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For the bird watcher, kerala is a dream destination with over 500 species of birds. The bird tours will be of 4 to 8 days duration. The major Birding locations are Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Periyar tiger reserve & Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. Your accommodation will be in estate lodges, forest lodges and tree houses. You will be accompanied by an experienced guide throughout your journey.
Kerala provides ideal locations for National Parks, surrounded by ridge and forest area. At the National Parks of Kerala you can watch the animals in their natural habitats along with the rare varieties of animals and birds.
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
Temprature
Summer : Max: 35°C
Winter : Max: 25°C
Rainfall
310 cm (Annual)
How to Reach Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
By Air
Trivandrum International Airport which is 171 Km kms. away from the Muhamma boat jetty
From Cochin International Airport, about 76 kms from Kottayam town.
By Rail
Kottayam, about 16 km.
By Ferries
If you have arrived at Trivandrum International Airport, come to Quilon by road or rail (takes just about one hour). From there, you can take the regular ferry service to Alleppey - a long and delightful ride on Kerala's backwaters. From Alleppey, it's just a short ride to Kumarakom.
Located on the banks of the vembanad lake, the kumarakom bird sanctuary, an ornithologist's paradise, is a favourite haunt of migratory birds like the siberian stork, egret, darter, heron and teal. Other common varieties like the woodpecker, skylark, crane, water hen and parrots can also be spotted here. A cruise along the vembabad lake is the best way to experience the sanctuary. Pathiramanal, an enchanting island on the lake, can be accessed by boat from here.
The Kumarakom Tourist Complex, sprawling over 101 acres of enchanting wooded land and lake, was built around the 50-year-old 'Baker's Mansion', which was earlier a small hotel run by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC).
Now the complex has been renovated in grand style by the Taj Kerala Resorts Ltd. Boats are available on hire for a a cruise around the sanctuary.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to bird watch is between June and August. To watch Migratory birds, November to February is the best time.
Pathiramanal
How to reach Pathiramanal
By Ferries
The island is an easily reachable location in the Kumarakom - Muhamma water route. It takes around 40 minutes from Kumarakom to reach Pathiramanal from Kumarakom.
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Pathiramanal is a small island located on the border of Kottayam - Alapuzha Districts in Kerala, India. The name 'Pathiramanal' means 'Sands of night'. According to mythology a young brahmin dived into Vembanad Lake to perform his evening ablutions and the water made way for land to rise from below. The island is located in the Vembanad Lake. The island is an easily reachable location in the Kumarakom - Muhamma water route. It takes around 40 minutes from Kumarakom to reach Pathiramanal from Kumarakom. The island lies between Thaneermukkom and Kumarakom, and is accessible only by boat. This little island on the backwaters is a favorite haunt of hundreds of rare migratory birds from different parts of the world. The journey through backwaters of Kottayam District is a marvellous experience. This 10 acre island on the backwaters is home to may rare varieties of migratory birds from different parts of the world.
Best Time to Visit : Between June And August.
Migratory Birds : November - February
Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary
How to Reach Thattekad bird Sanctuary
By Air
Nearest Airport is at Kochi is 71 kms. away
By Rail
Nearest Railway Staion is is Aluva 48 kms away.
By Road
About 58 km from Kochi city and 13 km northeast of Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district.
Some Vital Information
Location
Latitude : 76° 40' - 76° 45' N
Longitude : 10° 7' - 11° E
Rainfall : Average 2,500 mm
Lake : The sancutary is the catchment area of Bhoothanthankett dam. Maximum depth 15m.
The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary (also commonly known as the Thattekad Sanctuary) is located in the Kothamangalam Taluk of Ernakulam district on the northern bank of the Periyar river. The sanctuary was notified in 1983 based on a recommendation made by Dr. Salim Ali many years previously. Ali described Thattekad in the 1930's as the richest bird habitat in peninsular India, comparable only with the eastern Himalayas. Since then much of the forest has been diverted to cultivation and teak and mahogany plantation but what survives gives a glimpse of the phenomenal bird diversity of the once widespread lowland forests of Kerala.
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Thattekkad is made up of dense tropical evergreen and deciduous forest and grassland patches, housing a population of over 500 species of exotic birds. This globally acclaimed bird sanctuary owes much of its fame to Dr. Salim Ali, the internationally renowned ornithologist. It is the exotic microcosm of India's bird population that brought Dr. Salim Ali to this place. His efforts were instrumental in the formation of this sanctuary to a large extent.
Spread across 25 sq. km. the sanctuary lies between the tributaries of the river Periyar like a peninsula. Rare birds like the Crimson-throated Barbet, Bee eater, Sunbird, Shrike, Black Winged Kite, Night Heron, Falcon, Grey Jungle Fowl, White-Breasted Water Hen, Hornbill, Ceylon Frogmoth, Rose-billed Roller and Blue-winged Parakeet live here.
Thattekkad also has extensive plantations of teak, rosewood, mahagony, etc. The dense forest is also the home of nearly 28 varieties of animals and nine varieties of reptiles.
This bird sanctuary, a peninsular land of 25 sq. km is covered with deciduous forests and plantation of rosewood, teak etc. Rare birds like the Crimson-Throated Barbet, Bee-eater, Sunbird, Shrike, Blackwinged Kite and the Night Heron are also commonly sighted.
Flora
Tropical evergreen forests harbour Vellapine, Karanjili, Palley, Kunthirikam, Bhadraksham, Kanala, Kurangatti, etc. Tropical semi evergreen forests harbour Angili,
Kambacom etc. and trees of commercial value like Teak, Rose wood, Venteak, Venga, Maruthi also grow.
Fauna
The elephant is an occasional visitor. Leopard, bear, porcupine, python and cobra are sighted.
Birds
Indian roller, cuckoo, common snipe, crow pheasant, jungle nightjar, kite, grey drongo, Malabar trogon, woodpeckeer, large pied wagtail, baya sparrow, grey jungle fowl, Indian hill myna, robin bird, jungle babbler and darter.
Rare Birds
Crimson-throated barbet, bee-eater, sunbird, shrike, fairy blue-bird, grey-headed fishing eagle, blackwinged kite, night heron, grey heron, Malabar shama, common grey hornbill and Malabar hornbill
Periyar Wildlife Santuary
How to Reach Periyar Wildlife santuary
By Air
Kochi (Cochin) at 200-kms or Madurai in Tamil Nadu at140-kms are the nearest airports from Periyar.
By Rail
Kottayam at 114-kms is the nearest railhead from Periyar.
By Road
Kumily, the nearest town from Periyar is well served by both state and private buses from Kottayam, Ernakulam and Madurai in Tamil Nadu. Kumily (4 km), Madurai (140 km), Cochin or Kochi (200 km), Kottayam (114 km), Ernakulam.
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Munnar
How to Reach Munnar
By Air
Nearest Airport is Kochi International Airport 130 km away
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is 302 km away
By Rail
Nearest Railway Station is Kochi 130 km away
Kottayam Railway Station is 142 km away
By Road
ccess bus from Devikulam Town, is 7 km way
Vital Informations
Latitude : 10°10' -10.° 20' N
Longitude : 77° 0' -77° 10' E
Area : 97 sq.kms.
Terrain : Elevation varies from 1,400m to 2694m.
Rainfall : Average 4500mm.
Climate : Mean summer temperature - 29° C
Mean winter temperature - 3° C
Eravikulam National Park (Rajamala) is situated in the Idukki district of Kerala. Located in the Devikulam taluk, Eravikulam National Park was created as a wildlife sanctuary in 1975.
Birding at Rajamala & the nearby sholas (high altitude evergreen forests). You should sight the endemics Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Nilgiri Pipit, Whitebellied shortwing and the Broadtailed Grassbird. You can also take a tour to the Bodi Ghats for Yellow Throated bulbul, Indian robin, Sirkeer Malkoha, Short Toed Snake Eagle, Blue Faced Malkoha and the Black eagle. On the ay, stop at the Lockhart Gap for birding amongst the sholas.
Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary
How to Reach Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary
By Air
Karipur International Airport, about 23 km from Kozhikode town.
ByRail
Kozhikode, about 19 km from Kadalundi.
Kadalundi bird sanctuary, 19 kms from Kozhikode. The Bird Sanctuary, Malappuram, is spread over a cluster of islands in a scenic area surrounded by hillocks where the Kadalundi River flows into the Arabian Sea. The place is locally known as Kadalundi Nagaram. This virgin land is the abode of a hundred species of native birds and over 60 varieties of migratory birds that flock here in large numbers during February-March.
The sanctuary, which is spread over a cluster of islands, covers an area of 3 kms in a scenic area surrounded by hillocks. A hillock, which is 200 m above sea level, provides a splendid view of the river mouth and the sea.
General Information
Best Time to Visit
The ideal season to visit is from December to April in the early hours of the day.
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