Thekkady

How to reach Thekkady from Madurai?
If you are planning a holiday trip to Thekkady, the scenic destination in Kerala, a wonderful and memorable experience is guaranteed. Surrounded by lush green vegetation, the hill station situated near the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border is home to jumbos, tigers, lion-tailed macaques, sambar and nilgiri langurs. As there no direct train or flight services between Madurai and Thekkady, the best option is to gear up for a long drive. The distance between the two places is approximately 111 km, which can be covered in 2-3 hours. To achieve this, the speed you need to maintain is 50 km/hr. Tourists who prefer to board the bus can reach the place in 3 hours. Undoubtedly, it is the cheapest way to enjoy the joy ride. However, if the bus takes a different route or gets affected by bad road conditions, the travel time might vary. For those who would love to take the rail route, a railway station is located in the nearby district of Kottayam. Once you get down at Kottayam, it is easy to hire a taxi or board a bus (both private and government buses ply the route). Air passengers will have to land in Cochin International Airport, which lies 190 kms away from Thekkady. From the airport, a cab is the convenient vehicle to take you up there.  

Where to stay in Thekkady?   
A troubled accommodation would distort your chances of a pleasant vacation at the beautiful hill station. Before venturing out into the escapade, the first thing you need to carefully choose is a perfect place to stay. To enjoy a family outing to the fullest, the resort you select must provide a homely ambiance, along with ample opportunities for interesting activities, delicious food, great entertainment avenues, green surroundings, supreme hygiene, friendly staff members and affordable rates.

If these qualities are in your mind, Greenwoods luxury nature resort will be the ideal choice. Greenwoods resort allows you to become one with nature through the provisions for morning walks amidst those green orchards. Other attractions are wildlife activities, sight-seeing trips, resort activities, sty in tree house etc. All kinds of rooms are available here. With spacious interiors and adjacent balconies, these rooms come at attractive rates.           

Through the resort’s numerous wildlife activities, a tourist gets to know the wilderness very well. The Periyar Tiger Reserve, a famed wildlife sanctuary in the state, invites you to explore its unique flaura and fauna. Tourists can make use of several programs arranged by local people of the area. With active participation in these programs, tourists get s thorough awareness about conservation efforts, while enhancing the community’s welfare.

Several other attractions are the nature & green walk, cloud walk, jungle scout, bamboo rafting, border hiking, periyar tiger trail etc. The Nature and Green Walk gives a glimpse of birds, animals and butterflies. A team of five will be guided by expert tribal guides. The Cloud Walk gives a panoramic view of nature’s bounties in the area. By choosing the jungle scout, enthusiastic tourists can witness the amazing night life in the dense forests. It is the perfect outing for young adventure seekers.

In addition, border hiking provides a chance to see wild elephants and bamboo rafting delivers those much needed calm moments. In the tiger trail, a group of ex-poachers would guide tourists through the dense jungle. It would be fun to mingle with those protectors of forests who once posed threat to the precious wildlife. For those who have a fascination for cultures and art forms, there is a chance to enjoy those indigenous art performances by tribal people.

In the one hour long experience, these tribals proudly showcase their heritage in the form of musical instruments, costumes, songs, dances etc. A photo session with these tribal heroes would add charm to the segment. Another thrilling experience is the tree house, situated four kilometers away from the resort. It will be a delightful experience to watch animals, birds and the beautiful sunset from the natural dwelling.