Amidst thick dense forest, picturesque lake and lush green hillocks, Thekkady wild life sanctuary is one of the prominent tourist locations in Kerala, India. Also known as Periyar wildlife reserve, It’s situated at a distance of 2-3 km from the nearest town Kumily. The controversial Mullapperiyar dam, which is built across the Periyar River, forms an artificial lake that serves a rich biodiversity of endangered flora and fauna. It was declared a tiger reserve in 1978. All in all, it’s home to herds of elephants, sambar deer, tiger, langur and gaur.

Thekkady is a proud tourist area for Kerala tourism, as it showcases the variety of specialties as mentioned.  Although it’s a dreamland of honeymoon seekers, it’s equally drawn by youth and family people.  Moreover, it’s a paradise for nature lovers. The wildlife reserve offers a range of activities like boating, nature walk (kind of trek) and bamboo rafting.  Even though it’s a destination for all season, the best time to visit is during winter as the place can be explored well in the misty weather. 

Our trip to Thekkady was initiated from an idea of a friendly get together with my college classmates. During that time, I was working in Chennai. I travelled to Kottayam by Train to wait for my friends to join. I reached there by morning 8 O’ clock and other 2 guys joined me after 1 hour. We had to wait till 11 AM as one more has to come. After some discussion, we decided to go by a taxi car to Kumily.  The driver agreed up on a return journey and also told that he would help in arranging the stay.

It happened in the month of August when the south west monsoon was just about to withdraw. Don’t know whether it’s a blessing or barrier, heavy downpour started to fall. Once we covered the place called Mundakkayam , we could see blend roads. Enjoying the charm of rain, wilderness of hills, and the greenish trees, the experience was enthralling.  I remember that we stopped at few places en-route to have lunch and take photographs.  A waterfall named, Valanjamkanam falls was there on the way and we didn’t miss to click from there. By 4 PM we reached Kumily.

As mentioned, the home stay was ready for us as the cab driver assisted. It was a large bedroom with a balcony and attached bathroom. Since we were tired after the long journey, we decided not to go for the boating in the sanctuary on the same day. Besides, some people suggested that it would be convenient to see the animals and birds if we go in the morning. Thus, we went for an evening walk, had dinner and slept well in the night.

Next day we woke up earlier. By around 7 O’ clock, we started to the wildlife reserve. We were on foot for some time, later got an auto rickshaw. From the entrance to the lake, we had to walk again. On the way, we saw variety of trees, and some kind of monkeys.  It started to drizzle again and I feared of the trip getting spoiled. Thankfully, my friends made it lively. 

There was a long queue at the boat ticket counter and three boats were on service. After a wait of half an hour, we got into the boat. I could see that there were people from all around India. The security guards gave instructions to wear the life jacket. I took the window seat (actually there is no window, as it’s fully open) so as to capture the moments well. We were able to see birds like hornbill and all. Some gaurs and sambar deers was also visible. Sadly, there were no elephants and tigers. I felt too bad as I didn’t have a telephoto lens at that time. Overall, the boating experience was not bad.

Once the boating was completed, we took some more photographs at the lake shore.  Then, we walked back.  We had nothing much to do after the boating, as we already planned of returning by noon.  We dispersed, after keeping great memories of a get together. My next target was Thiruvananthapuram, where my friends stayed during that time. My photo experience at Shangumugham beach, Thiruvananthapuram will be shared in another blog post.

Where to stay in Thekkady

There are a plenty of hotels and resorts. I don’t have any places to suggest as it depends upon individual preference.  As I always prefer, you can search for a budget stay.

How to reach Thekkady

– (Source :travel.india.com)

By Air

Nearest airport to Thekkady is Madurai, which is located 136 km away.  The Nedumbassery airport at Kochi, 190 km away, airport is well connected to all cities of India and many cities abroad. Tourist taxi services are available from Kochi to Thekkady and the charge is about Rs 4000.

By Train

Nearest railhead is Kottayam, situated 114 km away. Taxis can be hired from outside Kottayam railway station to Thekkady.

By Road

State public transport buses connect Thekkady with other nearby cities. Super fast buses are regularly available from Kottayam, Kochi and Trivandrum to Thekkady.