Thekkady is a small yet beautiful wildlife destination in the Western Ghats of Kerala those necklaces along Tamilnadu. The Periyar National Park is known for the abundance of tiger population. The park is spread across 777 SQ kilometers and is known for the flora and fauna. It is a paradise for wildlife enthusiastic.
The center of attraction in Thekkady is the 1 hour boating through the Periyar Lake which gives the traveler a chance to cruise through one of the most vibrant wildlife like elephant, gaur, bears, deer and numerous birds that rest of the tree top that stands out on the lake.
Thekkady is a must include destination in most of the Kerala honeymoon Packages. There are many activities that include hiking and trekking through the forest. There are options open if you wish to stay inside the forest for a night. Thekkady opens up a window of opportunities to get to know the abundant wild life in Periyar National Park.
This is the time when nature is green and summer is yet to start.
Weather - Thekkady is known for the mild weather. But, March, April & May could be little scorching due to the summer season.
Places to visit in Thekkady
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Periyar National Park
Tourist travels to Thekkady only to visit Periyar National park to experience the nature at its best. The best time to visit the park is from September till January end. The travelers need to leave their vehicle at the parking space outside the national park and get on to the van operated by the Forest department. The van will take you to the landing area from where you can board the boat. There is a forest museum where you can see a lot of photos as well.
Activities to do in Thekkady
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Boating in Periyar Lake
As stated earlier, the boating through the national park is the main activity in Thekkady as it gives an opportunity to see and feel the wildlife in its purest form. The cruise is an excellent way to see the wildlife in their natural habitat. A visit to Thekkady without doing a boating is not worth doing.
Trekking and Hiking
There are bunch of activities like Green walk where the travelers start hiking through the forest early morning along with the qualified guides. The walk would be for 4 hours and the guides make introduce the hikers to the wide variety of flora and fauna. Breakfast is served during the trek.
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Bamboo Rafting
This one unique activity that is offered only in Thekkady. The guests can enjoy the day on a bamboo raft and explore the lake and nearby tribal village. An exciting way to see and experience the wilderness of Periyar.
Plantation Tour
Thekkady and the nearby area are known for the cardamom and pepper plantations. Plantation tours can be conducted and presents an opportunity to understand how different spices have been cultivated, processed and harvested.
How to reach Thekkady?
By Air: The nearest airport to Thekkady is at Madhurai which is 140 kilometers away. Cochin airport, 190 kilometer away, is well connected with all major cities like Mumbai, Kolkota, Delhi, Bangaluru etc.
By road: Thekkady is well connected with major roads.
By Train: Theni and Madurai have railway stations and Kottayam railway station is 140 kilometers away from Thekkady and is well connected with excellent road.