Periyar Map
Introduction
The Periyar wildlife Sanctuary at Thekkady is an important tourist attraction. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the largest and most visited wildlife reserves in India. It occupies 777 square kilometres of the Cardamom hills regions of the Western Ghats. The majority of its visitors come in the hope of seeing tigers and leopards. However, there are plenty of other animals : elephant, sambar, Malabar giant suirrel, gaur, stripe-necked mongoose, wild boar and over 260 species of birds including Nilgiri wood pigeon, purple-headed parakeet, tree pie and flycatchers. It is situated on the Periyar lake in the hills of Western Ghats and is the finest sanctuary for viewing & photographing Indian wild elephants
| Area | 777 sq km |
| Altitude | 100 to 2019 metres above sea level |
| Temperature | Summer-16.0 C-31.0 C Winter-10.0 C-20.0C |
| Language | Tamil, English,Malayalam |
| STD Code | 0423 |
| Rainfall | 3000 mm average yearly |
| Best Time to Visit | September to May |
How to get there
- Air :-Nearest airport is Madurai- 140 kms connected with Madras, Trichy & Bangalore.
- Rail:-Nearest railhead is Bodinayakanur 67 kms but however Kottayam (114 kms) is the convenient railhead.
- Road:-Cochin- 190 kms, Idikki- 66 kms, Kodaikanal- 160 kms, Madurai- 145 kms, Munnar- 113 kms, Trivandrum- 272 kms, Kottayam- 114 kms.
Places to Visit
| Wild Life sanctuary | Kumily | Murikkady | Pandikuzhi |
| Cradomom Hills |
Excursion
| Madurai | Kottayam | Forest Arubi creek |
Shopping
In Kumily, close to Periyar, you will find majority of souvenir/craft shops. The best buys are - Silk scarves and paintings, jewelery, ornaments and trinkets.
Accommodation
| Hotel Spice Village | Taj Garden Retreat | Lake Palace |