Activites - Thekkady

Nature Walk - The guided day trek

Different nature trails traversing diverse habitats form the trekking routes, generally 4 to 5 km. in length. This is an interpretive programme offering excellent opportunity to watch birds, butterflies and other wildlife. The trails often pass through evergreen and moist deciduous forests interspersed with marshy grasslands.

The programme is offered between 7.00 am. and 10.30 am. and between 2.00 pm. and 3.00 pm. and lasts for about 3 hours. A maximum of 5 persons can go for trekking at a time along each nature trail, accompanied by a trained tribal guide. The Nature walk is the right programme to feel nature, hear her whispers and smell her flowers.

The Periyar Tiger Trail - Adventure trekking and camping

The programme
The programme is unique in being conducted by a team of poachers who turned protectors of the forests. The team members are hardy and dependable with an intimate knowledge of the forest terrain. The programmes are 1 night/2 days and 2 nights/3 days. The first day’s trek starts at 9 am and ends by noon in the second or third day. The team consists of a maximum of 5 visitors, 5 guides and 2 forest officials. Normally 20 to 35 kms. of trekking distance will be covered, depending on the route chosen.

Here, one may chance to encounter much indigenous wildlife like Nilgiri langur, giant squirrel, elephant and who knows, even the tiger! The trek route passes through hills and valleys with a variety of tropical plants and wide-open spaces. Enroute vegetarian meals will be prepared and served and country tents will be pitched for holing up in the night. Trekking groups are accompanied by armed forest guards with good communication equipments, and geared to face any emergency situation. Remember to listen to unusual and strange adventure stories of the former poachers, now your guides and protectors of the forests.

Preconditions for joining the tiger trail
Visitors who are medically fit and aged between 15 - 65 are advised to take the tiger trail. Visitors should be serious nature lovers willing to sacrifice some of the luxuries and comforts of a hotel.

Border Hiking - Protection oriented range hiking

The programme
This is a conservation oriented hard trek taking up a full day. The trekking starts at 8 o’ clock in the morning and ends in the evening.

The route passes through undulating terrains. Altitudinal ranges of 900 meters to 1300 meters will be covered and the trekkers could glimpse the lofty escarpments bordering the park watershed and the vast plains down below. Gaur, sloth bear, elephant, etc. are often sighted along this route apart from birds and butterflies.

Maximum of 10 tourist can take the programme in two different groups. The trekkers will go with two guides and an armed forest guard. Vegetarian refreshments can be had en route.

Bamboo Rafting - Dawn to dusk range hiking

The programme
This is a dawn to dusk range hiking and rafting programme through some of the richest forest tracts of Periyar Tiger Reserve. Starting at 8 am from the boat landing, a mosaic of habitats will be traversed before the party gets into rafts made of bamboos.

The forests are rich in bird life and arboreal animals like giant squirrel and Nilgiri langur. The rafting is for about three hours and one gets a panoramic view of forest-clad hills reflected on the lake. Animals like elephant, gaur and sambar are sighted keeping close to the edges of the lake.

The team hitchhikes back to the boat landing by about 5 pm. An armed guard and 4 guides will accompany a maximum of 10 tourists. Tea, snacks and packed lunch will be served enroute.

Jungle Patrol Shepherding the jungle

The programme
This programme is part of the regular night patrolling in the fringe ecodevelopment zones of the tiger reserve. By participating in this, one is actually helping in the protection of the forests of Periyar.

The trekking could be at any time between 7 pm. and 4 am. and could be taken by persons having proper physical and mental fitness to trek through the wilderness in the night. The maximum duration for a slot is 3 hours and the maximum capacity of one slot is limited to 8 visitors (to move in two separate teams). They will accompany two protection watchers and one armed forest guard!

Try the limits of your senses-sight, hearing and smell and take in the totally different world of nocturnal jungle life.

Tribal Heritage - A peep into the past

Mannans are among the oldest indigenous group of people to inhabit Periyar Tiger Reserve. Till as late as 1940’s, they used to live in the remotest areas of the tiger reserve eking out a simple living by fishing in the lake and cultivating a few crops.

Tribal Heritage Museum
A tribal heritage museum built inside the Mannan settlement featuring various types of artifacts related to their ancient agricultural practices, marriage ceremonies, cultural events, dress code, rituals and death ceremonies is the hub of this ecotourism programme. Display of fishing gear, hunting weaponry, indigenous medicine and vessels, cereals, medicinal herbs, bamboo furnitures, etc. are other attractions providing a peep into their original culture.

The Programme
Tribal heritage visit is a two hour programme available on all days from 8 am. to 12 noon and 2 pm. to 4 pm.

It involves mainly the tribal museum visit and trekking through the tribal hamlet situated within the periphery of Periyar Tiger Reserve accompanied by a tribal guide.

Jungle Inn - Jungle in the night

The programme
The forest cottage at Kokkara, about an hour walk from the Forest check post is an ideal place to board two persons hoping to share the quietness of the jungle night. Here one could relax, read a book, listen to the cicada or simply watch the forests outside.

The high point of the programme is walking through different forest types at prime time when animals tend to be more active. One can watch troops of langurs, giant squirrels, etc., besides many birds along this stretch. Who knows, if the goddess of fortune blesses you, a tiger could come out of the bushes chasing a herd of sambar deer!

The check in time and check out time are 3 pm. and 9 am. the following day respectively. Tea, snacks and dinner are provided.

The Bamboo Grove - Eco lodge & Centre for experiential learning

The programme
The two islets of elevated ground studded with bamboo thickets in Thekkady is the eco lodge for experiential learning. Here a miniature habitat is being recreated for man and nature to co-exist in the already available milieu of grassy downs, sedges and bamboos and stream fringed with screw pine.

Dwelling units made exclusively of natural materials like bamboo and grass and tents are slotted in the available spaces together with treetop huts to give the place an eco-friendly ambience.

Experiential learning and nature sensitization camps are conducted for discerning aspirants and the programme addresses different target groups. Lectures, discussions, audiovisual presentations, field visits etc. go with the programme.

Tariff: cottage - Rs. 2000/- per day for two people. Restaurant facility is available for the lunch and dinner.

Green Mansions - Far from the madding crowds...

Gavi, a picturesque land is one of the off-the-track destinations ideal for a wilderness retreat replete with trekking, birding, canoeing and facilities for boarding.

There are hills and valleys, tropical forests, sprawling grasslands, sholas, cascading waterfalls and cardamom plantations. Endangered species including the elephant, Nilgiri tahr, lion-tailed macaque are often sighted at the outskirts of Gavi.

The programme
There are two programmes run by the Kerala Forest Development Corporation and Eco Development Committees, one where three families could stay in the ecolodge at Gavi and the other where 15 persons can go for a day’s visit of the area.

Hosted and accompanied by trained local people, the visitors can go for trekking and bird watching in the many trails around, paddle in still waters to cool off or perhaps settle down for watching sunset in this oasis of peace and tranquility. Native vegetarian food and snacks will be provided to the visitors.

BULLOCK CART DISCOVERIES

Visit the farmlands of a village hidden in the valley behind the mountains of Periyar Tiger Reserve in a bullock cart.

The village is rich in bird diversity (New explorations for a serious bird watcher, also wonderful beginning for a novice)

With vineyards, diverse agricultural crops of mangoes, tamarind, onions, sunflower, jasmine and a score of other vegetables, the village will take your breath away when the guides start to interpret how farming has woven delicately with the culture and the life of the natives.

To feel the slow pace of the village life, to be part of the innocence, to take away you between cock and stick fights, to quench the thirst with the nectar from tender coconuts.

Conducted by a group of people who were encaged in sandalwood smuggling, later surrendered before the Forest Department .The profit from this programme goes to rehabilitate this group of people.

The programme

The programme starts at 6 am in the morning and at 2.30 pm in the afternoon and is a half -day package.

Cost

The package costs Rs.500/person, including breakfast.
Capacity per package –Maximum 9 person.

For information and booking on Community based Ecotourism Programmes:

tourism@periyartigerreserve.org
Tel. 91 4869 224571