The park covers an area of over 900 square kilometers and is home to a variety of wildlife, including elephants, tigers, leopards, sambar deer, barking deer, and Indian bison. Visitors to the park can enjoy jeep safaris, boat cruises, and guided nature walks to explore the rich biodiversity of the area.
The park is also known for its beautiful scenery, which includes dense forests, rolling hills, and a large artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam. The lake is a popular spot for boating, and visitors can enjoy the scenic beauty of the park from the comfort of a boat.
Periyar National Park is also home to several tribal communities, and visitors can learn about their culture and way of life through various cultural programs organized by the park authorities.
The park is open throughout the year, but the best time to visit is between October and June when the weather is pleasant, and the chances of wildlife sightings are higher.
Interesting Facts About Periyar National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary
Periyar National Park has a significant history and many facts that revolve around its formation and present functioning. Here are some of those:
1. The ecosystem of Periyar Tiger Reserve accounts for annual economic benefits of an estimated 17.6 billion rupees. This works out to approximately 1.9 lakh rupees per hectare of the land!
2. Even though some of these intangible benefits are difficult to quantify, experts have calculated the financial benefits accrued to gene-pool protection to the tune of 7.86 billion rupees annually.
3. About 4.05 billion rupees worth of water provision is provided by this national park to some of the districts of the state of Tamil Nadu on a yearly basis.
4. Periyar National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary provides refuge and a habitat to wildlife tipped at an annual worth of 3.55 billion rupees.
5. The towns and districts around the wildlife reserve benefit from the water purification services which are pegged at INR 483 million rupees per year.
6. Only recreational activities such as boating, trekking, camping and safaris that the national park has spurned earn a sum of INR 425 million rupees annually.
7. The local communities, who are directly or indirectly employed for various services related to the wildlife sanctuary, benefit from 25 million rupees worth of jobs yearly.
Address: 5J7R+7G6, Ayyampuzha, Kerala 686681
Phone: 04869 224 571
How to Reach
Nearest Railway Station : Kottayam Railway Station, about 110 km from Thekkady
Nearest Airport : Madurai, about 140 km and Cochin International Airport, about 190 km from Thekkady
