Thekkady - Periyar
Thekkady, the gateway to the Periyar wildlife sanctuary or Periyar Tiger Reserve, is one of the most beautiful places in Kerala.
The place with its natural treasures, floating clouds that touch the mountains and great climate make it a popular, at the same time, secluded place to spend your honeymoon days.
Thekkady is one of the most visited tourists, especially honeymoon, destinations in Kerala.Thekkady is considered as a heaven of spices with its great mountains that grows cardamom and other spices. This exotic land with myriad natural beauty and ambience is a paradise for honeymooners.
This exotic land has got serene ambience with its pleasing climate, spectacular landscape and charming sightseeing attractions that make Thekkady an exciting destination for honeymooners.
The mesmerising views of the lush green forests and the Periyar River that flows through it will leave the honeymooners spell bound.
Thekkady is a tranquil town with lush greenery and the picturesque mountain settings, which all make this place a perfect honeymoon location. One of the major attractions in Thekkady is the wildlife sanctuary, which was declared as a tiger reserve in 1988, it is one of the best places to spot the majestic animal (the national animal of India) and many other animals like elephants, bisons, sambhar deer, wild boars, Nilgiri langur, Nilgiri Tahr, lion-tailed macaque and many species of birds, reptiles etc.
The Periyar River that flows through the park adds to its appeal. You can see these wild animals in their natural habitat while you enjoy a cruise on the Periyar River. The boating in Periyar River is a great way to watch the diverse wildlife in the reserve forest.
Thekkady offers tourists a visual treat of its great variety of flora and fauna. The wildlife sanctuary other than the boat safari offers tourist various adventure activities such as trekking, especially at the Spring Valley Mountain which is better known as Kurisumala, jeep safari, bamboo rafting etc.
About 5 km from Thekkady is the picturesque picnic spot Pandikuzhi. This is a delightful spot to spend a day amongst thickets of greenery and gushing streams.
The nearby Mangala Devi temple that is almost hidden in the dense woods at an altitude of 1337 m above sea level offers the visitors spectacular panoramic views of the Western Ghats and some nearby villages of Tamil Nadu. This mystic temple is about 15 km away from Thekkady.
Though the temple remains closed most of the year other than during the Chitra Pournami festival, you can still visit the place after getting permission from the forest officials.
Another major attraction is Chellarkovil. This sleepy village is blessed with stunning natural beauty and the waterfall is a major attraction. It is a great place to spend a day and is also will be loved by photography enthusiasts.
Thekkady sightseeing offers you the beautiful experience of viewing sun reflection on Periyar Lake. Keep cameras when you do Periyar boating as you will be able to capture pictures of scenic Periyar wildlife sanctuary.
Together with your loved one you can also go for a trekking through the beautiful plantations and mountains or even a jeep safari will be great. You can also spice up your honeymoon by having an authentic Ayurveda spa therapy.
Vandiperiyar with its picture perfect plantations of tea, coffee and pepper will be a great place to go for a stroll and trekking.
About 24 km from Thekkady is Grampi, which is also known as Parunthupara as it gives a panoramic view of the nearby places. Grampi has got natural beauty with lush hills, forests (you could go for trekking there), and also has large tea, coffee and spices plantations.
Though the place has a moderate climate throughout the year, the best time to visit is during the months of October to February. While you are here don’t forget to soak in the beauty of rolling hills and lush greenery.
Though the nearest railway station (Kottayam 114 km) and airport (Madurai in TN is 140 km away, while Kochi is 156 km away) are quite away from Thekkady, the place is well connected by road to most of the major cities in Kerala.
