Thekkady Tourism

If wildlife sanctuaries, abundant flora and fauna, playful elephants sound appealing to you, then Thekkady tourism is for you. Home to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, this is the perfect place to go tiger-spotting. And if that doesn’t tempt you, there are spice plantations, rolling hills, and an aura of calm and peace that is soothing, even for the most frenzied soul.

For the eternally curious and adventurous, there are rivers down which you can go rafting, forests that are waiting to be explored and shady woods that summon you to treks galore. For those who want to do nothing - there are plenty of beautiful spots to read, write or sketch. Then there is the healing touch of Ayurveda available to you in its most pristine form – the beauty of Thekkady tourism is that it is entirely up to you.

Thekkady Geography

Located in the Western Ghats, in Kerala’s Idukki district that borders Tamil Nadu, Thekkady is a renowned hill retreat. It is also the location of the Periyar National Park – a unique sanctuary, which is unlike any of India’s wildlife parks.

The Periyar National Park is Kerala’s, and indeed, India’s most prominent places to visit. It is also what makes Thekkady tourism so compelling and important for travellers.

From a purely geographical point of view, Thekkady’s forests are all tropical and it boasts of an abundance of plant and animal life. It is also littered with aromatic tea, coffee and cardamom plantations. Even its towns are unspoilt patches of green, inviting you to brisk mountain walks and treks and forest trails.

Thekkady Climate

Thekkady is situated at an altitude of 2800 meters above sea level. The weather is pleasant all year round with cool summers and cooler winters. It enjoys a summer, monsoon and winter season. The best time to visit it is post monsoon and during winter. In summer, the humidity is high and there are occasional showers. Summers are great if you’re coming to see the wildlife as the possibility of spotting animals is better. The monsoon is the only time when the weather holds you back with heavy showers and occasional landslides that make trekking very difficult. Some may love the monsoon in Kerala. Carry your rainproof gear along and take extra care while trekking.

Thekkady Culture

The people of Thekkady speak Malayalam, Tamil, English or Hindi. Since it’s a tourist destination, you will find that a lot of people you speak to are well-versed in English. The culture is Kerala’s and dates back to thousands of years. Many centres and resorts organize regular shows of Kathakali dance-dramas and Kalarippayattu, the local martial-artform. The latter is one of the oldest martial arts in the world and the former will leave you spellbound with its abundance of makeup, grand costume and theatrical expression and movement skills. The cuisine is South Indian, which is one of India’s favourite cuisines and is available by demand, almost everywhere. But do not neglect it here as this may be a chance for you to taste it as it ought to be eaten and not in its fast-food avatar.

Thekkady Tourism

Just 4 km south of Thekkady is Kumily, home to one of India’s most popular wildlife reserves – the Periyar National Park. Originally created as a sanctuary in 1934, this became Kerala’s first tiger reserve in 1978. This reserve is home to 35-40 tigers. It also houses wild boar, bison, langur and a gathering of 2000 elephants. The best way to see it is from a river cruise from where you can watch the animals in their natural habitat and still be close enough to take great pictures.

Tip: Bring warm clothing and a great camera to click the tigers. This is a definite must-do on your Thekkady tour.

The next place to explore on your Thekkady tour is Murrikady which has spice plantations that grow everything from tea, coffee, vanilla, clove ginger and turmeric. It is recommended to spend one day observing the harvest and cultivation of these gardens. As a bonus, you can carry back fresh samples for yourself and your loved ones.

The Kadathanadan Kalari Centre is a great venue for watching Kalaripayattu. You can observe this beautiful and spellbinding art, one of the world’s oldest, from a special gallery designed for visitors.

Another off-the-beaten-path place to visit is Kumily’s tranquil countryside. You can walk here, picnic here and spend a day just soaking it all in.

Dining is another highlight of Thekkady. You will find many trendy diners here and small eateries serving authentic South Indian Kerala and Tamil Nadu cuisine together. So, choose between a dosa or a kapa or idlis or indulge in rice and curry made up of fish and vegetables.

When it comes to Thekkady, how can you ignore the beverages? The tea and coffee plantations ensure you get the homegrown filter kapi or a rare tea blend. Either way, you’ll be spoilt for choice.