Kerala, also known as "God's Own
Country" is one of the most popular tourism destinations
in India. It's tropical climate, beautiful palm-fringed
beaches with pristine stretches of sand, the serenity of
the backwaters and the clear blue Arabian Sea, make Kerala
one of the most beautiful destinations in India.
Hamara
Holiday Pvt. Ltd.
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Kerala > Hotels in
Thekkady > Eco-Adventure
ECO ADVENTURE PROGRAMES THEKKADY
Program :
1
Nature Walk - The guided day trek
(7 am to 10.30 am and 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm)
Feel the nature on foot A quail takes off just under
one’s feet and a jungle fowl flushes out .
Different nature trails traversing diverse habitats form
the trekking routes, generally 4 to 5 km. in length.
This is an interpretive programme offering excellent
opportunity to watch birds, butterflies and other
wildlife. The trails often pass through evergreen and
moist deciduous forests interspersed with marshy
grasslands.
The programme is offered between 7.00 am. and 10.30 am.
and between 2.00 pm. and 3.00 pm. and lasts for about 3
hours. A maximum of 5 persons can go for trekking at a
time along each nature trail, accompanied by a trained
tribal guide. The Nature walk is the right programme to
feel nature, hear her whispers and smell her flowers
Tariff Rs. 200/ person with Minimum 5 pax per
group/trek
The Periyar Tiger Trail -
Adventure trekking and camping
The soft scented breeze under a million stars, the
dinner over a hurricane lamp, the glow of fireflies and
the backgrounds sonata of crickets, frogs and nocturnal birds.Watch the first rays of the sun filtering through
the mist over the canopy and listen to the forests
coming alive…
The programme is unique in being conducted by a team of
poachers who turned protectors of the forests. The team
members are hardy and dependable with an intimate
knowledge of the forest terrain. The programmes are 1
night/2 days and 2 nights/3 days. The first day’s trek
starts at 12 noon and ends by noon in the second or
third day. The team consists of a maximum of 5 visitors,
5 guides and 2 forest officials. Normally 20 to 35 kms.
of trekking distance will be covered, depending on the
route chosen.
Here, one may chance to encounter unique
wildlife like Nilgiri langur, giant squirrel, elephant
and who knows, even the tiger! The trek route passes
through hills and valleys with a variety of tropical
plants and wide-open spaces. Enroute vegetarian meals
will be prepared and served and country tents will be
pitched for holing up in the night. Trekking groups are
accompanied by armed forest guards with good
communication equipments, and geared to face any
emergency situation. Remember to listen to unusual and
strange adventure stories of the former poachers, now
your guides and protectors of the forests.
Preconditions for joining the tiger trail
Visitors who are medically fit and aged between 15 - 65
are advised to take the tiger trail. Visitors should be
serious nature lovers willing to sacrifice some of the
luxuries and comforts of a hotel
This is a conservation oriented hard trek taking up a
full day. The trekking starts at 8 o’ clock in the
morning and ends in the evening.
The route passes through undulating terrains. Hight
ranges of 900 meters to 1300 meters will be covered and
the trekkers could glimpse the lofty escarpments
bordering the park watershed and the vast plains down
below. Gaur, sloth bear, elephant, etc. are often
sighted along this route apart from birds and
butterflies.
Maximum of 10 tourist can take the programme in two
different groups. The trekkers will go with two guides
and an armed forest guard. Vegetarian refreshments can
be had en route
Tariff: Rs. 2000/person
Maximum no. of person: 10 persons in 2 group /day
Program :
4
Bamboo RaftingDawn to dusk
range hiking ( 8 am to 5 PM)
When the cool soft breeze takes your hair and the ripples
sweep through the lake, Where the dead trees of
forgotten valley emerge like ghosts from the water
stretch, It’s fun to paddle in bamboo rafts to see a
small Elephant run behind its mother safe, It’s
thrilling, if you are there to meet a Leopard in it’s
den, To remould yourself … To run away from your destiny
…...far into the rain forests…
This is a dawn to dusk range hiking and rafting program
through some of the richest forest tracts of Periyar
Tiger Reserve. Starting at 8 am from the boat landing, a
mosaic of habitats will be traversed before the party
gets into rafts made of bamboos.
The forests are rich in bird life and arboreal animals
like giant squirrel and Nilgiri langur. The rafting is
for about three hours and one gets a panoramic view of
forest-clad hills reflected on the lake. Animals like
elephant, gaur and sambar are sighted keeping close to
the edges of the lake.
The team hitchhikes back to the boat landing by about 5
pm. An armed guard and 4 guides will accompany a maximum
of 10 tourists. Tea, snacks and packed lunch will be
served enroute.
Tariff: Rs. 2500 per person
Maximum No. of person: 10 person / day
Program :
5
Jungle Patrol (OPTIONAL – 5)
Shepherding the jungle (7 PM TO 4AM)
The beaten path into the wood of jungle was dark when the
moonlight slept on valleys elsewhere I started exploring
the jungle to find trees attained strange shapes deep in
the forest. I waited for a tiny cry to creep in my ear.A
soft lullaby of a nightjar and I feel the jungle thick
and full.
Hundred eyes staring at me… Yes, I am the ranger of dark
forests.
This program is part of the regular night patrolling in
the fringe ecodevelopment zones of the tiger reserve. By
participating in this, one is actually helping in the
protection of the forests of Periyar.
The trekking could be at any time between 7 pm. and 4
am. and could be taken by persons having proper physical
and mental fitness to trek through the wilderness in the
night. The maximum duration for a slot is 3 hours and
the maximum capacity of one slot is limited to 8
visitors (to move in two separate teams). They will
accompany two protection watchers and one armed forest
guard!
Try the limits of your senses-sight, hearing and smell
and take in the totally different world of nocturnal
jungle life
Food: Tea , snacks and dinner are provided
Tariff: Rs. 2000 per person
Max No. of person: 24 persons ( 4 person each in
2 group on 3 times slots/day)
Program :
6
Tribal Heritage - A peep into
the past( OPTIONAL –6) (8 AM to 12 Noon and 2 PM to
4 PM)
Mannans are among the oldest indigenous group of people
to inhabit Periyar Tiger Reserve. Till as late as
1940’s, they used to live in the remotest areas of the
tiger reserve eking out a simple living by fishing in
the lake and cultivating a few crops.
Tribal Heritage Museum
A tribal heritage museum built inside the Mannan
settlement featuring various types of artifacts related
to their ancient agricultural practices, marriage
ceremonies, cultural events, dress code, rituals and
death ceremonies is the hub of this ecotourism programme.
Display of fishing gear, hunting weaponry, indigenous
medicine and vessels, cereals, medicinal herbs, bamboo
furnitures, etc. are other attractions providing a peep
into their original culture.
Tribal heritage visit is a two hour programme available
on all days from 8 am. to 12 noon and 2 pm. to 4 pm.
It involves mainly the tribal museum visit and trekking
through the tribal hamlet situated within the periphery
of Periyar Tiger Reserve accompanied by a tribal guide.
Food: Tea , Snacks and dinner are provided
Tariff: Rs. 800 per person
Program :
7
One night in the Periyar Jungle
(OPTIONAL -7) (4 PM. and 7 am.)
A shrill call from the depths of wild jungles makes the wood
calm and still, hoofs searching for shelter and you
don’t see the big shadow… with bated breaths you watch
the emergence of the tiger, the master hunter…
ACCOMMODATION
The forest cottage at Kokkara, about an hour walk from
the Forest check post is an ideal place to board two
persons hoping to share the quietness of the jungle
night. Here one could relax, read a book, listen to the
cicada or simply watch the forests outside.
The high point of the programme is walking through
different forest types at prime time when animals tend
to be more active. One can watch troops of langurs,
giant squirrels, etc., besides many birds along this
stretch. Who knows, if the goddess of fortune blesses
you, a tiger could come out of the bushes chasing a herd
of sambar deer!
The check in time and check out time are 4 pm. and 7 am.
the following day respectively.
Food: Tea, snacks and dinner are provided.
Tariff: Rs. 5000 per cottage 2 person per day
Maximum NO. of Person: 2 person per day
Program :
8
Green Mansions - Far from the
madding crowds...
Gavi, a beautiful picturesque land is one of the off-the-track
destinations ideal for a wilderness retreat replete with
trekking, birding, canoeing and facilities for boarding.
There are hills and valleys, tropical forests, sprawling
grasslands, sholas, cascading waterfalls and cardamom
plantations. Endangered species including the elephant,
Nilgiri tahr, lion-tailed macaque are often sighted at
the outskirts of Gavi.
There are two programmes run by the Kerala Forest
Development Corporation and Eco Development Committees,
one where three families could stay in the ecolodge at
Gavi and the other where 15 persons can go for a day’s
visit of the area.
Hosted and accompanied by trained local people, the
visitors can go for trekking and bird watching in the
many trails around, paddle in still waters to cool off
or perhaps settle down for watching sunset in this oasis
of peace and tranquility. Native vegetarian food and
snacks will be provided to the visitors
