake.

The Animals
Periyar is a veritable paradise of elephants. Herds of playful wild elephants can be seen near the Periyar lake, their favorite haunt for frolicking in the water. Periyars wildlife variety includes the tiger, sambar, barking deer, mouse deer, the Nilgiri langur, wild dog, porcupine, lion tailed macaque, Malabar squirrel and sloth bear. There are approximately 40 tigers in the area as per the latest reports.

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

How to Reach Periyar
Air : The nearest airport is Madurai (140km).
Rail : The nearest major rail junction is Kottayam.
Road : Easily accessible by road from towns in Kerala.
The park is well connected by metalled road from the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram (271 km), as well as the cities of Cochin (200 km), Kottayam (117 km), and Madurai (140 km).

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