Thekkady
The moment you hear the word Thekkady,
you think of elephants, unending hills and lush spice plantations. You are
right to a great extent as although we have mentioned several attractions
below, the fact remains that the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is what draws
all the attention towards Thekkady. One of the most complex and ancient
environments, Thekkady attracts numerous visitors though the place itself
remains a small village. The tribals that still live within the park
premises can teach us a thing or two about how to live in harmony with
nature.
Fast Facts
- District : Idukki
- Other names : Periyar
- Location : The major distances from Thekkady to
Calicut 356 km, to Connanore
443 km, Cochin 191 km and
Trivandrum 253 km away.
- Journey Time : It takes from Thekkady about 8 hrs to
reach Calicut, 9 and 1/2 hrs to reach Connanore, 5 hrs to reach
Cochin and 6 and 1/2 hrs to reach Trivandrum.
- Route from Thrissur : While
going from Devikulam and Tamil Nadu to Thekkady,
you'll have to travel via Udumbanshola, Kallar, Vandamettu to Kumily
which is the nearest point from Thekkady on the state highway.
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Feature Attraction
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
It is one of the renowned wildlife sanctuaries which is very popular among
the tourists keen on watching wildlife in its natural habitat. The slope of
the forest here goes down towards the man made lake which serves as a source
of water for the animals of the sanctuary. The major animals you can spot
here are tigers, sambars, elephants and gaurs. The boat safari in the lake
is also very popular as it provides you with the opportunity to watch wild
animals in their natural habitat from the safety of the boat.
- Taj Garden Retreat – 4 Star
- The Spice Village Hotel – 4 Star
- Hotel Aranya Niwas – 3 Star
When to go
The months between September to May are best to visit Thekkady as the
weather in this period is generally pretty cool and comfortable.
How to get there
Madurai is the nearest airport from Thekkady which is about 140 km away.
The other nearby airports are
Kochi and
Thiruvananthapuram which are 185 km and 265 km away respectively. Kuamarakom
is the nearest railway station which is 114 km away whereas Madurai railway
station is 136 km away. Kumily, which is just 4 km away from, is connected
to the rest of the state and country with an extensive road network.
Other Attractions
» Mangala Devi Temple
It is an ancient temple located about 15 km away from Thekkady. Comfortably
ensconced amidst the deep woods on the top of a hill, the Mangala Devi
temple is constructed in the traditional Kerala style of architecture. The
devotees are allowed to visit the temple only on the Chithra Pournami
festival.
» Pandikuzhi
Situated between Chellarkovil and Tamil Nadu state border, Pandikuzhi is a
scenic place as well as a popular picnic spot. Those who are interested in
trekking and photography will be thrilled by the opportunities in the place.
» Kumily
It is a plantation town which is located on the outskirts of the Periyar
Wildlife Sanctuary. Kumily is an important commercial hub and spice trade
centre. The main bus stand of the region and a variety of medium range
accommodation is located in Kumily.
» Chellarkovil
Though it is a sleepy village, it also affords the tourists with some
spectacular view of the plains and cascading waterfalls during the monsoons.
