Neyar Reserve

The reserve stretches from the town of Neyatinkar Taluk to the Mundanthurai tiger reserve in Tamil Nadu, is located 30 km from the city of Thiruvananthapuram, and covers an area of ​​128 square meters. km. Numerous mammals, reptiles and birds live here, such as elephants, gaurs, sambars, roe deer, wild boars, Indian porcupine, three-banded squirrel, tiger, Malabar squirrel, lion-tailed macaque, deer, bonnet macaque, Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri thin-bodied, cobra, viper, python, rat-catcher, flying snake, lizard, common myna, kingfisher, white-breasted water hen, green night heron, woodpecker, southern house crow, Indian cuckoo, gray forest bird, forest myna, Indian mountain myna, darter, little cormorant, little egret, brahmin kite and others.

Best time to visit: November - February.

Where to stay:

You will be offered a youth camp and holiday home in Neyar, Forest Department Bungalow, Irrigation Department Holiday Home, Agasthya House (KTDC), Minmutti Holiday Home.

How to get there:

The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram. There are also good road links with the reserve.

Peppara Reserve

This reserve is located 50 km northeast of Thiruvananthapuram in Nedumangad Taluk. Here you can see an elephant, gaur, sambar, roe deer, wild boar, tiger, panther, wild dog, Malabar squirrel, lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri thin-bodied and others. The reserve is inhabited by birds: darter, little cormorant, motley kingfisher and white heron, amazing moths and butterflies, as well as reptiles: King Cobra, pythons.

How to get there:

From Vithura on the Thiruvananthapuram-Ponmudi route, the nearest airport and railway station is Thiruvananthapuram (35 km).

Reserve Shenduruni

The Shenduruni forest was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1984. Located in Panthanapuram Taluk 66 km. from the city of Kollam on the Kollam-Shenkotta route. Among the inhabitants of the reserve: radiata macaques, bonnet macaques, gaur, sambar, roe deer, wild boar, large Indian squirrel, three-banded palm squirrel, lion-tailed macaque, deer, Nilgiri thin-bodied, elephant, tiger, leopard and others.

It is known that Shenduruni was the cradle of one of the oldest valley-river civilizations in India, older than the Indus Valley (4400 - 3700 BC).

There is a cave in the northwestern part of the Shenduruni River that can accommodate 20 people. The cave dates back to the Mesolithic era and contains Mesolithic paintings found in the caves of Central India.

How to get there:

The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram (72 km), the nearest railway station is Tenmala connected with Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, etc. A road network connects the reserve with Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.

Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary, Thenmala Dam P.O. Kollam District, tel: 0475-344600.

Periyar Reserve(Thekkady)

It is located in the Idukki district of Kerala. This is one of the most remarkable wildlife sanctuaries in terms of geomorphology, natural diversity and magnificent landscape. The trip to Thekkady itself is already impressive - the road passes through the quiet countryside. Here you can see rich plantations and dense jungle. Periyar was declared a tiger reserve in 1978 as part of the Tiger Project. It attracts travelers from all over the world and is the only reserve in India where you can observe and photograph a wild elephant up close. In the forests of Periyar, there are two towers for observing animals.

Boat ride on Periyar lake - The best way to get acquainted with the nature of the reserve. The reserve is home to 35 species of animals: wild elephant, tiger, panther, wild dog, gaur, Nilgiri thin-bodied, sambar, roe deer, wild boar, sloth bear, Nilgiri tahr, lion-tailed macaque, otter, large Malabar squirrel, viverra, leopard and others.

The reserve is home to 265 species of birds, including migratory ones: large Indian hornbill, peacock, brahmin kite and black kite, waterfowl, such as darter, little cormorant, kingfisher, black-necked stork - these are some representatives of the birds that inhabit the reserve. Of the reptiles - cobra, viper, krait, two-colored frogs, turtles and crocodiles. Lake Periyar and rivers abound with fish. Barbus is found here - the famous non-commercial fish of India. The only mammal living in the lake is an otter, it can be seen during a boat trip.

Best time to visit: October-May, from 06.00 to 18.00.

Where to stay:

You will be offered KTDC hotels: "Aranya Nivas", "Lake Palace", "Periyar House", forest houses, but places must be booked in advance. There are also rooms in Kumili.

How to get there:

The entrance to the reserve is located in Thekkady. It can be reached by good roads from the airports of Madurai (145 km), Kochi (190 km) Thiruvananthapuram (272 km), the nearest railway station is Kottayam (114 km), the nearest city is Kumili (4 km).

Idukki Reserve

The reserve stretches through Thodupuzhu and Udumpanchola of the Idukki district. It is located 40 km from the city of Thodupuzha. Was founded in 1976. Elephant, deer, bear, leopard, tiger, wild boar and other animals live here. The bird population is represented by the hornbill, kingfisher, woodpecker. From the reptile here you can see a cobra, a viper, a python, a rat-catcher snake and others.

Where to stay:

There is a forest inspection bungalow in Vellapara (tel: 32323), a PWD holiday home, an inspection bungalow in Vajathopu (tel: 32328). As well as private hotels in Cherutkhoni, Kattapana, Thodupuzha.

national park Eravikulam

Located in Devikulam, Idukki district, 15 km north of Munnar. The park was founded in 1975 to protect the Nilgiri tahr, in 1978 the reserve was declared a national park. Tigers, panthers, wild dogs, sloth bear, Nilgiri thin-bodied and wild boar live in open meadows and forests, civet and reed cats live here . In the park you can see the atlas moth - the largest representative of the species in the world. The endangered Nilgiri tahr also lives here.

Best time to visit:

The park is open daily from 07.00 to 18.00. Visit all year round, except during the rainy season.

Where to stay:

In Munnar and Devikulam you will be offered private cottages, government guest houses, PWD holiday homes.

How to get there:

Can be reached via Kochi (135 km) and Kottayam (148 km) by road. The nearest airport is Kochi, the nearest railway station is Aluva (115 km from Munnar).

Contact information: The chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram-695014, fax: 0471-322217; The Wildlife Warden/Assistant Widlife Warden, Eravikulam National Park, Rajamalai, Near Nemakad Estate, Munnar, Tel: 04865-30487.

Reserve Chinar

The reserve occupies a forested region on both sides of the Marayuur-Udumalpet road. This is the second habitat for the endangered great gray squirrel in India. The convenient location of the reserve allows you to observe amazing life nature near the road, without going deep into the forest. Elephant, gaur, spotted deer, panther, sambar, large gray squirrel, hanuman langur, rabbit and - these are some of the inhabitants of the reserve.

Best time to visit:

Where to stay:

Munnar, Marajur and Udumalpet offer private cottages and government guest houses.

How to get there:

The nearest airports are Coimbatore and Kochi, the nearest railway stations are Pollachi (60 km) and Aluva (200 km).

Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary

It is located 13 km northeast of Kothamangalam along the Puyamkutti road (Ernakulam district) on the territory of the Bhuthathankettu dam. The Thattekkad Conservation Area was established in 1983. Leopard, bear, porcupine, Indian roller, cuckoo, snipe, black pheasant, nightjar, kite, gray drongo, Malabar trogon, woodpecker, great motley wagtail, sparrow, gray partridge, Indian mountain myna, robin and darter are the inhabitants of this reserve, sometimes elephants come here. Also here you can see rare birds: bee-eater, sunbird, shrike, small blue-backed songbird, grey-headed fishing eagle, black kite, night heron, gray heron, gray hornbill, Malabar shama and Malabar hornbill.

Going on a trip to the reserve, you must obtain permission from the assistant wildlife conservator of the Thattekad reserve.

Where to stay:

In Kothamangalam you will be offered PWD rest houses near the dam, private cottages.

How to get there:

The nearest railway station is Aluva (48 km) and the nearest airport is Kochi (71 km).

Chimmini Nature Reserve

The reserve is located in the western valley of Nelliampathi in the Mukundapuram Taluk of Thrissur district and borders on the reserves of Pichi-Vazhani and Parambikulam. Leopard, elephant, bear, wild boar, wild bison, tiger and other animals live here.

Best time to visit:

The reserve is open round the clock, except for October and November. Opening hours: from 07.00 to 18.00

Where to stay:

In Amballur you will be offered bungalows next to the dam, as well as hotels.

How to get there:

The nearest town is Amballoor (12 km) on the Ernakulam-Thrissur route, the nearest railway station (and bus stops) is Thrissur (35 km), the nearest airport is Kochi (50 km).

Nature reserves in Kerala

Pichi-Vazhani Reserve

The reserve was founded in 1958. It is located about 20 km east of Thrissur in the basin of the Pichi and Vazhani dams with the main office in Pichi 15 km., located in the forests of Palapalli-Nelliampathi and bordering the Chimmini nature reserve.

More than 60 species of birds, 10 species of snakes, as well as: leopards, tigers, foxes and many others live in Pichi-Vazhani. In deciduous forests and meadows you can meet some herbivores: elk, deer, roe deer. The bison and elephant also inhabit the interior forests.

Where to stay:

In Pichi you will be offered a holiday home. There is also an information center here.

How to get there:

Direct bus services from Thrissur to Pichi, the nearest railway station is Thrissur and the nearest airport is Kochi (98 km).

Silent Valley National Park(silent valley)

The park is located 40 km from Mannarkad on the northeastern border of the Palakkad district. It is closest to the virgin forest. This is the last patch of tropical evergreen rainforest in India, so the park is home to a huge population of wildlife due to the rugged terrain and remoteness. All the mammals of the peninsula are represented in the valley: lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri slender-bodied, bonnet macaque, tiger, leopard, leopard cat, fishing cat, palm marten, red mongoose, striped mongoose, wild dog, sloth bear, otter, flying squirrel, large Malabar squirrel, Indian pangolin, porcupine, wild boar, sambar, spotted deer, roe deer, deer, gaur and elephant, as well as rare species birds such as the boneli eagle, shaheen (Indian falcon), short-eared owl, peninsular, great Indian hornbill, Nilgiri song thrush, funnel swallow, Malayan bittern and others. More than 100 species of butterflies and 400 species of moths can be seen in the park.

Where to stay:

You will be offered a rest house of the forest department.

How to get there:

The nearest bus stop is Mannarkad (32 km), the nearest airport is Coimbatore (115 km).

Parambikulam Reserve

The reserve is hidden in the valley between the Anamal Range of Tamil Nadu and the Nelliampath Range of Kerala in the magnificent Western Ghats. It is inhabited by various representatives wildlife like bonnet macaque, lion-tailed macaque, nilgirian slender-bodied, lory, tiger, leopard, jungle cat, viverra, mongoose, fox, bear, elephant, gaur, nilgiri tahr, spotted deer, sambar, roe deer, wild boar, lizard, crocodile, monitor lizard, cane turtle, gecko, skunk, chameleon, snakes such as king cobra, spectacled snake, krait, viper, python, rat snake, whip snake, etc. The reserve presents a variety of fish. Among the birds you can meet the darter, the little cormorant, the black eagle, the little marabou, the black-headed kingfisher, the great Indian hornbill, the broad-beaked roller, and the javelin.

Where to stay:

You will be offered government rest houses and private cottages.

How to get there:

good cars and railways connect the reserve with Kozhikode, Mysore and Ooty - all within a radius of 110 km, the nearest airport is Kozhikode, important centers of the reserve: Sulthan, Batheri, Tholpetty and Muthanga.

Wayanad Reserve

The reserve borders on the territories of Nagarhole and Bandipur of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamil Nadu. Rich species it is an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. In addition to elephants, a tiger, a panther, a reed cat, a viverra, a monkey, a wild dog, a bison, a deer, a bear, etc. live here. Quite a large population of tigers in the reserve. Birds like peacock, cuckoo, owl, woodpecker, etc. are also found in abundance in the reserve.

Where to stay:

You can stop in Irutti near the reserve.

How to get there:

The nearest bus stops are Thalasseri (45 km), Kannur (45 km), the nearest railway station is Thalasseri, the nearest airport is Kozhikode (113 km from Irutti).

Aralam Reserve

The reserve borders on the central farm in Aralam, Kannur district. Deer, wild boar, elephant, sloth bear, sambar, bison, leopard, jungle cat and various kinds of squirrels are some of its inhabitants.

Where to stay:

You can stop at Irutti near the reserve.

How to get there:

The nearest bus stops are Thalasseri (45 km), Kannur (45 km), the nearest railway station is Thalasseri, the nearest airport is Kozhikode (113 km from Irutti).

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The islands are located in the Bay of Bengal and were once part of a mountain range stretching from Sumatra (Indonesia) for 120 km to the south of Burma. Many of the islands are still covered by rich tropical evergreen and tropical moist deciduous forests and are home to many amazing birds and reptiles. However, many animals were introduced. The inhabitants of the islands are fighting for the conservation of wildlife.

The climate on the islands is very favorable for travel. The temperature is from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius, the rainy season falls on June-December.

Unlike many parks and reserves, most of these places are not intended for mammals, but rather for plants, birds and marine life. But here you can find bats, Andaman pig, chitala, pig deer, elephant and palm civet.

Barren Island Preserve

Founded in 1977. Located on Barren Island, about 60 km east of the main Andaman Islands and about 125 km northeast of Port Blair. Dolphins and dugongs live here.

National Marine Park

The park was founded in 1983. Known as the National Crocodile Park. The location is located west of Port Blair. Reptiles live here, green leathery sea ​​turtles, hawksbill and crocodiles.

Best time to visit: January - March.

Middle Baton Island National Park(North and South)

The park was founded in 1979 (South Park was founded in 1977). Located along west coast Andaman Islands. Here you can meet dolphins and water ravens.

Best time to visit: January - March.

Mount Harriat National Park

The park was founded in 1979 and covers an area of ​​about 47 sq. km. Located 15 km. south of Port Blair. The terrain is hilly, the area is mostly covered with evergreen forests. The park is the main habitat of the Andaman wild pig.

Best time to visit: January - February.

Narkondum Island Nature Reserve

The reserve was founded in 1977. The island is located about 260 km northeast of Port Blair. This reserve is the only habitat for the hornbill.

North Reef Island Reserve(North Reef Island)

The reserve was founded in 1977. Located west of North Andman. It is home to the protected Andaman teal and Nicobar pigeon.

Best time to visit: November - April.

South Sentinel Preserve(South Sentinel)

The reserve was founded in 1977. Located 125 km south of Port Blair. Animals and birds of the park: green sea turtles, leatherback turtles that come to spawn, the white-breasted eagle that hunts in the nearby waters. You can also find coconut crabs here.

Best time to visit: January - May.

Mountain forests occupy more than a quarter of the territory of Kerala and are famous for the abundance of flora and fauna.
More than 150,000 tourists every year visit the Periyar nature reserve, the most popular in South India (founded in 1934). This is one of the 16 reserves in India, engaged in the protection of tigers (since 1973). It is located on the picturesque slopes of the Western Ghats and covers an area of ​​775 sq. km.

It is also the best reserve in Asia in terms of observing the life of elephants in vivo. In summer, when the water level drops, the elephants descend to the artificial lake (25 sq. km.), specially made to supply animals with water in all seasons, and also so that tourists can swim up to the very shores to view the animals - more there is no such thing anywhere. In addition to elephants, fauna Periyar Reserve includes tigers, panthers, leopards, Indian bison, sambars, spotted deer, sloths, wild dogs, civets, as well as a huge number of different birds. You can often see pythons and cobras, sometimes a flying lizard comes across.

The best time to visit the reserve is from September to May. You can join a boat tour on the lake or rent one yourself. On the border of the reserve is the village of Thekkady, where there are several good hotels for nature travelers.

Established in 1983, Kerala's first bird sanctuary, Thattekkadu, is located between the branches of the Periyar River. More than 400 species of birds live here. Every winter flocks of birds come here from the north - from Siberia and other places. Lake Periyar is also a refuge for a huge number of water birds. Other tourist attractions include a reptile park where crocodiles and pythons live, a deer sanctuary and many others.

Bird Sanctuary in Kumarakom - here wintering birds arrived from the north, as well as many local birds. Other reserves are in Neyyar, Peppar, Shenduruni, Idukki, Eravikulam, Chinar, Chimmini and Pichi-Vazhani.

reserves

Mountain forests occupy more than a quarter of the territory of Kerala and are famous for the abundance of flora and fauna. More than 150,000 tourists every year visit the Periyar nature reserve, the most popular in South India (founded in 1934). This is one of the 16 reserves in India, engaged in the protection of tigers (since 1973). It is located on the picturesque slopes of the Western Ghats and covers an area of ​​775 sq. km. It is also the best reserve in Asia in terms of observing the life of elephants in natural conditions. In summer, when the water level drops, the elephants descend to the artificial lake (25 sq. km.), specially made to supply animals with water in all seasons, and also so that tourists can swim up to the very shores to view the animals - more there is no such thing anywhere. In addition to elephants, the fauna of the Periyar Reserve includes tigers, panthers, leopards, Indian bison, sambars, spotted deer, sloths, wild dogs, civets, as well as a huge number of different birds. You can often see pythons and cobras, sometimes you come across a flying lizard. The best time to visit the reserve is from September to May. You can join a boat tour on the lake or rent one yourself. On the border of the reserve is the village of Thekkady, where there are several good hotels for nature travelers. Established in 1983, Kerala's first bird sanctuary, Thattekkadu, is located between the branches of the Periyar River. More than 400 species of birds live here. Every winter flocks of birds come here from the north - from Siberia and other places. Lake Periyar is also a refuge for a huge number of water birds. Other tourist attractions include a reptile park where crocodiles and pythons live, a deer sanctuary and many others. Bird Sanctuary in Kumarakom - here wintering birds arrived from the north, as well as many local birds. Other reserves are in Neyyar, Peppar, Shenduruni, Idukki, Eravikulam, Chinar, Chimmini and Pichi-Vazhani.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and Thekkadi Village

Peryar National Reserve covers an area of ​​775 km and is located in the Western Ghats on the lake. The lake, on which tourists usually travel by boat, is artificial and was formed as a result of the construction of a dam in the 19th century. Tigers, leopards, monkeys, elephants and other animal species live here in natural conditions. However, traveling alone into the jungle can be unsafe. It is better to join a tour of the lake on a boat and watch the life of the animal world, hearing the elephants trumpet in the reserve and the monkeys chatting on the run. The best time to visit is from September to May. On the border of the reserve is the village of Thekkady, where there are several good hotels for nature travelers. Here you can also make exciting excursion in greenhouses, spice and coffee plantations. How to get there: By bus from Ernakulam, Kovalam and Kodaikanal (Tamil Nadu).

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