The dam is at the foot of the Nelliampathi hills. From here, the road winds up for the next 17 km, with many hairpin turns on the way. Immediately after Pothundy dam, comes the government forest, where one can see massive teak trees. The road is very narrow and requires a skilled driver behind the wheel. On the way, one can see wild animals like monkey, deer and porcupine. The view of the Pothundy dam from the height is a breathtaking sight. There will be many waterfalls by the roadside during the rainy season.

HILL STATIONS OF KERALA – NELLIAMPATHI

Fauna of Nelliampathi Hills

Located at the southern tip of the Palakkad gap, the Nelliampathi hills are known for their exquisite fauna. About 215 species of birds and 90 species of butterflies have been recorded in these hills. Some of the rare species of birds include Grey-breasted Laughing Thrush, Great Pied Hornbill, Jerdon’s Baza, Great Black Woodpecker, Oriental Broad-billed Roller, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Broad-tailed Grassbird and Nilgiri Pipit. Primates including Lion-tailed Macaque, Bonnet Macaque and Nilgiri Langur are seen here. A small population of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr is also seen in the grassy peaks.

HILL STATIONS OF KERALA – NELLIAMPATHI

Places near Kaikatty

There are many places worth seeing near Kaikatty. One such place is Kesavanpara, which offers a panoramic view of the land below. The tea producer A.V.Thomas & Company has a large tea garden under its Manalaroo Estate nearby. Manalaroo Estate is the highest yielding Tea estate in India. One can buy fresh tea from their garden outlet in their factory. The Orange and Vegetable Farm, run by the Government of Kerala has its office and farm near Kaikatty. The Farm sells squashes and jams of fruits like pineapple, orange, passion fruit and guava. Vegetables like brinjal, bean, chilly and spinach are also sold. Further ahead, there is another tea garden and factory owned by Veekay Tea Company under its Chandramala Estate. All the tea and coffee plantations were originally started by the British. These were later on sold to the natives. The British were very conscious and responsible about the ecology of the area, utilizing the natural resources and only what was absolutely necessary.

HILL STATIONS OF KERALA – NELLIAMPATHI

The houses built by the British for themselves and their managers were constructed taking into consideration, the cold climate of the region. The walls and floors are wood lined to provide insulation, with fireplace to provide heating. They also maintained good gardens in front of these houses.

Another famous tourist attraction is the Seetharkundu. It is believed that Rama, Lakshmana and Sita of the epic Ramayana had lived in the place and Sita used to offer worship with the water from a small stream. This is the Seetarkundu, which can be viewed from the top of the mountains. At a distance, the Chulliyar dam, the Meenkara dam and the town of Kollengode can be seen.

HILL STATIONS OF KERALA – NELLIAMPATHI

Even though the place is far away from the town, there is excellent communication facility provided by the Telephone exchange of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). The telephone exchange is of the latest digital technology, connected to the outside world by optical fiber cable. A mobile network tower has been installed with phone network coverage throughout the ghat sections. The ghat road which was very narrow and scary is being widened. The workers in the plantations are mostly of Tamil origin. They are provided with labor quarters comprising of four to five units in one line, ‘padi’ in local language. Manalaroo Estate runs a school and a hospital for the workers and their children.

Boarding and Lodging

At Kaikatty, there is a government run guest house with boarding and lodging facility. Reservation for lodging can be made in advance. Both vegetarian and non vegetarian foods are available.

The only public transport to the outside world is the bus service run by Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). These buses ply between Palakkad and Nelliampathi. There is also a KSRTC bus service from Nemmara. Within the hill areas, one has to depend on the taxi jeeps for transport. Essential items like grocery and vegetables are transported from Nemmara by jeeps.

How to reach there

Nearest Airports: Cochin International Airport and Coimbatore Airport

From Cochin Airport: Come to Thrissur – 30 km; take a taxi or bus from Thrissur bus stand to Nemmara – 48 km.
From Coimbatore Airport: Come to Palakkad – 50 km; take a taxi or bus to Nemmara – 30 km.
From Nemmara you can take a taxi or a four wheeler vehicle (jeep) to Neliiampathi.

Referred to as the heaven on earth, exotic and pristine, Marayoor is a unique place where beauty meets adventure. The enchanting tourist destination of Marayoor offers diversity in every aspect of the land and culture…… hamlets, rocky hills, rivers, brooks, cave temples, paddy and sugar cane fields, waterfalls, sandal wood and bamboo forests.

Marayoor, a Rain Shadow Village on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, is 40 kms from Munnar on the Udumalapet road. It holds a lot of nature’s blessing to be unfolded before its visitors.It’s also a unique place where tourism meets adventure. The fresh mountain air, the mist-clad hills and panoramic view make it worthy of a visit.By travelling either from Marayur to Munnar or from Munnar to Marayur, one can feel the enchanting beauty of nature’s blessing to be remembered for life time.

The enchanting beauty of Marayoor offers diversity in every aspect of the land and culture. Hamlets, rocky hills, rivers, brook, cave temples, sugar cane fields, waterfalls,Neolithic period’s stone coffins, sandal wood and bamboo forests are all in store for the visitor. It is the only place in Kerala having a natural growth of sandal wood trees. The rare Neelakurinji flower is native to this region.

Situated in the district of Idukki in Kerala whose major portion of the geographical area lies in the high lands and is characterized by high rainfall and a cool climate. Idukki is one of the few districts in Kerala that does not boast of having a sea coast. The total geographical area of the district sprawls over an area of 5150 sq.km., which is 13 percent of the total area of the state.

Marayoor comes under Devikulam block- Several notes are found in history and epics about this area. It is believed that, Lord Sriram and Sitadevi visited this place during ‘Vanavasam’. The name ‘Devikulam’ took its origin from Sitadevi and it is believed that she took bath in a pond here. In the great epic Mahabharatha, this area has also been cited. It is said that, ‘Pandavas’ had stayed in the area during their ‘Vanavasam’ and so the place was named as ‘Maranjirunnaoor’. Now the place is known as ‘Marayur‘.

People of Marayoor

PEOPLE: Most of the people migrated from nearby state Tamil Nadu to this area when the Madurai King Thirumalainaicker was defeated by Tippu Sultan. The Migrated people created five villages namely Kanthalloor, Keezhanthur, Karayur, Marayur and Kottakudi. These villages were called ‘Anju Nadu’. During the British period this block was under Periyakulam taluk. British administration introduced plantation crops like rubber, coffee, tea, cardamom etc.

Now plantation crops are grown predominantly in Devikulam block. Labourers from Tamil Nadu were brought here to work in these plantations. As a result migration of hundreds of Tamil families took place. A mixture of Tamil and Kerala cultures is prevalent here. Apart from Malayalees and Tamils,hilly tribes can be found in some areas of the block.

ATTRACTIONS: Marayoor -the pristine, heavenly and unexplored tourist spot is comparable to Munnar (the most sought after hill stations in India)in every respect and has now become well known as the real beauty with adventure .

The road from Rajamala to Marayoor is flanked by lush green tea estates. There are occasional waterfalls. Then comes the sandalwood forest. First, the trees come one by one, and then these turn into a sea. The air is cool and one comes under the rain shadow.

Descending the hill, one can see cane crops dancing in the wind. A children’s park formed under the canopy of a single banyan tree spreads across a hectare of land and is a wonderful sight. Then there is the Thoovanam Waterfalls where one can spend endless hours romancing with nature. The Rajiv Gandhi National Park nearby is also an attraction.

Muniyara’s at Marayoor

Muniyaras : After reaching Marayoor comes the spot Muniyaras, or the stone coffins, which date back to the Neolithic period. The legendary wanderings of ‘Rama and Sita’ and the ‘Pandavas’ are clearly depicted here.Caves, paintings and under ground tunnels are also found here.

Stone Coffins : The stone coffins are everywhere – they are stone slabs resembling crudely-made boxes, resting on vertical rocks. Descending the hill one can see cane crop dancing in the wind.

Children’s Park : A children’s park formed under the canopy of a single Banyan tree spreads across a hectare of land and is a wonderful sight. Then there is the Thoovanam Waterfalls where one can spend endless hours romancing with the nature. A park named Rajiv Gandhi National Park is also nearby.

Sandalwood Forest : Marayoor is the only place in Kerala with a natural growth of sandalwood trees. The sandalwood factory run by the Forest Department is of tourist interest.A reduced rainfall is more suitable for the growth of the best types of sandalwood trees from which good quality oil can also be extracted.

Compared to the neighbouring states like Tamilnadu and Karnataka (especially the forests of Mysore), Kerala has less acres of sandalwood forests. Kerala’s share of sandal wood trees is confined to Marayoor and a few forest areas in Wayanad hills.

The sandalwood oil otherwise called the “liquid gold” is a popular perfume, especially among the elite.An inevitable cosmetic of the elite, the sandal oil called the “liquid gold” is a popular perfume . Most of the government handicrafts emporium in Kerala have this item for sale. One such is the SMSM Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, where you can buy 50 ml oil for Rs.1243/-. Sandalwood oil produced by a few private agencies are also sold here, after testing its quality by the government’s research cell.Sandalwood oil is extracted from the roots and wood of sandalwood (Santalum album).

The Rain Shadow Village,’the heaven on earth’,lies in the eastern side of the Western Ghats and is bordered by the neighbouring state Tamil Nadu. Most of the tribals are primarily engaged in agriculture.

http://www.backtokerala.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=19&message=1

Thoovanam Waterfalls : The spectacular thoovanam waterfalls and the Rajiv Gandhi National Park gives its visitors a memorable visit.The rare Neelakurinji is native to this region. Neelakurinji is an exotic flowering plant that paints the hills blue when it blossoms once every 12 years.

Thoovanam Waterfalls

WILDLIFE: Idukki district has at present about 260907 hectars of forest area. However, the sylvan wealth of the district and the animal life are fast disintegrating due to deforestation, indiscriminate felling of trees, encroachment and poaching.

All kinds of wild animals with the exception of lions abound in the forests of Idukki.The grasslands of Peerumedu are a haven of carnivores like the tiger and the leopard. Bison, wild bear, languor and monkeys are a few of the other common denizens of the jungle.

The Thar (striped goat) is peculiar to this region including Marayur and Rajamala and is seldom seen anywhere else in the world. The forests of Idukki resound during day time with the sweet voices of birds. These include the small wild parrots, mynas, red horned sparrows and a host of other nondescript species.

The valuable trees growing in the forests are teak, rosewood, deodars, sandalwood etc.The Forest Department has reared large Eucalyptus Plantations in the hilly tracts.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

KANTAHLLOOR LAND OF APPLE CULTIVATION : A veritable land of fruits and vegetables, Kanthalloor sports farms full of ripe apples, plums, pomegranates etc. not commonly seen in Kerala.There is no need for any one to go to Ootty or Kashmir to see the cultivation of apples.

At 5000 ft above sea level, Kanthalloor offers congenial atmosphere for the cultivation of apples. Although its skin is a bit thick, the Kanthalloor apples are rather sweet. The cultivation is done with minimum use of chemical fertilizers.

Guava, gooseberry, orange, eggfruits, peach, passion fruit etc are grown a plenty here. Non-Kerala vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, beans, potato, beetroot, garlic etc are also cultivated here. The produce is taken to wholesale centers in Tamil Nadu from where they are distributed to different markets in Kerala.

MUNNAR : At an altitude of 6000 ft, Munnar is the only hill station in south India that lies snuggled in the high ranges of Western Ghats at the confluence of three mountain streams – Mudrapuzha, Nallathani and Kundala. The spectacular vista of cloud kissed rolling hills carpeted with tea plantations, rivulets dancing through green meadows and the colonial British settlements of the town make this place an ideal get away from the rigorous strain of daily life.

Chinnar Wildlife | Lion-tailed Macaque

CHINNAR : Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is a well-known reserve that extends over an area of 90 sq km. Recognized as a wildlife sanctuary in 1984, it lies in the rain shadow region of the Western Ghats. As a result, Chinnar gets only about 48 rainy days in a year during the months of October and November when Northeast monsoons are at work.

Chinnar is located 60 km from Munnar in the direction of Udumalpetta. From Marayur jeeps, scooter rickshaws or buses can be boarded for the sanctuary visit. Once past Marayur, the organised neat looking plantations give way to more wild and natural surroundings.

Wildlife at Chinnar includes elephants, gaurs, spotted deer, sambar deer, leopards, langurs, peacocks, and many other species of animals and birds. Tigers are also present in these forests but are rarely seen. The most spectacular of all the animals here is the Giant Grizzled Squirrel which is on the verge of extinction in most parts of India.

GEOGRAPHY : Marayoor is situated in the district of Idukki in Kerala. The major portion of the geographical area of Idukki district lies in the high lands and is characterized by high rainfall and a cool climate. Idukki is one of the few districts in Kerala that does not boast of having a sea coast. The total geographical area of the district sprawls over an area of 5150 sq.km, which is 13 percent of the total area of the state.

TEMPERATURE

Winter (can go down to 8 oC)
Summer (can go up to 30oC)

It is a rain shadow village,reffered to as the heaven on earth and it lies in the eastern side of the Western Ghats and is bordered by the neighbouring state Tamil Nadu.The place is occupied by tribals most of whom are primarily engaged in agriculture.

REACHING MARAYOOR: Marayoor is one of the main towns in the district of Idukki. This place can also be accessed from Pollachi / Palani in Tamilnadu and from Munnar. Tourists can find a good number of accommodation facilities at Marayur or in Munnar. Shopping facilities are rather basic at Marayoor but better at Munnar.

Munnar – Marayoor is 40 km
Munnar-Idukki is 55 km by road

The district is accessible only by road. The total extent of road mileage in the district is about 8000 Kms. of which only less than 1750 Kms are black topped. About 80% of roads are of lower type. National Highway NH 49 passes through the district.

Railway Station: Aluva railhead, is 120 km away. Ernakulam railhead is 173 km away.

Airport:Kochi international airport, about 150 km away.

Lion-Tailed Macaque

Silent Valley is home to the largest population of Lion-tailed Macaque. Public controversy over their habitat led to establishment of Silent Valley National Park.

Situated in the Kundali Hills, 40 Km from Mannarkkad, in the Western Ghats in Kerala, Silent Valley National Park is one of the few remaining pristine forest areas in the Western Ghats. It was declared a National Park in 1980 and is the core area of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Called Silent Valley because the loud calls of Cicadas heard elsewhere in this region are not heard here, Silent Valley has an amazing range of wildlife.

Tigers, deer, and mammals native to the South Indian Peninsula, such as the Nilgiri Langur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Lion-Tailed Macaque, Flying squirrel and Civet Cat are found in Silent Valley National Park. You can enjoy observing these rare animals and many more in Silent Valley National Park on a tour with Kerala backwater.

FLORA : The flora of the valley include about a 1000 species of flowering plants, 108 species of orchids, 100 ferns and fern allies, 200 liverworts, 75 lichens and about 200 algae. A majority Of these plants are endemic to the Western Ghats.

In addition to facilitating recharge of the aquifer, water retention of the catchment basin and preventing soil erosion, every plant in the park from the smallest one celled algae to the largest tree in the forest has unknown potential for beneficial innovations in biotechnology.

More than 100 butterflies species and 400 moth species have also been observed in Silent Valley National Park. Birds such as the Malabar Hornbill, Great Indian Hornbill, hoopoes, tree pie, barbets, crow pheasant, woodpeckers, rollers, drongoes, kingfishers and parakeets can be seen in abundance in Silent Valley National park. Many varieties of snakes, amphibians and lizards can also be seen in Silent Valley.

There are more than 110 species of plants in Silent Valley National Park, including many plants that are known for their medicinal properties. The best time to visit Silent Valley is from September to March, during the pleasant winter.

Flowering Plants : Angiosperm flora currently identified here include 966 species belonging to 134 families and 599 genera. There are 701 Dicotyledons distributed among 113 families and 420 genera. There are 265 Monocotyledons here distributed among 21 families and 139 genera. Families best represented are the Orchids with 108 species including the rare, endemic and highly endangered orchids Ipsea malabarica, Bulbophyllum silentvalliensis and Eria tiagii, Grasses (56), Legumes (55), Rubiaceae (49) and Asters (45). There are many rare, endemic and economically valuable species, such as cardamom Ellettaria cardamomum, black pepper Piper nigrum, yams Dioscorea spp., beans Phaseolus sp., a pest-resistant strain of rice Oryza Pittambi, and 110 plant species of importance in Ayurvedic medicine.[34] Seven new plant species have been recorded from Silent Valley, including in 1996, Impatiens sivarajanii, a new species of Balsaminaceae.

Trees : Occurrence of lion-tailed macaque is dependent on the flowering of Cullenia exarillata in the forest. Six distinct tree associations have been described in the valley. Three are restricted to the southern sector: (Cullenia exarillata & Palaquium ellipticum), (Palaquium ellipticum & Mesua ferrea(Indian rose chestnut) and (Mesua ferrea & Calophyllum elatum). The remainder are confined to the central and northern parts of the Park: (Palaquium ellipticum & Poeciloneuron indicum), (Calophyllum elatum & Ochlandra sp.) and (Poeciloneuron indicum & Ochlandra sp.).

A study of natural regeneration of 12 important tree species of Silent Valley tropical rain forests showed good natural regeneration of all 12 species. The species studied were Palaquium ellipticum, Cullenia exarillata, Poeciloneuron indicum, Myristica dactyloides, Elaeocarpus glandulosus, Litsea floribunda, Mesua nagassarium, Cinnamomum malabatrum, Agrostistachys meeboldii, Calophyllum polyanthum, Garcinia morella and Actinodaphne campanulata.

Recent selective felling of three trees per acre, has led to the cutting of 48,000 m³ of timber from about 20 km². There is a huge hollow Kattualying tree here which can fit 12 people inside.

Silent Valley National Park Birds

Birds : Birdlife International lists 16 bird species in Silent Valley as threatened or restricted: Nilgiri Wood-pigeon, Malabar Parakeet, Malabar Grey Hornbill, White-bellied Treepie, Grey-headed Bulbul, Broad-tailed Grassbird, Rufous Babbler, Wynaad Laughing Thrush, Nilgiri Laughing Thrush, White-bellied Shortwing, Black-and-rufous Flycatcher, Nilgiri Flycatcher, White-bellied Blue-flycatcher, Crimson-backed Sunbird and Nilgiri pipit.

Rare bird species found here include Ceylon Frogmouth and Great Indian Hornbill. The 2006 winter bird survey discovered Long-legged Buzzard, a new species of raptor at Sispara, the park’s highest peak.

The survey found 10 endangered species recorded in the IUCN Red List including the Red winged crested cuckoo, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Pale harrier. The area is home to 15 endemic species including the Black-and-orange Flycatcher. It recorded 138 species of birds including 17 species that were newly observed in the Silent Valley area. The most abundant bird was the Black bulbul.

GAUR | Silent Valley National Park Birds

Mammals : Gaur, largest of all wild cattle.There are at least 34 species of mammals at Silent Valley including the threatened Lion-tailed Macaque, Niligiri Langur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Nilgiri Tahr, Peshwa’s Bat (Myotis peshwa) and Hairy-winged Bat. There are nine species of bats, rats and mice.

Distribution and demography of all diurnal primates were studied in Silent Valley National Park and adjacent areas for a period of three years from 1993 to 1996. Fourteen troops of lion-tailed macaque, eighty-five troops of Nilgiri langur, fifteen troops of bonnet macaque and seven troops of Hanuman langur were observed. Of these, the Nilgiri langur was randomly distributed, whereas the lion-tailed macaque troops were confined to the southern sector of the Park. Bonnet macaques and Hanuman langurs were occasional visitors. The Silent Valley forest remains one of the most undisturbed viable habitats left for the endemic and endangered primates lion-tailed macaque and Nilgiri langur.

The tiger, leopard (panther), leopard cat, jungle cat, fishing cat, Common Palm Civet, Small Indian Civet, Brown Palm Civet, Ruddy Mongoose, Stripe-necked Mongoose, Dhole, clawless otter, sloth bear, small travancore flying squirrel, Indian pangolin (scaly anteater), porcupine, wild boar, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, mouse deer and gaur also live here.

Insects : There are at least 730 identified species of insects in the park. The maximum number of species belong to the orders Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. Many unclassified species have been collected and there is a need for further studies. 33 species of crickets and grasshoppers have been recorded of which one was new. 39 species of true bugs (six new) and two species of Homoptera (both new) have been recorded. 128 species of beetles including 10 new species have been recorded.

Silent Valley National Park Birds

Over 128 species of butterflies and 400 species of moths live here. A 1993 study found butterflies belonging to 9 families. The families Nymphalide and Papilionidae contained the maximum number of species. 13 species were endemic to South India, including 5 species having protected status. 7 species of Butterflies were observed migrating in a mixed swarm of thousands of butterflies towards the Silent Valley National Park.

In one instance an observer noted several birds attempting to catch these butterflies. The bird species included the Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata, Nilgiri Pipit Anthus nilghiriensis, Tickell’s Warbler Phylloscopus affinis, Greenish Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides and the Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosa.At least 500 species of earthworms and leeches have also been identified in the park.

Climate : Silent Valley gets copious amounts of rainfall during the monsoons, but the actual amount varies within the region due the varied topography. The mean annual rainfall ranges from over 5000 mm in the Neelikal area in the west to around 3200 mm on the eastern side of the park. The park being completely enclosed within a ring of hills, has its own micro-climate and probably receives some convectional rainfall, in addition to rain from two monsoons. In general the rainfall is higher at higher altitude and decreases from the west to east due to the rain shadow effect.

Eighty per cent of the rainfall occurs during the south-west monsoon between June and September. It also receives significant amount of rainfall during the north-east monsoon between October and November. The mean annual temperature is 20.2 °C. The hottest months are April and May when the mean temperature is 23 °C and the coolest months are January and February when the mean temperature is 18o C. Because of the high rainfall, the relative humidity is consistently high (above 95%) between June and December.

The nearest airport to Silent Valley National Park is Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, which is 55 Km away. By road Silent Valley is 40 Km from Mannarkkad and there are regular bus services. Enjoy a trip to the biodiversity rich Silent Valley National Park with Kerala Backwater.

Animals : Elephants, Poorcu Pine, Sambar Deer, Wild dogs,Jungle cats, Malabar Gaint Squirrel, Wild boar etc.

Snakes : Cobra, Viper, Krait and a large number of non- poisonous snakes

Birds : Jungle fowl, Myna, Laughing thrush, Black bulbul, Peafowl, Wood pecker, King fisher etc.

CHINNAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY : Lying in Devikulam Taluk of Idukki district, chinnar was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1984. It is located in the rain shadow region of Western Ghats. It is the second habitat for the endangered Giant Grizzled Squirell in India. With an area of 90.422 sq kms, Chinnar has the unique thorny scrub forest with Xerophytic species.

The undulated terrain with rocky patches increase the scenic splendour of the sanctuary. As the altitute varies from 500 to 2400 metres within a few kilo metre radius, there is a drastic variation in the climate and vegetation. The highest peaks are Kottakombumalai (2144 metre), Vellaikal malai(1863m), Viriyoottu malai(1845 metre). Unlike in most forests of Kerala, Chinnar gets only about 48 rainy days in a year-during October – November (North – East Monsoons). The forest types comprise thorny scrub forests, dry deciduous forests, high sholas and wet grasslands

Flora : The following species are found in the thorny scrub forests : – Acacia arabica (Karivelam) Acacia leucofolia (Velvelam) Acacia concinna (Cheevaka) Prosopis juliflora (Prosopis) Opuntia dillenii (Kallimul)

Dry Delicious Forests : Santalum album (chandanam), Anogeissus latifolia (Mazhukanjiram), Tamarindus Indica(Puli), Terminalia arjuna (nirmaruthu), Pongamia glabra (pongau) Largerstoemia lanceolata (Ventheku), Dalbergia latifio(Rosewood), Tectona grandis (Teak), Cassia fistula (Konna), Terminalia bellerica (Thanni), Emblica officianalis (Nelli) etc. are the common species.

High Sholas And Wetlands : Rhododendrom Nilagiricum (Kattu chemparathi), Elaeocarpus recurvatus (Bhadraksam), Strobillanthus kunthianus (Neelakurunji) grow in these areas.

Fauna : Elephant, Gaur, Panther, Spotted deer, Sambar, Giant Grizzled Squirrel, Hanuman monkey, Rabbit etc. inhabit the Chinnar forests. The Giant Grizzled Squirrel is an endangered species. It is dull gray in color.

WildLife Tourism : The Chinnar sanctuary is accessible by good roads from the Airports of Coimbatore and Kochi. The nearest railway stations are Aluva(200 km) and Pollachi(60km)

As you travel along the road from Karimutti to Chinnar, you can spot elephant, spotted deer, sambar, hanuman monkey and even peacocks on either side of the road . This is a unique experience because generally one has to go deep into the jungle to see wildlife as in the case of most other sanctuaries.

PERIYAR TIGER RESERVE : Getting to Thekkady is as sublime as the destination itself. A Scenic journey past mistcapped Mountains, spice plantations and open grasslands lined with spectacular waterfalls and delightful trekking trails forms the access to your hideaway here. Perched amidst dense greenery in the outskirts of the Periyar Tiger Reserve; Throwing up pleasant surprises like wild boars scuttling across the road in front, as you near the sanctuary. Which, sprawling across 777sq.kms, is one of the largest in India. With its matchless scenic beauty and the facilities offered by the Periyar lake formed by the damming of the Periyar river attracts a lot of tourists every year.

The sanctuary spreads over an area of 673 sq.km and is situated at a height of 900 to 1800 meters above mean sea level. Facilities are available for cruising in this lake. Wild animals seen here include elephants, bisons, sambar, monkeys and wild bear. Fortunate visitors can have a glimpse of the tigers foraging in the area. How ever on sunny summer days one can sight herds of wild elephants bathing in the lake. However the bisons are a wary and hardy lot and usually never allow any intruder to approach them.

The sound of the motor boats scare them away. But a keen animal lover can stay in the few observation towers for a few days and luck will surely come in their way. Some of the famous tea gardens are located around this place. Further Peermade 43 k.m below Thekkady offers a golf-course and Peermade offers excellent facilities for stay.

Thekkady-the very sound of the name conjures up images of elephants, unending chains of hills and spice scented plantations. Here in the crisp, cool air of the Western Ghats you will experience the most enchanting holiday. With the animals of the wild and the simple unsophisticated mountain people. In the Periyar forest of Thekkady is one of the finest wildlife reserves in India, and spread across the entire district are picturesque plantations and hill towns that hold great opportunities for treks and mountain walks.

The evergreen rain forests of Kerala are home to a large number of large and small sports. Internationally popular among wildlife enthusiasts and photographers much of the forest lands in Kerala have been turned into reserve forests and wildlife sanctuaries for the conservation of the wildlife in these areas. These sanctuaries and national parks are thronged by elephants, tigers, leopards, jaguars, deer, monkeys, Malabar squirrels, hornbills, kingfishers and many more which make them excellent wildlife vacation sites.

Wildlife Destinations in Kerala

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary : Located at the Devikulam taluk of the Idukki district, Chinnar received the status of a sanctuary in 1984. Stretching over an area of 90 sq. km Chinnar is home to the endangered Giant Grizzled Squirrel. Owing to its position on the rain shadow slopes of the Western Ghats, Chinnar just about 48 days of rain during the Northeast monsoon in October November.

Eravikulam National Park : Close to Chinnar in the Idukki district, Eravikulam became a national park in 1978. Home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr , a mountain goat, Eravikulam is spread over 97 sq. km area. Heavy rains fall here during monsoon making the surrounding misty hills a feast for the eyes.

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary : Located around the Vembanad Lake near the Backwaters, the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is a bird watcher’s paradise. Migratory birds from as far as Siberia and also the Himalayas flock here. The Siberian stork, teal, egret, heron and darter are commonly seen.

Periyar National Park : Situated at Thekkady along the Periyar Lake and river, it is one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in India. Boat cruises on the lake provide exciting game watching opportunity making Periyar a must see on the wildlife map of Kerala.

Silent Valley National Park : In the Palakkad district of Kerala, Silent Valley is perhaps the last stretch on genuinely unspoiled rain forest. A prized site for environmental research and conservation, it forms the core area of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Silent valley made its way to the headlines over the construction of a dam on Kunti River, threatening to disturb the biodiversity of the region. It was declared a national park in 1980.