Boating in Thekkady - Book your seats online!

Boating in the Periyar Lake is a wonderful experience. The lake was formed by the construction of the Mullaperiyar dam in 1895. The lake is surrounded by the lush greenery of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. There is a good chance of seeing wild animals drinking, bathing and resting along the shores of the lake.

Periyar Lake

Boating in periyar lake is arranged by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation. The ride will be for 1-2 hours and the boat trips are scheduled at 7 am, 9.30 am, 11.30 am, 2 pm and 4 pm. Seating capacity of the boats vary from 15 to 150. Lower deck fare: Rs 25 + 10 (entrance fee) Upper deck fare: 50 + 10 (entrance fee). Boating is a low intensity activity that everyone can enjoy. This was the first activity introduced in the Periyar Tiger Reserve. 

Herd of elephants

A herd of elephants or a wandering family of deer is common sights near the lake. In the hot months of March and April, visitors stand a better chance of viewing wildlife as the animals come to the lake frequently for drinking water. You may be able to spot herds of Gaur, Sambar, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer and wild boars in the grasslands adjacent to the shores during the boating in thekkady.

Common kingfisher

A variety of avian fauna such as darters, egrets, great pied hornbill, pigeons, galliform birds, and kingfishers can be seen resting on dead tree trunks that stick out over the lake. During your boat ride, there is also a high probability of observing the antics of the Smooth Indian Otter. It’s more fun if one is lucky enough to see the elephants playing with their babies in the lake!

Online booking option is available for boating. 25% of the total boat tickets in each schedule will be available online. Following is the link to book your tickets online. Plan a trip to thekkady and explore wildlife.

https://onlinebooking.periyarfoundation.org/PTR/ConfirmOrder?Name=Boating-Online

Things to do in Thekkady

Plantation Tours

Plantation tours are organized by the District Tourism Information Office at Thekkady Junction in Kumily. The spice plantation tour is one among the most important activities outside the reserve that a traveler can engage in. It provides a chance to understand why the Kerala cuisine is different from most of the other Indian cuisines. 

Thekkady plantations

There are several spice gardens around this beautiful area. One has to spend two hours to understand different types of spice plants available around this area. The tour gives you a chance to enjoy cardamom, pepper, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and many other varieties of medicinal plants. Tour also covers plantations, tea factories, tribal settlements and the surrounding hill regions. The service of an experienced guide will give full and detailed explanation of the plants and its uses.

Elephant rides

The Forest Department, Thekkady offers facilities for elephant safaris through the jungle. In this safari, visitors will get a chance to be seated on top of an elephant and they are taken along rides in to the spice plantation to get the good views of hills, valleys and mountains. Time: 10:00 - 17:00 hrs.  Duration: 30 Minutes. Fare: Rs.30 per person. It may include elephant ride, elephant shower, elephant feeding etc.

Trekking

The main trekking areas in Thekkady are Pullumedu, Kurisumala near Kumily, Grampi near Vandiperiyar and Ottakathalamedu near Kumily. 

Jungle trekking

The Forest Department conducts daily treks from the boat landing station at Thekkady to the Nellikkampetty area and Manakkavala. Starting: 07:00 hrs. Fare: Rs.10 + entrance fee.  Booking can be made with the Wildlife Preservation Officer, Thekkady.

Boating

The tourist centre located at Thekkady offers two-hour boating trips, arranged by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, at the man-made lake close to the periyar wildlife sanctuary. 

A boat cruise on periyar lake

Herds of elephants or a wandering family of deer are common sights near the lake. Travelers stand a much better chance of viewing wildlife because the animals come to the lake often for drinking water. You will be able to spot herds of Gaur, Sambar and wild boars within the grasslands adjacent to the shores. Timings: 07:00, 09:30, 11:30, 14:00, 16:00 hrs.

Hotel Tigers Roare provides you an excellent opportunity to enjoy these activities if you choose to stay with us. You can explore the beauty of the wilderness and the purity of nature. Visit http://www.tigersroarperiyar.com/ 

Tourist spots in and around Thekkady

Thekkady is a perfect destination for those who are in search of adventure, fun, wildlife and nature. There are a lot of interesting activities like bird watching, boating, jungle safari etc, which will give you a chance to spot wild animals in their natural habitat.

Periyar Lake

Periyar lake is located near the Periyar national reserve. Tourists can go for boating and enjoy the calm and serene surroundings. If you are lucky you will even get a chance to see wild animals. 

Periyar Lake

Periyar National Park

Periyar national park's environment is like a portrait of many shades. The fresh air of the moist deciduous forest provides one a chance to experience the peace and serenity and long to come back for more. The major animals to be seen in the Periyar wildlife sanctuary are Elephants, Tiger, Gaur, Wild Pigs, Sambar, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Dole or Indian Wild Dog, lion-tailed macaque, the Nilgiri Langur, Common Langur, Bonnet Macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, Monitor lizards, Python.

Mangala Devi Temple

It is an ancient temple designed in Pandian style of architecture around 2000 years ago. This temple is devoted to Hindu deity Devi Mangala or Kannagi and is at a distance of about 15 km from Thekkady.  

The Mangaladevi Temple

Located on the top of a cliff and enclosed by trees, this temple is visited by many pilgrims. It is necessary to get permission from the wildlife authorities of Thekkady to visit this area.

Murikkady

Murikkady is located at  5 kms from Thekkady. This place is popular for rich and varied plantations of cardamom, tea and pepper, the beautiful misty mountains, breathtaking views of scenic spice plantations, lush green valleys. A perfect picnic spot for nature lovers.

Spice plantations

Chellarkovil

This village lies on the Kerala-Tamilnadu border. Village is famous for the gushing waterfalls and picturesque valleys. There are many small rivers around this place. This place is located very close to Cumbum.

Periyar Tiger reserve

Periyar Tiger Reserve, located in Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala is one among the 27 reserves of India meant for the conservation of Tigers. The climate and the scenic beauty of the landscape makes this place unique from others. It is extended over an area of 777 sq.km. It forms the major watershed of two important rivers of Kerala, the Periyar and the Pamba. 

Periyar Lake

The tiger reserve has a rich diversity of animals. The diverse forest types found here supports rare and endangered animals, huge variety of birds and reptiles. It is also home to a large number of butterflies. The periyar tiger reserve is a real paradise for bird watchers. The great pied hornbill, water birds, pigeons, galliform birds, raptors etc. can be spotted there. Also, the reserve has around 30 species of snakes, 13 species of lizard  and 2 species of turtles.

Tiger

Even though the reserve is  dedicated for the conservation tigers, the Periyar Tiger Reserve is also noted for its good population of elephants. Elephants can be seen wandering around in herds, especially at the outskirts of lake. Other animals  that have a notable presence in the tiger reserve are the Malabar giant squirrel, the highly endangered Lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, the Sambar, the wild pig and the Gaur. Bamboo rafting, Day trekking programme, Jungle Inn, Tribal Heritage, Elephant ride, Boating etc. are some of the activities that you can enjoy at Thekkady.

Getting there:

By road: Periyar Tiger Reserve, Thekkady is about 4 km from Kumili in Idukki district, and is well connected by road from all major towns of Kerala.

Nearest railway stations: Kottayam, about 114 km; Changanassery, about 120 km.

Nearest airports:  Cochin International Airport, about 190 km; Madurai, about 140 km.