I've won a wonderful trip to Periyar

dvdfjojo

I entered a competition with Tiger Beer a couple of weeks ago and was thrilled to find out I was the winner.

Basically, the prize includes flights, transfers, 5 nights staying at the Thekkady Wild Corridor Hotel, a guided Tiger tour and a digital camera. We have to take the holiday before the end of November this year so were thinking of the end of October after the monsoon rains when hopefully it should be a little cooler.

I know we'll need to sort out Visas and vaccinations so I'll read up on those sub-forums to get all the information we need. Mozzies are fond of me so heavy duty insect repellent and malaria tabs are going to be a priority.

I have so many questions as I know this is going to be a trip of a lifetime so want to make the very best of it. Could I ask your advice on the following :

• Dress code - I would imagine that conservative western clothes are fine, cotton trousers, long sleeved tops, etc?
• Other than the Tiger tour and the early morning wildlife trip on the lake, is it worth doing anything else within the Periyar National Park?
• I'm not too sure where we'll be flying to - does anyone have any idea which airport would normally be used for this area?
• Don't know whether meals are included but I wanted to go out and about to taste local food anyway. Can anyone recommend some local dishes to try that aren't very heavily spiced but full of taste nonetheless?
• How much would a taxi fare be roughly to Kumily? What are Kumily's best points?
• Are there any 'must do' or 'must see' things in the short time we are there?
• Can I bring back some fresh spices in my luggage and is it worth going on a Spice tour.

Sorry for all the questions rattled off like that. I feel like I have a million more too Any help or advice would be very appreciated.

Thank you.

Jo

Brisso

Independent activity in periyar is prohibited - the boat tours and guided tours are the only option. The 300 rupee entrance fee to the park allows you to walk on a bitumen loop road that leads to the lake and back. Watch the monkeys at the teashop, they are mischevious. You cannot leave the road or enter the forest without paying for a tour. Sorry to say, but the last tiger sighting was 18 months ago, although you will see elephant and deer etc.

There is no dress code - wear what you like, can be cool in the evenings - but good shoes are essential as the ground is very swampy in places.

Nothing to do in the town, other than buy spices. Food options are adequate if unexciting. Still it's a pretty location and a relaxing atmosphere.

steven_ber

Hey, that's my prize.

I rarely enter these competitions, but when I saw this one in the Metro I entered, the next person to be chosen would have been me.

Hello Jo and welcome to indiamike.com

Cochin or Trivandrum.

Buy one of those electronic mozzie zappers, you just plug it in somewhere in your room and it keeps the mozzies at bay, I find they really do work well.

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dvdfjojo

Oh I'm sorry to have pinched your prize, Steven. I couldn't believe it when they called me to say I'd won - I never win anything.

Thank you for your advice and you too, Brisso. Thanks for the lovely welcome too. This wonderful site is going to be invaluable over the months ahead.

pundabee

Congratulations! Using antimalarials is an individual decision. However, it is worth noting that Kerala is practically malaria free. The risk of contracting malaria is roughly the same as the risk of your plane crashing on the way to Kerala.

Loose cotton clothing is recommended. As long as you are not half naked you will be fine from a cultural perspective.

If given the choice you should fly to Kochi. Much easier to get from Kochi to Periyar than from Thiruvananthapuram to Periyar. A taxi from Kochi Airport will be approximately Rs. 2800.

South Indian food in Kumily is pretty horrific (I live in the area, and have therefore eaten in most places). There are a few places to recommend. Sithara Hotel (Indian prices), Spice Village (tourist prices), Jungle View (slightly increased Indian prices). Some people like Chrissie's hotel for Western (Italian style) food and Ebony's (both on Bypass Road).

For the park, bamboo rafting is highly recommended, and if you do the boat trip you should consider going for lunch at Lake Palace first.

Bring as many spices as you want.

steven_ber

I'm happy to see a person at the end of one of these competitions, part of me still thinks that competitions like this are a con, glad to see they arent.

Have a good look at the rules of this prize to see if you can extend the stay, it's a long way to go, adding an extra week or more will turn the trip into a good holiday, and India can be so cheap when you're on the ground, though the Thekkady Wild Corridor Hotel looks to be a good place, so if the rest of your trip will be low budget, leave the prize till the end of the trip.

A backwater cruise is a must when you're in that part of the world.

However, I'll leave more advice to other members, I spent too little time in the south and others will offer better advice.

AvidTrekker

As steven suggested, try to take a private self financed tour first (if the rules allow it).

Take the luxury part as late as possible, for example 21st November to 29th November. October is actually hot. Although Thekkady will be pleasant.

WELCOME to INDIA !!!

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dhans

Congatulations. Read our (lower budget ) 2006 report for soem more info on Periyar.

Hsns

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dvdfjojo

Thanks Pundabee for all your advice. Sounds great.

I'm afraid we're limited with the amount of holiday we can take so we will be restricted to those 5 nights. I'm already planning a return on a far lesser budget (in my head) for 2009 though. I've found out so much, I already want to return.

Dhans, your trip reports were a wonderful read - thank you so much for sending me the link. I may see how much it would be to add my daughter (13) to the trip as it's horrible for her to miss out on this. I'm going to have a mad ebay-sell and see if I can raise enough so that we can all do this trip together. At the moment, the vaccinations have been enough for her to say 'no chance' - I'll have to persuade her.

Thank you once again everyone.

Jo

SitaParityaga

Hey Jo...congrats and hope you haven't checked out forever from IM!

You've won something special, and too bad you can't check out the area more, because there's so much to see around there. Still, the amount of time you're there is just right. You're going to see so many animals on that early morning boat ride. (the early morning and late afternoon are best for seeing wildlife....bring binoculars!)

Kumily is the little town next to Periyar park. Go on one on the spice farm tours...yeah, sounds sort of quiet, but I was amazed to see cardamon plants, pepper vines, and cocoa pods....and it was pretty quick and cheap! I didn't do any of the tea farm stuff. May-be some one else can comment on that tour....

Hotel food in this area is cooled down for those whose taste buds have never been burned by a chilli. I asked for mine to be the same as mom makes, and I was treated so well

snonymous

Wow. Lucky you. Periyar is my favourite place. Check periyartigerreserve.org for more details.

October will be lovely but as the foliage is very dense sightings may not be that good. May is the best month for wildlife sighting but obviously you have to go when convenient. Periyar is never warm even in May as it is very shady and at an elevation.
Clothing: When in the jungle, wear cotton trousers and shirts for comfort and to avoid being bitten by insects or scratched by the undergrowth.
Malaria: Use Odomos / Deet cream or lotion – rather than tablets, these are cheaply available anywhere in India and certainly in Kumily township just outside the sanctuary.
Things to do: As you have noted, the early morning boat trip – in the Upper Deck, is the best for wildlife sightings. Since you have 5 days you may want to do an overnight jungle trip instead of the jungle walk – see the website. All these must be booked from the info centre within the sanctuary. The local tribal guides are excellent and can sense wildlife much before you spot them.
Plenty of spice plantations in the surrounding areas which you can visit for a small fee. You can book these at Kumily.
You can also visit the Peermade hill station close by, and a slightly longer trip to Idukki. Negotiate a taxi from Kumily.
Meals: Cheaply available at multiple outlets in Kumily or in your hotel. Although it is not a coastal area, Kerala is famous for its seafood and there will be plenty on offer. If eating at your hotel, you can ask them to make the food less spicy. http://www.keralatourism.org/ will give you an overview. Enjoy your trip.

Bring a good pair of binoculars and a camera with zoom - to get good shots of the elephants from the boat.

dvdfjojo

Have got a little more information through now, we're flying with Emirates to Cochin via Dubai on Friday 24 October and I'm wondering whether it'll be worth adding on 2 days and spending the first couple of nights in Cochin before the long drive to Periyar, give us time to find our feet, get used to the time difference, etc. Do you think this is a good idea?

Thank you everyone for all your advice so far. It's starting to become a reality now and I can't wait.

Nickyl

I have stayed at the hotel that you will be staying in.
It has the most fantastic views, try for one of the rooms higher up with the bath tub looking out onto the view.
Sorry to say this but the service wasn't that great at the hotel but the views made up for it for me. They had only been open a few months and I think they were having teething problems.

There are lots of different places to buy spices so just stock up the suitcase.

Hope you have a great time

snonymous

From the airport, its about a 6-7hr drive via Muvathupuzha and Cheruthoni, and slightly less from Ernakulam [Cochin] on a different route via Kanjirapalli and Pirmed. Both routes are scenic passing plantations of coconut, areca, banana, rubber, cacao, vanilla and spices.
You can well spend a couple of days exploring the Fort Cochin area, do the harbour cruise, wander around the Jewish area and Mattancherry, get excellent fresh seafood cooked to your choice, at the many stalls in Cochin. Take a ferry boat across the harbour to Vypeen island - look out for jumping dolphins in the harbour. You can also visit Cherai beach from Vypeen. If you are rested enough, the KTDC offers a half day backwaters tour which you could also do if you havent seen backwaters before. Its quite nice. This way you will avoid the weekend rush at Periyar. Have a look at ktdc.com they offer some good tours and packages.

pundabee

Just to take the edge off the travelling time information:

Kumily to Ernakulam: 5½-6 hours by direct bus to KSRTC Bus Station or the private bus station in North Ernakulam (Kaloor). 3½-4 hours by car if you travel at the right time of day with the right driver.

Kumily to Kochi Airport: 4-4½ hours.

Going in the opposite direction adds approximately half an hour.

If you end up going to Kumily via Muvathupuzha and Cheruthoni, which I think is the nicest route to Kumily, and you happen to be in Cheruthoni around lunch time you must take lunch at Mareena. They make Kerala meals to a standard that is pretty much unrivalled in Kerala for Rs. 20. Quite amazing considering that it is a village of two streets.

I would also recommend spending a couple of days in Kochi (Fort Kochi is better for tourists than Ernakulam) for the reasons or purposes listed by snonymous, and would highly recommend choosing a recommended homestay over any hotel. Homestays are often better and cheaper than hotels.