Periyar National Park

Taking its name from Kerala’s longest river, the natural reserve enclosing Periyar National Park extends for nearly 800 square kilometres along the ridges of the south-western Ghats, on the border between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The park, whose terrain varies in altitude between 900 and 1800 meters, is home to leopards, tigers, elephants, bisons, giant squirrels, bearded macacques and the endangered Nilgiri langur, amongst myriads of others animals.

The tropical forest is also the habitat of 112 species of butterflies and over 260 species of birds, including the Brahmin Kite, Stork-billed Kingfisher and Brown-chested Jungle-Flycatcher, to name but a few. The most majestic amongst them is the Great Indian Hornbill; with a wing-span of 1.5 meters, these are true giants of the skies. Frequently seen in pairs, the passage of Hornbills is announced by the sound of their slow and powerful flight, which can be heard from almost a kilometer away.

Part of Project Tiger, the park runs one of the most successful ecotourism projects in India, which includes cruises and bamboo-rafting expeditions on Periyar Lake, inside the park. Weaving through the submerged forest of Periyar Lake at dusk, provides the best opportunity to observe the wild animals which come bathe and drink on the Lake’s shores.

During our visit to Periyar, our accommodation will be in the grounds of a XIX century botanical park, at the edge of the nature reserve. The area also offers access to the manicured tea and spice plantations which for centuries have been the mainspring of Kerala’s wealth