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A Few Must Know
Facts ? |
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Area : Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, also an important tiger reserve, is
sprawled over an area of 777 sq-km in the southern state of India, Kerala.
» Climate : In Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary the
temperature during summers (April. June) ranges from 21°C to 24°C.
Winter season lasts from October to March and is cool and pleasant. During
the monsoon (July. August), the temperature ranges from 19°C to 21°C.
Annual rainfall received by Periyar is around 2030mm. The southwest monsoon
lasts from June to August/September, with maximum precipitation occurring in
July-August. High rainfall also occurs during the northeast monsoon.
» When to Visit : The best time to visit Periyar is
between October and June.
» Nearest Town : Kumily is the nearest town from
Periyar, just 4 km away from Periyar.
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A Rendezvous With
Periyar ? |
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is located high in the ranges of the
Western Ghats, in the south Indian state of Kerala. Periyar National Park
was declared a Tiger reserve in the year 1972 and is one of the most visited
wildlife reserves in south India. Periyar has a dense tropical forest dotted
with deciduous and semi-evergreen tall trees. There's also a picture perfect
lake at the heart of the sanctuary, which provides excellent boat rides
within the park. This reservoir is the major source of water to the wildlife
residing in the Sanctuary. Some major wildlife attractions at Periyar are,
Elephants, Tiger, Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Langur. Tourists from all over come
to Periyar specially to view the Indian elephants, roaming freely in the
Sanctuary in the groups.
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Sightseeing in
Periyar ? |
» The Flora : The Periyar National park is
rich in flora. The forest at Periyar is covered by vast grasslands, tropical
deciduous and semi-evergreen trees.
» The Fauna : The animals you will find here are
Elephants, Nilgiri Tahr, Tigers, Gaur, Wild Pigs, Sambar, Barking Deer,
Mouse Deer, Dole or Indian Wild Dog. There are, now, an estimated 40 tigers
in the Periyar national Park. Four species of primates found at Periyar are
- the rare lion-tailed macaque, the Nilgiri Langur, Common Langur And Bonnet
Macaque.
» The Avifauna : The bird life includes - Darters,
Cormorants, Kingfishers, the great Malabar Hornbill and racket-tailed
Drongoes.
» The Reptiles : The reptilian population boasts of
Monitor Lizards that can be seen basking in the sun, on the rocks along the
lakeshore. Visitors who trek into the Periyar national park often see a
Python and sometimes even a King Cobra.
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The Park Trip ? |
Either
go for an elephant ride or take a boat cruise. Both will offer you some best
view apart from an enthralling experience of boat cruise and elephant ride.
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Excursions From
Periyar ? |
Other attraction near the sanctuary are - Alleppey, Cradomom Hills,
Kumily, Boat Cruises, backwaters of Kerala. The best one is of course the
backwaters of Kerala.
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Getting There ? |
» By Air : Kochi (Cochin) airport at 200 km
or Madurai airport in Tamil Nadu at a distance of 140 km, are the nearest
airports from the Sanctuary. Cochin Airport is also an international airport
with regular connections with other Indian cities as well as the cities in
the Gulf countries. Taxis are easily available at the airport by which you
can reach your destination.
» By Rail : Kottayam (114 km) is the nearest
railhead from the national park. Periyar is connected with most of the
cities in the region as well as other parts of the country with regular
trains. One can hire a taxi form the railhead to reach one's destination.
» By Road : Kumily, the nearest town from Periyar is
well served by both state and private buses from Kottayam, Ernakulam and
Madurai in Tamil Nadu. The park is well connected by 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).
» By Boat : The Periyar Park is set amidst the
network of lakes and the only way to move around from one part to another
part is on boats. Motorboats ply inside the park and as free movement is not
permitted in the park area, the services of a guide are required.
» Private Vehicles : We operate well maintained
luxury and budget category cars and coaches throughout India. Contact us
before starting your trip to India to make your travel to India more and
more satisfying.
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Anchoring In
Periyar ? |
Periyar
is one of the most important wildlife sanctuaries in India, famous for its
rich vegetation, wide variety of animals and most importantly a declared
Tiger reserve. This sanctuary experiences heavy rains which adds to the
greenery of the sanctuary. The chances of favourable wildlife sightings
increase when the animals come down to the relish the water of the lake.
Boating in the lake offers the best opportunity to see wildlife at close
quarters. Boats are available on inquiry at the ticket counter near the boat
landing as well as the counter at Hotel Aranya Nivas. Guided Trekking is
arranged on request at the boat landing. Along with this, enthralling
Elephant rides are also available, which provide some of the best views.
But while moving around the sanctuary, visitors must take care of a few
things. This national park is considered as a heritage of the country and so
the tourists should not litter things here and there. To help keep Periyar
clean and green should be their prime concern. The tourists can also listen
to every sound of the mysterious forest and its residents.
Now, if you want your tour to the sanctuary planned in an organized manner
with all the comforts included, then book with us. We provide some excellent
services for wildlife trips, right from arranging for your stay and pick up
from your place to providing you an expert guide. So, all you need to do is
enjoy the tour to the fullest with out any pains.
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Accommodation ? |
There are numerous accommodation facilities here. The facilities
ranges from luxurious to budget category. KTDC operates two wildlife resorts
which are located within the sanctuary – Aranya Nivas and Periyar House
besides Lake Palace (in the midst of the lake) – a Taj tourist resort.
periyar
wildlife sanctuary
