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The misty forest highlandss of Periyar
Sanctury of wild boar and elephants,
140 species of orchid, a turtle-friendly
lake, countless birds and a few
predatory tigers. Set aside as reserved
forests in 1899, these woods on
the edge of Tamil Nadu became the
Nellikkampatty Sanctuary in 1934
and were incorporated in project
tiger in 1989. Tigers are elusive,
but a twilight boat cruise usually
turns up herds of wild elephants
munching grass or taking a dip in
the lake.
Surrounded by spice plantations,
kumily, where most tourists stay,
is suffered with the sweet smell
of cardamom , cinnamon, cloves,
and nutmeg. The town religious fervor
makes it a lively contrast to Thekkady,
the cluster of hotels within the
park; the mosque and temple keep
up a steady stream of chanting,
singing, and bell-tolling, which
is blasted all over town by a network
of loudspeekers; don't plan on sleeping
late.
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The reserve is home to a wide variety
of animals, including wild boar,
monkeys, the Nilgiri Langur, malabar
giant squirrels, barking deer and
gaur. most people, however come
to Periyar to see its main attractions.
wild elephant and rarely spotted
tigers. Periyar claims to be home
atleast 46 of the world's 3700 remaining
wild tigers, but you would have
to be very lucky see a tiger. At
a cool and breezy 900 m above sea
level, Periyar is a good place to
relax, take a leisurely boat cruise,
and watch herds of wild elephants
bathe. September to March is the
best time to visit; January through
April are the dry months, when animals
come down to the lake to drink.
During the Monsoon, come prepared
to encounter leeches.