Discover India's Wild Heritage
Explore the diverse ecosystems and magnificent wildlife across India's national parks
Explore ParksExplore the diverse ecosystems and magnificent wildlife across India's national parks
Explore ParksEmerald Lake in Spice Country
Kerala
Image: Bernard Gagnon / CC BY-SA 3.0Welcome to Periyar National Park! Use the resources below to plan your adventure in one of India's most treasured wild spaces.
Safaris, bird watching, nature walks, and more
Safari timings, open seasons, and park schedules
Entry fees, safari charges, and camera fees
How to reach by air, rail, and road
Official booking links, permits, and offline reservation guidance
Nearby stays, forest rest houses, and booking resources
Reserve Periyar ecotourism programs online where slots are listed; boat and trek inventory changes by season.
This link opens Booking.com, a third-party site.
The boat safari is the most accessible activity — the jetty has ramps and the boats have seating. Nature walks and bamboo rafting require reasonable fitness on uneven terrain. Thekkady town is hilly but manageable. Periyar House and Aranya Nivas (inside the park) have accessible rooms.
Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve, set in the cardamom hills of the Western Ghats in Kerala, is one of India's most popular and picturesque wildlife destinations. The park is centered around the beautiful Periyar Lake (Thekkady), created by the Mullaperiyar Dam in 1895. The lake and its surroundings form a permanent water source that attracts large herds of elephants, gaur, and sambar — often seen wading in the shallows. Unlike most Indian parks where safaris are by jeep, Periyar's signature experience is a boat cruise on the lake, offering a unique waterside perspective on wildlife. The surrounding hills are carpeted with spice plantations — cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, and clove.
| Season | Morning Safari | Evening Safari |
|---|---|---|
| Year-round | 7:30 AM - 1:00 PM (boat cruises) | 1:45 PM - 5:00 PM (boat cruises) |
Boat safaris are the primary wildlife experience. Bamboo rafting and nature walks have separate timings arranged through the Periyar Tiger Reserve office or eco-tourism center. The park gate at Thekkady opens at 6:00 AM.
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Entry Fee (Indian) | INR 50 per person |
| Entry Fee (Foreigner) | INR 525 per person |
| Boat Safari (KTDC Upper Deck) | INR 250 per person |
| Boat Safari (KTDC Lower Deck) | INR 185 per person |
| Bamboo Rafting | INR 1,500 - 3,000 per person |
| Nature Walk | INR 500 - 1,000 per person |
| Jungle Patrol (Overnight) | INR 3,000 - 5,000 per person |
The KTDC boat cruise is the most popular and affordable option. For serious wildlife viewing, the bamboo rafting and nature walk programs (run by the Periyar Foundation) offer far superior experiences with trained tribal guides. Book these in advance.
Periyar Tiger Reserve, Thekkady, Idukki District, Kerala 685536
9.4681° N, 77.2310° E
Nearest airport is Madurai (140 km, 4 hours) in Tamil Nadu. Cochin International Airport (190 km, 5 hours) is another option with better international connectivity.
Nearest railway station is Kottayam (114 km) on the Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam line. Madurai Junction (140 km) is the nearest major station in Tamil Nadu.
Thekkady is well-connected by road. 140 km from Madurai, 114 km from Kottayam, 190 km from Kochi, 257 km from Trivandrum. KSRTC and Tamil Nadu state buses run regularly. Private taxis available from all major cities.
Thekkady town is compact and walkable. Auto-rickshaws available for the 1.5 km ride from town to the park gate. Boats depart from the jetty inside the park. Most hotels are within 1-3 km of the park entrance.
Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests at higher elevations, moist deciduous forests at lower elevations, and grasslands on hilltops. The forests are part of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. Commercial plantations of cardamom, tea, and coffee are present in buffer areas.
Home to approximately 40-50 tigers, over 1,000 elephants, large herds of Indian gaur, sambar, and wild boar. Notable primates include the endangered lion-tailed macaque and Nilgiri langur. Periyar also hosts Indian giant squirrels, Malabar civet (extremely rare), and king cobras.
The forests around Periyar were declared a reserve forest in 1899 after the Mullaperiyar Dam created the lake in 1895. The area became a wildlife sanctuary in 1950 and a tiger reserve under Project Tiger in 1978. It was declared a national park in 1982. Periyar is particularly notable for its community-based eco-tourism model — former poachers and smugglers have been reformed into conservation guides and forest patrollers through the Periyar Foundation, creating a globally recognized model for human-wildlife coexistence.
