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.
Lake Palace and Aranya Nivas are two idyllic accommodation
options set in the sylvan lake side background. The romantic
Lake Palace, formerly a summer retreat of the Maharaja of
Travancore, is built on a small island accessible only by
boat. 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.
Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Kottayam, about
114 km
Nearest airports: Madurai (Tamilnadu) about
140 km; Cochin International Airport, about 190 km.
