Periyar Wildlife SanctuaryThe Periyar wildlife Sanctuary at Thekkady is an important tourist attraction. It is situated on the Periyar lake in the hills of Western ghats and is the finest sanctuary for viewing & photographing Indian wild elephants. The population of tigers at Periyar is also on the rise, and these tigers, along with the some elusive species like Nilgiri tahrs (a kind of a wild goat), form an integral part of the various tourist attractions in Periyar. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is also home to a wide variety of other animals like leopard, wild dog, barking deer, mouse deer, Nilgiri langur (a primate), bonnet macaque, sambhar, porcupines, squirrels, gaur (Indian bison), wild boar and sloth bear. Other tourist attractions in Periyar include several species of birds and reptiles. Cormorants, Darters, Kingfishers, great Malabar Hornbill and racket-tailed Drongos are some of the birds that can be spotted here. The reptiles frequenting Periyar include Monitor Lizards, Python and Cobra.

The main attractions on Periyar Travel include Kumily, a plantation town closely associated with Thekkady. It is situated on the outskirts of the Periyar Sanctuary. It is an important shopping center and spice trade center, the main bus station and most of the medium range accommodation in the Periyar region is in Kumily.Another important place of visit is Murikkady which is a panorama of cardamom, coffee and pepper plantations. Pandikuzhi is one of the popular picnic spots of Periyar, situated between Chellarkovil and the Tamil Nadu State border.

Trekking and Camping
Trekking, especially night trekking, is also an exciting option for all those who have the energy level to carry of a difficult expedition. Permission has to be obtained for this purpose from the forest department. For night trekkers, the forest department also provides armed guards. Camping is done when tourists are on a Tiger Trail programme. In this, usually, five guides and two forest officials accompany tourists in order to guide them and also to prevent them from getting lost in the forest area.

Other inhabitants of Periyar include the leopard, wild dog, barking deer, mouse deer, Nilgiri langur (a primate), bonnet macaque, sambhar, porcupines, squirrels, gaur (Indian bison), wild boar and sloth bear. The population of tigers is also increasing appreciably. There are approximately 40 tigers in the area as per the latest reports. The tigers, along with the Nilgiri tahrs (a kind of a wild goat), are elusive creatures. To make your holidays in Periyar National Park more fruitful, an early morning visit, with luck on your side, could yield results. Among the unusual species found at Periyar in Kerala are the flying lizard and the flying snake. With wings of orange or yellow, the flying lizard is seen as it glides from one tree to the other. The flying snake is also brilliantly coloured in yellow and black with a pattern of red rosettes. If you are planning your vacations in Kerala and looking forward to have a closer look at the wild side of life, then visit the Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve. The best time to travel to Periyar National Park is between October to June.

Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is between the months of September to June. During the period from February and May sighting of animals becomes much more easier as the waterholes inside the forest areas dry up forcing the animals to come upto the lake to quench their thirst and wet their bodies. No wonder, animal sighting is enhanced between these months.

Mannans are the oldest indigenous tribe living in Periyar Tiger Reserve. Tourists can visit a museum which contains artifacts of the tribe which includes dress code, marriage ceremonies, rituals, death ceremonies etc . People can go trekking and camping in the reserve with forest guards and can encounter wild animals like giant squirrel, elephants. The route passes through many hills and valleys and tourists can see different varieties of tropical plants too. Few things tourists should keep in mind that being in a reserve is different from staying in the cities and therefore to listen to the animals they need to maintain silence. Tourists should stay with the guides as it might be dangerous to stray in the reserve. Smoking should also be avoided as it can cause fire. The reserve should be kept clean and green. Wild animals should not be teased of fed, safety precautions should always be kept in mind.

How to Reach

• By Road
  Kumily, the nearest town from Periyar is well served by both state and private buses from Kottayam, Ernakulam and Madurai in Tamil Nadu.
• By Rail
  Kottayam at 114-kms is the nearest railhead from Periyar.
• By Air
  If you wish to travel by air the nearest airports from Periyar are at Kochi (Cochin) at 200-kms or Madurai in Tamil Nadu at140-kms.