Periyar is the best-known wildlife sanctuary in south India. Though billed as a tiger reserve, Periyar is really famous for its wild elephants, 100-year-old artificial lake and its setting in the beautiful thickly forested Western ghats of Kerala.
This is not a wildlife watcher’s best shot at spotting the Bengal Tiger considering there are less than 40 of them that inhabit an area of 777sq.km but there’s plenty of other game like the Nilgiri langoor, Nilgiri tahr, bison, deer, antelope and about 700 elephants to make the trip worthwhile.The tourist season is from September to May and particularly the Christmas - New Year holidays. From February onwards it starts getting warmer and though this could be distinctly uncomfortable, it has its benefits.
The animals are easiest to spot now as elephant and chital (spotted deer) alike flock to the waterholes. Avoid weekends when the park can get quite full with people looking for a daylong getaway.Jeep and elephant safaris are a good perch from where to view the animal world. For visitors staying outside the park, a rented bike or local bus will be sufficient to reach the park’s entrance. Most visitors tour the park on the two-hour boat rides around Periyar Lake. Rather than larger sized public boats, which proportionately dim one’s chances of seeing the game, it’s advisable to go for a smaller private boat, which would correspondingly tilt the odds in your favour of seeing any wildlife.