Thekkady (Periyar)
A hill town beside Periyar Tiger Reserve, with lake boat rides to see wild elephants, spice plantations and Kalaripayattu martial arts shows.
Thekkady lies in the Cardamom Hills of the Western Ghats in eastern Idukki district, Kerala, at about 900 m, right next to the Tamil Nadu border and merging with the gateway town of Kumily. It is famous for Periyar Tiger Reserve: the Mullaperiyar Dam, built in 1895, created Periyar Lake, and the forests around it are home to Asian elephants, gaur, sambar deer and tigers. Main activities: an early-morning boat ride on the lake to watch wild elephants come to drink; the reserve's ecotourism programs of bamboo rafting, jungle treks and night patrols; learning about cardamom and pepper at a spice plantation; and watching Kathakali dance-drama and Kalaripayattu martial arts in the evening. Day trips nearby include Gavi Forest, the Vagamon meadows, Ramakkalmedu, Parunthumpara and the tea estates of Vandiperiyar, and heading down the eastern side takes you to Suruli Falls in Tamil Nadu. The best season is September–March, when it is cool and dry, and animals gather more around the lake toward the end of the dry season (February–April); June–August brings heavy southwest monsoon rain and a risk of landslides on mountain roads. Getting there: the nearest airports are Kochi (about 150 km, 4–5 hours by road) and Madurai (about 140 km); it takes about 3.5 hours by private car from Munnar and about 4 hours from Alappuzha. We suggest 2 nights. Notes: boat rides and ecotourism activities in the reserve have limited places, so book on the official website in advance for peak season and weekends; buy spices from reputable shops; and watch for leeches on jungle treks.
Top sights
- Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (Thekkady) – A tiger reserve in the Western Ghats surrounding Periyar Lake. Visitors can take boats to watch elephant herds drink, go on jungle treks le…
- Spice Plantation Tour – At family-run plantations around Kumily, guides help you identify cardamom, pepper, vanilla, coffee and cocoa plants.
- Mudra Cultural Centre – Stages Kerala's classical Kathakali dance drama and Kalaripayattu martial arts every evening, and visitors can arrive early to watch the pe…
- Periyar Bamboo Rafting & Jungle Treks – Bamboo rafting and jungle treks run by the reserve's ecotourism programme, led by armed forest guards and indigenous guides deep into the t…
- Kumily Spice Market – The main street of the border town at the gate of Thekkady, lined with spice shops, where cardamom, pepper, cinnamon and coffee are good va…
- Kadathanadan Kalari Centre – A venue dedicated to Kerala's ancient martial art of kalaripayattu, where performances with swords, shields, staffs and fire rings are thri…
- Chellarkovil Viewpoint – A cliff-edge viewpoint on the edge of the Western Ghats, overlooking the farmland and windmills of the Tamil Nadu plains, with waterfalls a…
- Mangala Devi Kannagi Temple – An ancient stone temple on a mountaintop deep in the reserve, open only one day a year during the Chithirai full moon, with views over the…
- Gavi – A forest ecotourism area on the southern edge of the Periyar reserve, with lakes, cloud forest and cardamom groves, offering jeep safaris a…
- Ramakkalmedu – A hilltop viewpoint known for strong winds and wind power, with a giant statue of an indigenous couple overlooking the Tamil Nadu plains.
- Vagamon – Rolling meadows and pine forests at about 1,100 metres, with a paragliding site and a monastery hill, a popular day trip from Thekkady.
- Parunthumpara – A rocky hilltop viewpoint near Peermade, shaped like an eagle with outstretched wings, overlooking rolling green hills and the Sabarimala f…
- Panchalimedu – A high grassy hillside near Kuttikanam, linked to the legend of the Pandava brothers, with a small shrine, a row of crosses and sunrise vie…
- Suruli Falls – A two-tier waterfall in the forests on the Tamil Nadu side, a pilgrimage bathing site for Tamils and easy to combine with Thekkady on a day…
- Vandiperiyar Tea Estates – A long-established tea area on the Periyar River, with hillsides covered in tea gardens planted during British colonial times, and factory…
Where to eat
- Grandma's Café – A small eatery on the Kumily bypass, where Kerala home cooking ranks among the best in the area.
- Tusker Café – A family restaurant beside the reserve's parking lot. The banana-leaf sadya feast and banana-leaf grilled fish are high…
- Ebony's Café – A rooftop café on the second floor of the owner's home, where pancakes and light Indian and Western meals are popular w…
Itineraries
- Classic Kerala – Fly into Kochi and out of Trivandrum, taking in tea plantations, a tiger reserve, backwater houseboats, and red cliff b…
- South India Coast-to-Coast: Chennai to Kochi – From the Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea, traverse temple plains, Chettinad, tea hills, and backwaters.