Experience Travel Group
1-888-577-8452 020 7924 7133
Call

Wildlife & Birding in Kerala

Explore Further

Download Guide Get in Touch
  • Destinations
    • South Asia
      • Sri Lanka
      • The Maldives
      • India
      • Bhutan
    • South East Asia
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
      • Cambodia
      • Laos
      • Myanmar
      • Indonesia
      • Borneo
    • Middle East
      • Oman
  • About us
    • Why choose ETG?
    • Our Story
    • Meet the Team
    • Reviews
    • In the Press
    • Travel Blog
    • Our brochure
    • Newsletter Signup
  • How it works
    • Get in touch
    • Booking with confidence
    • How much does it cost?
    • Financial protection
    • What happens if something goes wrong on my holiday?
    • Working with in-country partners
    • My Booking
    • Come and see us
  • Immersive Holidays
    • Immersive Family Holidays
    • Immersive Honeymoons
    • Ideas & Inspiration
    • Holidays by Month
    • Family Holidays by Month
    • Download Free Country Guides
  • Sustainability
    • Travel Better
    • Our Counter-Carbon Pledge
    • One bottle at a time
    • Building a Sustainable Future
    • Giving Back
Wildlife & Birding in Kerala
  • Holidays in India
    • By Area
      • Rajasthan & the Golden Triangle
      • Southern India Holidays
      • North & Central India
      • Himalaya's & the East
    • By Theme
      • Essential Holidays
      • Luxury Holidays
      • Wildlife Holidays
      • Off The Beaten Track
      • Immersive Holidays
      • Holidays with Beach
      • Family Holidays in India
  • Guide to India
    • India Guide
    • Weather & When to go
    • Hotel inspiration
    • Experiences inspiration
    • India Travel Blog
    • FAQ
  • Places in India
    • Golden Triangle
        Overview
      • Delhi
      • Agra
      • Jaipur
      • Ranthambore National Park
    • Rajasthan
        Overview
      • Jaisalmer
      • Jodhpur
      • Udaipur
      • Rural Rajasthan
    • Golden Temple & Shimla
        Overview
      • Amritsar
      • Shimla
    • Uttarakhand
        Overview
      • Rishikesh, Rajaji & Haridwar
      • Corbett National Park
    • Kolkata, Sikkim & North East
        Overview
      • Kolkata
      • Darjeeling
      • Gangtok
      • Kalimpong
      • Pelling
      • Off-The-Beaten-Track Sikkim
      • Sundarbans National Park
    • Goa
        Overview
      • Goa Beaches
      • Inland Goa
    • Kerala & The South
        Overview
      • Cochin
      • The Backwaters
      • Beaches of Kerala
      • Plantations
      • Wildlife & Birding
      • Thalassery
    • Varanasi, Lucknow & Madhya Pradesh
        Overview
      • Varanasi
      • Lucknow
      • Orchha
      • Maheshwar
      • Bhopal
      • Gwalior
      • Khajuraho
      • Panna National Park
      • Bandhavgarh National Park
      • Tadoba National Park
      • Satpura National Park
      • Pench National Park
      • Kanha National Park
    • Mumbai
    • Andaman Islands
    • Karnataka
        Overview
      • Bangalore
      • Coorg
      • Nagarhole National Park
      • Mysore
      • Bandipur National Park
      • Hampi
    • Hyderabad
    • Tamil Nadu
        Overview
      • Chennai
      • Mahabalipuram
      • Pondicherry
      • The Hill Regions
      • The Plains
      • Madurai
Experience Travel Group

ATHIRAPALLY

Athirapally is a magnificent part of Kerala’s tropical Sholayar Forest, a sprawling area of deciduous and evergreen tree cover spanning 400 square kilometres. The waterfalls at Athirapally are particularly spectacular, and there are plenty of other falls within hiking distance too, including Vazhachal and Charpa. The rainforest in this very special part of India is home to many exotic bird and butterfly species, as well as sambar, elephants, Indian leopards and macaques. If the Sholayar Forest isn’t quite enough to quench your thirst for nature, Parambikulam Forest Reserve is also easily accessible.

  • Discover more
    • Overview
    • Cochin
    • The Backwaters
    • Beaches of Kerala
    • Plantations
    • Wildlife & Birding
    • Thalassery

The Kadar, Mannaan, Muthuvara, and Malayar tribes are native to the region, all coexisting peacefully from work activities such as hunting, medicinal plant gathering, fishing, and collecting honey. You can interact with the members of the tribes on request, take part in their rituals and share meals with them.

PERIYAR NATIONAL PARK

In southern Kerala, this sprawling protected area of deciduous forest and grasslands in the Cardamom and Pandalam Hills is home to sambar, gaur (Indian bison), langur, elephants, wild boar, and 30-40 rather elusive Bengal tigers. Due to its close proximity to several other towns, you might also hear Periyar National Park referred to as Kumily, Thekkady, or Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, sometimes interchangeably. Whatever you call it, come to Periyar National Park for, hiking, natural beauty, gentle bamboo rafting and glorious birdlife; if you’re lucky, sights of Elephants too, but definitely not tigers.

Entry to the park is through Thekkady, just a few kilometres away from the popular town of Kumily, where you can visit chocolate and spice shops and experience an Indian homestay. The surrounding landscapes include tea, coffee, and cardamom plantations while popular destinations Kottayam, Madurai, and Cochin are all in relative proximity.

THATTEKAD

Bird spotting is world class at Thattekad. The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary (also known as the Thattekad Sanctuary) spans just 25 square kilometres, but it has become a world-renowned destination thanks to the quality and rarity of the species that call this region home. The sanctuary is just far enough off the beaten track to get overlooked by the majority of the tourist crowds, but for those who have time on their hands, a bit of experience, and a desire to get up close and personal with nature, birding has never been sweeter.

Thattekad Bird Sanctuary is located in Southwest Kerala, on the Periyar riverbanks. 500 species call Thattekad home, including rare and beautiful birds such as the sunbird, the crimson-throated barbet, the night heron, and black-winged kite. Bird lovers also report spying large-billed warblers, Indian cuckoo, Indian pitta, frogmouths, yellow-browed bulbuls, and whiskered terns. Bamboo rafting in the river is a wonderful and relaxing way to spot colourful species and admire the surrounding rubber plantations.

Just 15 kilometres away, the Edamalayar Forest is also rich with birdlife, and enthusiasts take the time to spot mountain hawk eagles, needle tails, and brown-cheeked fulvetta among the evergreen trees.

VALPARAI

High above sea level amongst the Anamalai mountain range, Valparai is surrounded by forest and lush green tea plantations in abundance in Tamil Nadu. Coffee was actually the first crop grown here back in the 1800’s when planters first arrived to the area. Now, rows of tea stretch as far as the eye can see, and the area is home to many major plantations. Tour around the Monica Tea Factory to watch the process from plucking through to drying to drinking and exporting. You can even admire the ladies in colourful saris picking the tea and have a go yourself.

Home to an array of wildlife, such as the Malabar giant squirrel, Nilgiri langur, rare lion-tailed macaques, the Indian gaur and large elephant population, ETG will provide you with an English speaking naturalist to take you on treks through the area. The birdlife here really is spectacular and it is arguably the best place in Kerala for variety and endangered species.  

For accommodation, a favourite of ours are the Briar Tea Bungalows. This cluster of basic tea bungalows are scattered around the scenic, working Briar Tea Plantation, with a focus on connecting guests to the environment.


~
Your next adventure
starts with a conversation
~

Every ETG journey is unique. Tell us your loves, your hates, your holiday ambitions, your hopes and fears, and we’ll share a suitcase so full of inspired holiday ideas you’ll need to sit on it to shut it tight.

Not sure what you’re looking for? Let us inspire you...

Get in Touch

Call us 020 7924 7133



Experience Travel Group

ETG - immersive holidays that give back, since 2004.
Don’t just see Asia - feel Asia.

How it works
  • Get in touch
  • Booking with confidence
  • How much does it cost?
  • Financial protection
  • What happens if something goes wrong on my holiday?
  • Working with in-country partners
  • My Booking
  • Come and see us
About Us
  • Why choose ETG?
  • Our Story
  • Meet the Team
  • Reviews
  • Our Promise
  • In the Press
  • Our Offices
  • Jobs
Information
  • Immersive Escapes
  • The Revitalise Collection
  • Our Rating System
  • Exclusive Signature Experiences
  • Your Protection
  • Travel Insurance
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Package Travel Regulations
  • Foreign and Commonwealth (FCO) Travel Advice
Get Social

facebook.com/experiencetravel twitter.com/ExpTrav instagram.com/experiencetravelgroup

  • Visit us on Facebook
  • View @ExpTrav Twitter Feed
  • Visit our Travel Blog
  • Follow our Instagram page
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Book Club

© Experience Travel Group Ltd
Registered in England, Company No. 5071391 | ABTA Member | 9324 ATOL Protected
Site by Livingstone Creative

Website Terms of Use | Cookie Policy | Privacy Policy

Experience Travel Group

020 7924 7133 Get in touch

Call
  • Destinations
    • South Asia
      • Sri Lanka
      • The Maldives
      • India
      • Bhutan
    • South East Asia
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
      • Cambodia
      • Laos
      • Myanmar
      • Indonesia
      • Borneo
    • Middle East
      • Oman
  • Holidays in India
    • By Area
      • Rajasthan & the Golden Triangle
      • Southern India Holidays
      • North & Central India
      • Himalaya's & the East
    • By Theme
      • Essential Holidays
      • Luxury Holidays
      • Wildlife Holidays
      • Off The Beaten Track
      • Immersive Holidays
      • Holidays with Beach
      • Family Holidays in India
  • Guide to India
    • India Guide
    • Weather & When to go
    • Hotel inspiration
    • Experiences inspiration
    • India Travel Blog
  • Country Info
    • FAQ
  • Places in India
    • Golden Triangle
      • Delhi
      • Agra
      • Jaipur
      • Ranthambore National Park
    • Rajasthan
      • Jaisalmer
      • Jodhpur
      • Udaipur
      • Rural Rajasthan
    • Golden Temple & Shimla
      • Amritsar
      • Shimla
    • Uttarakhand
      • Rishikesh, Rajaji & Haridwar
      • Corbett National Park
    • Kolkata, Sikkim & North East
      • Kolkata
      • Darjeeling
      • Gangtok
      • Kalimpong
      • Pelling
      • Off-The-Beaten-Track Sikkim
      • Sundarbans National Park
    • Goa
      • Goa Beaches
      • Inland Goa
    • Kerala & The South
      • Cochin
      • The Backwaters
      • Beaches of Kerala
      • Plantations
      • Wildlife & Birding
      • Thalassery
    • Varanasi, Lucknow & Madhya Pradesh
      • Varanasi
      • Lucknow
      • Orchha
      • Maheshwar
      • Bhopal
      • Gwalior
      • Khajuraho
      • Panna National Park
      • Bandhavgarh National Park
      • Tadoba National Park
      • Satpura National Park
      • Pench National Park
      • Kanha National Park
    • Mumbai
    • Andaman Islands
    • Karnataka
      • Bangalore
      • Coorg
      • Nagarhole National Park
      • Mysore
      • Bandipur National Park
      • Hampi
    • Hyderabad
    • Tamil Nadu
      • Chennai
      • Mahabalipuram
      • Pondicherry
      • The Hill Regions
      • The Plains
      • Madurai
  • About us
    • Why choose ETG?
    • Our Story
    • Meet the Team
    • Reviews
    • In the Press
    • Our Offices
    • Our Brochure
    • Travel Blog
    • Newsletter Signup
  • How it works
    • Get in touch
    • Booking with confidence
    • How much does it cost?
    • Financial protection
    • What happens if something goes wrong on my holiday?
    • Working with in-country partners
    • My Booking
    • Come and see us
  • Immersive Holidays
    • Immersive Family Holidays
    • Immersive Honeymoons
    • Ideas & Inspiration
    • Holidays by month
    • Family Holidays by Month
    • Download Free Country Guides
  • Sustainability
    • Travel Better
    • Our Counter-Carbon Pledge
    • One bottle at a time
    • Building a Sustainable Future
    • Giving Back
  • Come and see us
  • My Booking
  • Brochure
  • Travel Blog