Periyar Sanctuary Things to Do

On the outskirts of Kumily are to be found Spice plantations and gardens.

We first visited a plantation, where we saw peppers, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, jackfruit, mimosa flowers and coffee beans all growing in their natural habitat.

The Kallumakal (Abraham) spice garden was well worth a visit.

Owned by the Abraham family, the rambling gardens contain familiar, and unusual spices and herbs, with a variety of culinary and medicinal purposes.

Its totally organic, with natural forms of pest control.

The owner and his family were very knowledgeable about their produce, and were keen to show us the various spices and herbs, encouraging us to smell and taste various clippings. He also had a few pots hanging from trees, that held honey.

It's possible to visit as part of an organised tour, or just turn up..no entrance fee, but a donation of 50 - 100 rupees, for the upkeep of the garden, is well worth it.

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The nearby town of Kumily is worth a visit, either to see some local life or to do some shopping.

Most of the craft shops are Kashmiri owned, and have an assortment of goods on sale. (see my intro and shopping tips)

The market and assorted food shops have a wide selection of dry and fresh goods, for snacking on.

I was lucky enough to witness a parade while i was in Kumily. Local sari clad girls carrying platters of petals, Kathakali characters and drummers, musicians added to a colourful procession.

We also saw many male pilgrims, in and around Kumily. Dressed in black, they were en route to Sabrimala, the temple of the deity Ayyappan.

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Although there are estimated to be over 750 elephants living in the park, you aren't guaranteed a sighting.

We nearly missed seeing these creatures, as our boat was heading back to the shore. Luckily, the boats captain spotted movement in the nearby trees, and pulled the boat up in time for us to witness a family group, lumber down to the waters edge.

We spent a good while here watching them feeding, drinking and bathing.

The baby elephants were very entertaining, as they played and bathed .

For more pictures of elephants please click onto my other pics on this tip

Near the entrance to the wildlife park, we were alerted to a group of people looking excitedly up a tree.

Curled up in the branches was a large python!

We thought that we had had a rare sighting, but on chatting to others later, it would appear to be a more or less permanant fixture.

It was quite an awesome sight though.

During our visit to Periyar, we spotted quite a variety of birds.

Brightly coloured Kingfishers darting about, Cormorants, herons and some unidentifiable species.
In the distance, we could see birds of prey soaring over the hilly terrain.

Binoculars can be hired from the wildlife office.

Perched on top of the tree trunks sprutting from the water, we spotted cormorants, with their wings outstretched. They do this to dry their feathers in the early morning sun.

As we floated quietly along, past these sinister looking birds, the sun was starting to burn through the mist, leading to quite an eerie atmosphere.

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The early morning boat trips depart around 7am. The air is cool, so bring a fleece or jacket.

I found the morning mist hanging over the lake to be very atmospheric.

When the lake was made in 1885, forests in this area were flooded. Evidence of this can be seen in the many tree trunks that jut out of the water.

. Cormorants can often be spotted, drying their wings in the early morning sun. Balancing on top of the tree trunks, they provide an eeirie sight!

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The 26sq km artificial lake, is surrounded by forest, grasslands and rolling hills.

2 hour boat trips offer a chance to relax and enjoy the scenery.

Even if you don't see elephants or any of the other inhabitants of this vast parkland, it's a pleasant way to pass a few hours.