16 Dec 2013

Posted by Chirstina Rose on Monday, December 16, 2013 No comments

Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Chittur Taluk in Palakkad district of Kerala,
in India, which was formed in the year 1973. It is one of the finest examples of preserved ecology, abounded on all sides by protected areas and sanctuaries of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. 


The sanctuary is rich with a huge variety of flora and fauna that are beautifully conserved with less human interferences and excellent preservation.  The sanctuary is also inhabited by a diverse species of wild animals.

 The place is also home to different races of native people. The dense, magnificent habitat of this sanctuary along with abundant supply of water, make it a perfect place for wild animals to thrive. Tourists also come here to savor the richness of the Sanctuary in the form of wild animals and birds.

One will also come across several peaks at this sanctuary, among which the Karimala Gopuram is the one, elevating height of around 4,718 ft. Vengoli Peak is popular among the tourists as it offers an easy climb and one can also get a chance to spot the endangered Nilgiri Tahrs, while trekking on this peak. Another unique feature of this sanctuary is the existence of a chain of reservoirs interconnected with tunnels, channels, river courses and canals. 

The striking freshwater ecosystem created by the structure of dams like Parambikulam, Thunacadavu and Perivarapallam, adds attraction to this sanctuary. Due to all these alluring features of the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, it is also popularly known as the ‘Nature’s own abode’ and covers an area of about 285 sq. km. 

Flora and Fauna
It is perfect place for wildlife enthusiasts as to its rich flora and fauna. One can spot deer, sambar and gaur around the Vayal area and deep within the sanctuary, one can see lion tailed macaques, slender loris, king cobras, the royal Bengal tiger, cane turtle and the Nilgiri marten. 

The sanctuary is also home to around 250 species of birds involving the Malabar grey hornbill, great pied hornbill and the Peninsular Bay owl. As to the floral diversity of this region, there are around 285 species of endemic, rare and endangered flora, 1320 species of flowering plants, including 70 species of orchids, about 50 endangered medicinal plants, making it an ideal place for the nature lovers.

Things to Do
The sanctuary provides several exciting activities including camping deep in the forests area, staying in watchtowers to watch the wild animals, boating in the reservoirs, row boating at Thunacadavu and Parambikulam lakes, bamboo rafting and bird watching. 

As the place is also featured with hilly terrain with several peaks and valleys, it is also a perfect place for soft, medium, tough and adventure trekking trails. These trails are classified according to their length, duration and difficulty of the terrain. But first, one has to take permission to trek from the Forest Information Centre at Anappady and hire a tribal guide.

Accommodation
There are numerous facilities for accommodation in Parambikulam Sanctuary. One can also opt for an overnight camping at this place. Within 30 kms of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, there are several hotels and resorts in which tourists can book hotel rooms for accommodation. 

Few to name are Saj Earth Resort, Vedic Village Resorts, KTDC Tamarind Thrissur, Soma Birds Lagoon, Joy’s Palace Hotel, Hotel Hill View, Hotel Holiday Break, Hotel Gazala, Pooram Internation, etc.

Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is from August to January.
 
How to Reach
By Air: The nearest airport to this sanctuary is Coimbatore, at a distance of about 55 km.

By Rail: The nearest railway station is at Palakkad, located at a distance of about 125 km.

By Road: The sanctuary is well linked with good network of roads connecting it with Pollachi (39 km), Palakkad (98 km) and Kochi (102 km).



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