- Reserve area
- About 777 sq km
- Tiger reserve since
- 1978
- Best time
- December to February
- Nearest railway station
- Kottayam, about 110 km
- Nearest airport
- Madurai, about 136 km
- Distance from Madurai
- About 138 km
Things to do
Most activities are run by the forest department's ecotourism programme, with guides drawn from the Mannan, Urali and other forest communities. Book in advance, as group sizes are small.
- Periyar Lake boat ride: about two hours, the easiest way to spot elephants and gaur at the water's edge
- Bamboo rafting: half-day or full-day trips with forest guides and an armed guard
- Nature walk: a guided morning walk of about three hours in small groups
- Tiger Trail and Border Hiking: tough overnight treks for fit walkers
- Jungle Scout: short guided night patrols
- Gavi: a jeep safari, short trek and boating trip, as a day visit or overnight stay
Spices and village life
Guided spice garden visits explain how cardamom, pepper, clove and cinnamon are grown and processed. Evening tribal dance shows, bullock cart rides through farms fill out a stay.
History
The dam and lake were built to divert Periyar water towards Tamil Nadu, flooding the forest valleys and creating the drowned tree stumps you see from the boats. Periyar was declared a tiger reserve in 1978.
Best time to visit
December to February is cool and green after the rains and the most popular season. March to May is warmer but clear, with good animal sightings near the water. The monsoon brings heavy rain and makes walks difficult.
How to reach
Kottayam, about 110 km away, is the nearest railway station. Madurai airport is around 136 km away and Kochi airport about 190 km. Kerala and Tamil Nadu state buses reach Kumily from Kottayam, Kochi and Madurai. From our side of Tamil Nadu, Madurai is the easiest route, and we can plan Thekkady with Munnar and Alappuzha.
Also nearby
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