India Travel
Around Periyar and Kumily: the Cardamom hills in Kerala
Nestled amid soaring, mist-covered mountains and dense jungles, Periyar and Kumily are convenient springboards from which to explore Kerala’s beautiful Cardamom hills. Guides will appby Jeep taxi; if you can get a group together, these work our as good value. Among the more popular destinations is the Mangaladevi temple. 14km east-of Kumily. The rough road to this tumbledown ancient ruin deep in the forest is sometimes closed due to flood damage, but when it is open the round trin takes about five hours. With a guide, you can also reach remote waterfalls and mountain viewpoints, offering panoramic vistas of the Tamil Nadu plaint Rates vary according to me season, but expect to pay around Rs500 for the taxi, and an additional Rsl50 for the guide.
Of places that can be visited under your own steam, the fascinating High Range Tea Factory (04868/771138 or 77043) lies at Puttady (pronounced “Poo-fee-dee"). 19km north and a rewarding diversion on the road to Muniiar Regular buses leave from Kumily bus stand; get down at Puttady crossroads and pick up a rickshaw from there to the factory. Driven by whirring canvas belts, old-fashioned English-made machines chop, sift, and ferment the leaves which are then dried by wood-fired furnaces and packed into sacks for delivery to the tea auction rooms in Kochi. The affable owner, Mr P.M. James, or one of his clerks, will show you around; you don’t have to arrange the visit, but it’s a good idea to phone ahead to check they are open.
The other possible day-trip from Kumily, though one that should not be undertaken lightly for, because of Hindu lore, by pre-menopausal women), is to the Sri Ayappan forest shrine at Sabarimala. This remote and sacred site can be reached in a long day, but you should leave with a pack of provisions, as much water as you can carry, and plenty of warm clothes in case you get stranded. Jeep taxis wait outside Kumily bus stand to transport pilgrims to the less frequented of Sabarimala’s two main access points, at a windswept mountain top 13km above the temple (2hr; Rs50 per person if the Jeep is carrying ten passengers). Peeling off the main Kumily—Kottayam road at Vandiperiyar, the route takes you through tea estates to the start an of appallingly rutted forest track. After a long and spectacular climb, this emerges at a grass-covered plateau where the Jeeps stop. You proceed on toot, following a well-worn path through superb old-growth jungle - complete with hanging creepers and monkeys crashing through the high canopy - to the temple complex at the foot of the valley Allow at least two hours for the descent, and an hour or two more for the climb back up to the road head, for which you’ll need plenty of drinking water. Given the very real risks involved with missing the last Jeep back to Kumily (the mountain is prime elephant and tiger country), it’s advisable to get a group together and rent a 4WD for the day (about Rs600 plus waiting time).
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Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary Getting to Periyar in kerala
The pothole-filled road that winds through the undulating hills up to Kumily from Ernakulam and Kottayam makes for a very long, slow drive, but it gives wonderful views across the Ghats. The route is dotted with grand churches among the trees, and numerous jazzy roadside shrines to St Francis, St George or the Virgin Mary - a charming Keralan blend of ancient and modern. Once you've climbed through the rubber-tree forests into Idukki District, the mountains get truly spectacular, and the wide-floored valleys are carpeted with lush tea and cardamom plantations. Travellers heading for the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary have first
Kumily in Kerala
As beds inside the sanctuary are in such short supply, most visitors end up staving in or near Kumily, 2km north of the park gates. Kumily is a grow ing town where tourism seems to be slowly replacing the spice trade as the main source of income. However, the spice industry is alive and well and several agencies offer tours ro plantations. Almost every shop on Thakkady Road sells freshly collected spices; just to walk along the street and breathe in the air filled with the scent of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom is a heady experience, hi the middle
Munnar in Kerala
MUNNAR, 130km east of Kochi and four-and-a-half hours by bus north of Periyar, is the centre of Kerala's principal tea growing region. Although billed in tourist bumf as a "hill station", it is less a Raj-style resort than a scruffy workaday settlement of corrugated iron-roofed cottages and factories, surrounded by vast swathes of rolling green tea plantations. All the same, its easy to see why the pioneering Scottish planters that first developed this hidden valley in the 1900s felt so at home here. At an altitude of around 1600m, the town enjoys a refreshing climate, with crisp winter mornings and
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala
One of the largest and most visited wildlife reserves in India, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary occupies 777 square kilometres of the Cardamom hills region of the Western Ghats. The majority of its many visitors come in the hope of seeing tigers and leopards - and most leave disappointed, as the few that remain very wisely keep their distance, and there's only a slight chance of 3 glimpse even at the height of the dry season (April/May). However, there are plenty of other animals: elephant, sambar, wild pig, Malabar flying squirrel, r. stripe-necked mongoose and over 260 species of birds including Nilgiri wood
Around Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala
Although for virtually its entire 550-kilometre length the Keralan coast is lined with sandy beaches, rocky promontories and coconut palms, Kovalam is one of the only places where swimming in the sea is not considered eccentric by locals, and which offers accommodation to suit all budgets. When it gets too hot at sea level, Ponmudi, a bus ride away in the Cardamom hills through forest, spice and tea plantations, makes a refreshing break. Another easy excursion from Thiruvananthapuram is its predecessor as capital of Travancore, Padrnanabhapuram, site of a magniScent palace.
Kumily accommodation and eating in Kerala
Kumily has accommodation to suit all pockets and new hotels and "resorts" emerge each season. Thankfully, most of the accommodation lies well outside the bazaar area, dotted along the Thekkady Road leading to the park. Homestays such as Green Garden are a popular option - ask around the bazaar and you'll soon be pointed in the right direction; most charge about Rs300 and offer plantation tours and home-cooked food. Nearly every establishment has its own cafe-restaurant, ranging from the Taj Garden Retreat's smart a la carte, to the more traveller-oriented Coffee Inn.The brand new Pepper Garden Coffee House is hidden in
Kochi (Cochin) Arrival and local transport in Kerala
Kochi's brand new international airport is at Nedumbassery, near Always (aka Alua), 26km to the north of Ernakulam. Kochi is served by daily flights from Mumbai. Bangalore. Thiruvananthapuram and Delhi, and six each week from Chennai. Two weekly flights depart from Goa, Hyderabad-Kozhikode. and Coimbatore, as well as the Lakshadweep Islands and the Gulf States of Doha. Dubai. Kuwait. Sharjah and Muscat. There are three railway stations - Ernakulam Junction (131), closest to the centre, is the most important; Ernakulam Town lies 4km to the north. No trains run to For Cochin or Mattan cherry. The Cochin
North of Kozhikode in Kerala
The beautiful coast of Kerala, north of Kozhikode, is a seemingly endless stretch of coconut palms, wooded hills and virtually deserted beaches; the towns hold little of interest for visitors, most of whom bypass the area completely. However, then you miss out on the fun of a search through the villages for Teyyattam, the extraordinary masked trance dances that take place throughout the region during winter.
Ponmudi and Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala
In the tea-growing region of the Cardamom (or Ponmudi) hills, about 60km northeast of Thiruvananthapuram and 77km from Kovalam. at an altitude of 1066m, is the hill station of PONMUDI. It is not a town, or even a village, but merely some accommodation along a ridge, commanding breathtaking views out across the range as far as the sea. The main reason anyone comes up here is that it serves as the only practical base for visits to the 53 square kilometres of forest set aside as Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, which protects elephants, sambar, lion-tailed macaques, leopard, and assorted birds. Although Peppara
Accommodation and eating in the sanctuary in Kerala
The star attraction of Periyar has to be the prospect of staying in the Forest Department watchtowers, reached by boat from Thekkady and the best way to get a hands-on experience of the jungle. For the Lake Palace, Periyar House and the Aranya Nivas you should book in advance at the KTDC offices in Thiruvananthapuram or Ernakulam - essential if you plan to come on a weekend, a public holiday, or during peak season (Dec-March), when rooms are often in short supply. Forest Department Rest House. Edappalayam. Very basic accommodation in the woods on the far side of the lake (you
Mattancherry in Kerala
With high-rise development restricted to Ernakulam, across the water, the old-fashioned character of Mattancherry and nearby Fort Cochin remains intact. Within an area small enough to cover on foot, bicycle or auto-rickshaw, glimpses of Kochi's variegated history greet you at virtually every rurn. As you approach by ferry (get off at Mattancherry jetty), the shoreline is crowded with tiled buildings painted m pastel colours - a view that can't have changed for centuries. Despite the large number of tourists visiting daily, trade is still the most important activity here. Many of the streets are busy with barrows loaded with sacks of
Travel details for Travel details in Kerala
For details of ferry services on the backwaters - primarily between Alappuzha and Kollam. Trains Kochi/Ernakulam to: Alappuzha (3-5 daily; 1hr 20min): Bangalore (1 daily; 14hr); Chennai (3-5 daily; 12hr45min-14hr40min); Coimbatore (3-4 daily; 4hr 45min-5hr 30min); Delhi (2 daily; 40hr 30min-49tir), Kanniyakumari (2-3 daily; 8hr); Kollam (8-9 daily; 3-4tir|; Kottayam (8-9 daily; 1hr 5min); Kozhikode (6-7.daily; 3hr 20min-6hr 20min); Mumbai (2-3 daily; 28hr 20min 10hr 25min); Palakkad (5-6 daily; 3hr 20mm); Tliiriivananthapuram (9-11 daily; 4hr 20min-5hr): Thrissur (12-14 daily; 1 hr 30min-2hr). Kozhikode to: Kochi (6-7 daily; 4hr 30min-5hr 10min); Mangalore (3-4 daily; 5hr 40min-6hr); Mumbai (2-3 daily; 16hr 20min-23hr); Thiruvananthapuram (4-6
Kottayam and around Practicalities in Kerala
Kottayam's KSRTC bus stand, 500m south of the centre on TB Road (not to be confused with the private stand for local buses on KK Road, aka Shastri Road), is an important stop on routes to and from major towns in south India. Four of the frequent buses to Kumily/Penyar (3-4hr) each day go on to Madurai, in Tamil Nadu (7hr), and there are regular services to Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Ernakulam. The railway station (2km north of the centre) sees a constant flow of traffic between Thiruvananthapuram and points north. Ferries from Alappuzha and elsewhere dock at the weed-clogged jetty,
Munnar Practicalities in Kerala
Munnar can be reached by bus trom Kochi, Kottayam, Kumily and Madurai, either directly or with a change at Tehni. State-run and private services pull into the stand in the bazaar at the north end of town, near the river confluence and Tata headquarters. For most hotels you should ask to be dropped off an Old Munnar, 2km south of the centre, near the ineffectual DTPC tourist office (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; 0486/530679). If you need information on transport, accommodation and day-trips, including to Eravikulam, seek out the helpful Joseph type, who runs the Free Tourist
Into the sanctuary in Kerala
Tickets for the boat trips (daily 7am, 9.30am, 11.30am, 2pm & 4pm; 2hr; Rs40 for lower deck, Rs80 for upper deck) on the lake are sold through the Forest Department at their hatch just above the main visitor centre in Thekkady, above the jetty. If you're on a tight budget, ask at the centre if there are any spaces on the Forestry Commission boat (Rsl5), but you'll have to go on the lower deck. Although it is unusual to see many animals from the boats — engine noise and the presence of a hundred other people make sure of that -
The Details of Kerala
A sliver of dense greenery sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and the forested Western Ghat mountains, the state of KERALA runs down the southwest coast of India, around 550km long and 120km wide at its broadest poin:. It is blessed with unique geographical and cultural features and the overpowering tropical landscape, with 41 rivers and countless waterways, fed by two annual monsoons, intoxicates every newcomer. Equally, Kerala's arcane rituals and spectacular festivals Stimulate even the most jaded imagination, continuing centuries of tradition that has never strayed far from the realms of magic. Travellers weary of daunting metropolises will find that Kerala's
St Andrew’s Kirk of Chennai in Tamil Nadu
Just northeast of Egmore Station, off Periyar EVR High Road, St Andrew's Kirk, consecrated in 1821, is a fine example of Georgian architecture. Modelled on London's St Martins-in-the-Fields, it is one of just three churches in India which has a circular seating plan, laid out beneath a huge dome painted blue with gold stars and supported by a sweep of Corinthian columns. Marble plaques around the church give a fascinating insight into the kind of people that left Britain to work for the imperial and Christian cause. A staircase leads onto the flat roof, surrounding the dome, from where you
Thrissur in Kerala
The breezy bazaar town of THRISSUR (Trichur), roughly midway between Kochi (74km south) and Palakkad (79km northeast) on NH-47. is an obvious base for exploring the cultural riches of central Kerala. Near the Palghat (Palakkad) Gap - an opening in the natural border made by the Western Ghat mountains - it presided over the main trade route into the region from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. For years Thrissur was the capital of Cochin State, controlled at various times by both the zamorin of Kozhikode and Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Today, it justifiably prides itself on being the cultural capital of
Thiruvananthapuram Information and tours in Kerala
All the tourist offices at the airport are open during flight times. The Government of India's counter (0471/501498) offers general information regarding Kerala and the adjacent states, while the Government of Kerala has two counters, one at the domestic terminal (0471/501085) and the other at the internacion.il terminal (0471/502298), offering Kerala-specific information including, for example, on backwater cruises. The Government of Kerala also has an office in the main block at the Thampanoor bus stand (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; 0471/327224) which is good for general information and maps and sells tickets for backwater cruises between Kollam and Alappuzha. They have another counter
Information of Chennai in Tamil Nadu
At the highly efficient and very helpful Government of India Regional Tourist Office (GOIRTO) at 154 Anna Sala, (Mon-Fri 9.15am-5.45pm, Sat 9pm-1pm) you can pick up maps and leaflets, and arrange accommodation. They also supply the names of reliable tour agents for car rental, and keep a list of approved guides you can arrange for a private tour of the city, either for a full day ((350-750), or half-day (Rs250-500). The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), 4 EVR Periyar Rd (Mon-Fri 10am-5pm), outside Park Station, a ten-minute walk northeast of Anna Salai, can only book accommodation in dieir own hotels