Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Thekkady

Thekkady - Location: Near Kumili in Idukki district, central Kerala.

Killing is no crime here. Nor is there any guarantee for life. In forests, only the fittest survive. The video clip shows a successful but tragic hunting scene.

The pride of Kerala and a testimony to nature's splendour and human innovation, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is situated on the banks of the Periyar lake - an artificial lake, at Thekkady. Here the high ranges of the Western Ghats are clothed in dense evergreen, moist deciduous forests and savannah grasslands. Below this thick green canopy roam herds of elephants, sambars, tigers, gaurs, lion tailed macaques and Nilgiri langurs.

In addition to elephant rides, cruises on the lake and treks to the ruined Mangaladevi temple - a beautiful old stone temple situated in the heart of the Thekkady forest, this sanctuary offers the unique opportunity to watch and photograph wild elephants at close quarters.

Wild animals especially tigers frequently come out of the forest to drink water from the lake. Lake Palace and Aranya Nivas are two idyllic accommodation options set in the sylvan lake side background. The Lake Palace, built on a small island accessible only by boat, is one of the unique boarding places in the world where wild animals can be sighted from the bedroom window.

The romantic Lake Palace was a former summer retreat of the Maharaja of Travancore. Aranya Nivas (Jungle Retreat) a stone lodge with rubble masonry and colonial style of architecture at the head of the lake is a premium property of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation.

Thekkady - Getting there:

Thekkady - Nearest railway station: Kottayam, about 114 km.

Thekkady - Nearest airports : Madurai (Tamilnadu) about 140 kms; Cochin International Airport, about 190 km

Palaruvi Waterfall Kollam Kerala

Palaruvi - Location : About 75 km from Kollam on the Kollam - Shencottah road.

Palaruvi - literally, stream of milk - is one of Kerala's most picturesque waterfalls, cascading down a height of 300 feet. It is a favourite picnic spot for visitors from all over south India. The journey to Palaruvi through the dense tropical forest is a spellbinding experience.

The surrounding mist-clad blue hills and green valleys form a stunning backdrop to the milk-white burst of foam whose muffled roar resounds through the otherwise tranquil virgin forest.

Palaruvi - Getting there:

Palaruvi - Nearest railway station : Kollam about 75 km.

Palaruvi - Nearest airport : Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 72 km from Kollam town.

Tourism Kerala - Thenmala ecotourism

Located about 72kms from Thiruvananthapuram, the State Capital of Kerala, God's Own Country, the southern most State of India. Thenmala is a small village at the foothills of Western Ghats and predominantly a forest area. The famous Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary is the most important ecotourism resource of Thenmala Ecotourism. This Wildlife Sanctuary is of about 100 sq. km. and harbors large varieties of flora and fauna.

Thenmala : "Then + Mala" , i.e. in local parlance "Then" means honey and "Mala" means hillock i.e. it mean honey hills. The honey collected from Thenmala forest region is of good quality and of high medicinal value because of the unique floristic composition of the forests.

General Information
(Thenmala Grama Panchayat: the local self Government)

Total population	24,212,
Altitude	Between 100-600 m above MSL
Climate	The hottest months are March to May and the coldest, December and January. The maximum temperature during daytime in the hottest month is about 39oC. The daily temperature varies from 17oC to 35oC.
Rainfall	Southwest Monsoon: May to August extends up to September Northeast Monsoon: late September, October and November Average rainfall 2600 - 3000 mm
Languages spoken	Malayalam, Tamil & English
Season	Throughout the year
Clothing	Tropical