Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cover over 40km of trails in jungle bordering the park, though many travellers complain
that at least 30km of the trip is on sealed roads.
You can arrange
elephant rides
(per 30min/1-hr/2- ?350/750/1000)
at most hotels and agents in
town. If you want the extended elephant experience, you can pay ?2500 for a 2½-hour
ride that includes elephant feeding and washing.
Cooking classes
(around ?200-400)
are offered
by many local homestays.
Periyar Lake Cruise
(adult/child ?150/50; departures 7.30am, 9.30am, 11.15am, 1.45pm & 3.30pm)
These 1½-hour boat trips
around the lake are the main way to tour the sanctuary without taking a guided walk. You
might see deer, boar and birdlife but it's generally more of a cruise - often a rowdy one -
than a wildlife-spotting experience. Boats are operated by the Forest Department and by
KTDC - the
ticket counters
are together in the main building above the boat jetty, and you
must buy a ticket before boarding the boat. In high season get to the ticket office 1½ hours
before each trip to buy tickets. The first and last departures offer the best prospects for
wildlife spotting, and October to March is generally the best time to see animals.
BOATING
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
Ecotourism Centre
MAP
( 224571;
www.periyartigerreserve.org
; Thekkady Rd; 9am-1pm & 2-5pm)
A number of more adven-
turous explorations of the park can be arranged by the Ecotourism Centre, run by the
Forest Department. These include border hikes (?1000; from 8am to 5pm), 2½-hour
nature walks (?200), full-day bamboo rafting (?1500) and 'jungle patrols' (?750), which
cover 4km to 5km and are the best way to experience the park close up, accompanied by a
trained tribal guide. Trips usually require a minimum of four or five people. There are also
overnight 'tiger trail' treks (per person ?4000, solo ?6000), which are run by former
poachers retrained as guides, and cover 20km to 30km.
Gavi Ecotourism
MAP
( 223270, 994792399;
http://gavi.kfdcecotourism.com
;
treks ?1000, jeep safaris ?1500; 9am-8pm)
This
Forest Department venture offers jeep safaris, treks and boating to Gavi, a cardamom
plantation and jungle area bordering the sanctuary about 45km from Kumily. Hotels can
help organise the same trips.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
