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Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
🐅 Wildlife🦌 National Park📍 Boating

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Thekkady, Kerala, India

4.5 (0)
Overview

Elephants swim and gaur graze around a century-old artificial lake ringed by cardamom hills — explored by boat cruise, bamboo raft and guided treks with reformed poachers turned rangers, in one of South India's finest reserves at Thekkady.

Why visit: Watch wild elephants from a boat, then trek with ex-poacher naturalists.

History: The lake was created by the 1895 Mullaperiyar Dam; the forest around it became a sanctuary in 1934 under Travancore royalty and a Project Tiger reserve in 1978.

Things to do
  • ›Morning boat cruise on Periyar Lake
  • ›Border-hiking or bamboo-rafting with tribal trackers
  • ›Night jungle patrol with forest watchers
  • ›Tour spice plantations and a kalaripayattu show in Kumily
Boat SafariTrekkingSpice Tour
Location & MapDirections
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Travel Information

Best time

Oct–Feb

Entry fee

₹45 (Indians), ₹500 (foreigners) + boat ₹300

Hours

6 am–6 pm

Est. budget

₹1000–4000

Duration

1–2 days

Nearby attractions

Within
9.1 km
💎 Hidden Gem📍 Nature
4.4

Gavi Eco-Tourism

Pathanamthitta, Kerala

The cardamom-forest hamlet made famous by 'Ordinary' — jeep safaris, canopy treks and lake canoeing deep inside Periyar's buffer.

Sep–May1–2 daysExplore
14.8 km
📍 Tiger Reserve
4.7

Thekkady (Periyar Tiger Reserve)

Kumily, Kerala

The lake-hearted tiger forest where boats drift past elephant herds — plus bamboo rafting, border treks and Kumily's spice gardens.

Sep–May2 daysExplore
17.8 km
📍 Temple
4.7

Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple

Pathanamthitta, Kerala

The forest shrine of Lord Ayyappa reached barefoot through Periyar's hills — one of the largest pilgrimages on earth each Mandala season.

Nov–Jan (Mandala-Makaravilakku)1–2 daysExplore
23.6 km
💧 Waterfall
4.2

Suruli Falls

Theni, Tamil Nadu

A two-stage 150-ft cascade in cardamom hills near Cumbum, sung in Silappathikaram, with 18-step cave shrines beside the spray.

Jun–Oct (flow), Oct–Jan2–3 hrsExplore