PERIYAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Periyar is between 900m and 2,000m above sea level and is said to offer the visitor the best chance to see wild elephant in the whole of India. The park is also home to leopards and a small number of tigers although these animals are rarely seen as the park is huge at 777 sq km. It is excellent for birds and there is also a good chance of seeing wild boar, gaur bison, sambar deer, Nilgiri langur, macaque monkey, otter and the Malabar giant squirrel. As with all wildlife viewing it is a matter of luck what you see. It is a beautiful area to visit and there are a number of activities offered by the forestry department including soft treks into the forest, boat trips across the lake etc and this is why it is such a popular destination.

THEKKADY is the small town just outside the park gates and it is here that the majority of hotels are located.