Home to the country’s largest Tiger Reserve- Periyar, Thekkady is a great way to enjoy a jungle vacation. Periyar National Park, being a major attraction, is one place where you can enjoy bamboo rafting in the catchment area of Mullaiperiyar […]
Home to the country’s largest Tiger Reserve- Periyar, Thekkady is a great way to enjoy a jungle vacation.
Periyar National Park, being a major attraction, is one place where you can enjoy bamboo rafting in the catchment area of Mullaiperiyar Dam, hiking, and in the midst of the wilderness, shopping! Popular for its good eating joints, you can also enjoy its vast stretches of spice gardens and various adventure sports. You can also enjoy a night trek in the wilderness of Periyar. The early morning ride in the boat within the sanctuary is an extremely awesome experience and you might be able to spot wild elephants, bisons, wild boars, various kinds of birds, etc. Anakarra is also located nearby which is a great place to enjoy nature. Murikaddy is located around 5 km from the city and is famous for coffee and spices plantations. Chellar Kovil is another area located nearby with a lot of picturesque waterfalls and cascades. Mangala Devi Temple, located at an altitude of 1337 m and at a distance of around 15km from Thekkady opens only on the Chitra Pournami Festival.
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Flora and Fauna
Thekkady boasts an amazing and diverse range of unique wildlife, with mountains glistering over boundless waters the picturesque habitat is known worldwide as home to a wide population of Indian Elephants. It also owns what is often referred as ‘the pride of Kerala’ – The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary which has been rooted as one of the largest and most visited wildlife reserves in India. The sanctuary is spread across an area of 777 square kilometres, and with a tiger reserve within its perimeters, it nurtures a splendid habitat for the fauna. A highly protective elephant and tiger reserve have recorded 53 tigers and more than 900 elephants along with over 62 species of mammals thriving in the lush greens. Deer, mouse deer, dholes (Indian wild dogs) mongoose, foxes, and leopards are some commonly found mammals in Thekkady. It also has 300+ species of birds, 45 species of reptiles, 40+ varieties of fish and 160 types of insects. Situated on the bank of Periyar lake, the place has developed a wide variety of flora in its lush forests. Approximately 75 percent of the entire area is covered with evergreen or semi-evergreen rain forest with trees of bacteria indicia, Cullen exarillata, hope parviflora, canarium strictum, Artocarpus 104 hirsutus and bischofite javanica. It has over 2000 species of flowering plants, 170 species of ferns and 145 types of orchids recorded that are often studied and used as resources by locals. With activities like tiger trails and bamboo rafting, one can explore the greens of this place with ease.
Restaurants and Local Food in Thekkady
Thekkady has a bite for everyone from local snacks and cuisine cooked in fresh coconut oil to a number of keralan delicacies representing the rich and exotic food culture of Kerala. A variety of fish preparations can also be indulged in here.
