What is the first thing that you will have as a tourist in mind while travelling to Kerala..?? The answer is predictable view and the splendid beauty of this evergreen land = endowed with innumerable sights to amaze visitors. Thekkady is part of Periyar National park is one such destination which has always fascinated tourists with its natural beauty. This actually fascinated me as well and went to this place to actually see what beauty this place is nurturing since forever.
How to reach Thekkady??
We planned on Friday early morning to leave from Bangalore and we have taken NH44 and NH183 and it is the best way to reach Thekkady. Roads are in very good condition and it takes around 9hrs to reach. We stopped in Dharmapuri for breakfast and Dindigul for Lunch which is also famous mouthwatering Birynais.
By Air: The closest airport is Madurai in Tamil Nadu (136 KM)
By Train: The nearest railhead is at Kottayam (114 KM)
Things to do in Thekkady
Thekkady has always been the center of tourism in Kerala, there is no dearth of tourist activities here. If willing to stay leisurely for a few days, it is possible to experience each of these.
1. Boat Ride in Periyar lake: This is one of the most favored things among peoples and I personally liked this a lot. I Hopped on to a boat and while it was going through the water, I could See a herd of elephants taking a dip in water in their natural habitat.
2. Tiger Trails: The National park is home to many animals including Tigers. There was a tiger trail which allowed us to venture into the jungle. The experienced staff guided us very well and it was a great experience to watch many wild animals in the real jungle.
3. Night Patrol in Jungles: This one is for those who dare to face the danger lurking in the dark. Well I am not a kind of person who will go for this but I still choose to go for it because I realized it is a “once in a lifetime experience”. We had a night walk in the eco-development areas along with the armed guards and it gave me a feeling of protector of jungle.]
4. Bamboo Rafting: This is amazing part of thekkady. The unique dawn to dusk programme starts early in the morning. It was a Three-hour ride on bamboo rafts which allowed me to have the best views of green forest and wild creatures.
5. Spice Tour: Kerala being the land of spices has almost all the basic spices that we use on daily basis in its most raw form. In Thekkady, spice tours are organized where one gets to see spices like pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg etc., in their unprocessed form. I could never imagine that these things undergo so many processes before reaching us. I took some garden fresh spices from here to my home.
6. Kalaripayattu Martial Arts: It is considered as the oldest form of martial arts. Different kind of stunts like fire-fights, sword fighting and bars fighting are performed during the show. The ticket was for Rs 250 which was absolutely worth it.
7. Mullaperiyar Dam : I had an experience to enjoy the mesmerizing view of the dam from the view point. This dam has a history It was built by John Pennycuick in 1895 has a length of 1200ft. It is located at 2890ft.
8. Anayirankal Dam Reservoir: This dam is located on the way to Thekkady to Munnar. It is an off-beat destination. A mesmerizing place with a 360- degree view of the natural beauty. The calm water and cool breeze take you to another world.
Where to Eat..??
When your paunch is not full you are not suppose to do anything..Without food your travel is not worthy. So these are some restaurant where you can go and have some good food...
Coffee Garden Rooftop Restaurant
Ebonys Café Restaurant
Sora Grills & Gossip
Royal Kitchen
