Idukki - An Amazing Tourist Place in Kerala

Idukki -  An Amazing Tourist Place in Kerala

Idukki which is a landlocked district is blessed with nature’s beauty. The nature attractions in Idukki include hills, valleys, rivers and waterfalls.

The hill stations here offer adventurous activities like trekking, elephant rides etc. There are extensive reserve forests which are rich in a wide variety of flora and fauna. 

The main hill stations in Idukki are Munnar, Devikulam, Chithirapuram, Mattupetti, Peermede etc. There are numerous waterfalls here and some of the main include Attukal falls, Cheeyapara falls, Chellarkovil falls, Nyayamkadu falls, Thommankuthu falls, Powerhouse waterfalls etc. The wildlife reserves in idukki are Eravikulam, Idukki wildlife, Chinnar and Periyar wildlife. These places are all attracted by a large number of tourists. The main places of interests in Idukki are given below

Sightseeing at Idukki...

Vagamon : Vagamon is a hill station that lies in the Kottayam Idukki border. It has a height of 1100 m above sea level. This comprises of three hills Thangal hills, the Kurisumala and the Murugan hills. All these three hills are dedicated to the three religions Muslim, Christianity and Hinduism respectively. The Thangal hills also called as Thangalppara is located at a distance of 5 kms from Vagamon. This is a famous centre of Muslim pilgrimage as the Mausoleum of Sheik Fariduddin is on top of this hill. 

The rock formation at this hill is worth seeing. The Kurisumala is at a distance of 10 kms from Vagamon. This is a centre of Christian pilgrimage as there is a church there. The famous Kurisumala Ashram which is a monastery is located here. The people who visit here is a community who believes in Christianity combined with Indian customs and Gandhian principles. There are 14 crosses on this hill which are kept at certain distance apart. The diary farm located here is also an attraction to the people. The Murugan hill is a Hindu pilgrim centre as there is a Murugan temple which is carved out of rock situated here.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary : Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Devikulam in Idukki district. The area around this sanctuary is a protected area and it was declared as a sanctuary in the year 1984. The main vegetation found here are dry thorny forests; it is because this area receives rain only 48 days in a year. Besides there are other vegetative types such as deciduous forests, shoals, grasslands etc. Due to the variation in altitude the area will be plain or covered with rocks and cliffs.

Some of the local birds found here include waterfowl, cuckoo, heron, duck etc and the migratory birds include teal, flycatcher etc. The best time to visit here is during the months June to August. In order to watch the migratory birds one has to come during the months November to February. The birds get ready to leave the forest in the dawn and it is the best time to watch them. So the bird watchers can take a trek in the early morning to have a look at them.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary Idukki Kerala

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary Idukki Kerala 

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, (CWS), is located 18 km north of Marayoor on SH 17 in the Marayoor and Kanthalloor Panchayats of Devikulam Taluk in the Idukki district of Kerala state in South India. It is one of twelve Wildlife Sanctuaries among the Protected areas of Kerala.

It is under the jurisdiction of and contiguous with Eravikulam National Park to the south. Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary is to the north and Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary is to the east. It forms an integral part of the 1,187 km2 (458 sq mi) block of protected forests straddling the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border in the Annamalai Hills. The Western Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including all of Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site

The altitude ranges from 400 meters (1,300 ft) at east end of the Chinnar River to 2,522 meters (8,274 ft) at Kumarikal Malai peak. Other major peaks in the sanctuary are Nandala Malai 2,372 meters (7,782 ft), Kottakombu malai (2,144 meters (7,034 ft)), Vellaikal malai (1,863 meters (6,112 ft)) and Viriyoottu malai 1,845 meters (6,053 ft). In contrast, Anamudi peak 2,695 metres (8,842 ft), located 23 kilometers (14 mi) away in the adjacent Eravikulam National Park, is the highest peak in South India.

The Chinnar River and Pambar rivers are the major perennial water resources in the sanctuary. The Chinnar originates near Kumarikal Malai, follows the interstate boundary along the northwest edge of the sanctuary for 18 km and becomes the Amaravati River in Tamil Nadu.

The Pambar River originates in the Anaimudi Hills and is joined by seasonal rivulets and a few perennial streams originating from sholas in the upper reaches. It traverses the Turner’s Valley in Eravikulam National Park and flows down into the Sanctuary through the Taliar Valley between Kanthalloor and Marayoor Villages and eastwards through the sanctuary. It joins the Chinnar river at Koottar. The spectacular Thoovanam water falls lie deep within the Sanctuary on the Pambar River. This breathtaking cascade is a major tourist attraction. The Chinnar, Pambar, Kabani and Bhavani are the only rivers of the 44 in Kerala that flow eastwards.

There are 11 tribal settlements inside the Chinnar WLS, each is well demarcated by temporary stone walls. The main inhabitants are Muthuvas and Pulayars. Cultivation of maize, ragi and lemongrass is practiced in the settlements. The Mudhuvas carry out small scale ganja cultivation for their religious purposes.

34 species of Mammals live here, including many Panthers and Spotted deer, 50 -60 Indian Elephants, Gaur, Tigers, Sambar Deer, Common langur, Bonnet Macaque, Hanuman monkey, threatened Nilgiri Tahr, vulnerable Rusty-spotted Cats and about 240 of the only vulnerable Grizzled Giant Squirrels in Kerala. 245 species of birds including Yellow-throated Bulbuls. 52 species of reptiles including 29 species of snakes, Indian Star Tortoise and the largest population of vulnerable Mugger Crocodiles in Kerala live in the Sanctuary. Most common of the 42 species of fishes observed in the Chinnar and Pambar rivers are Garra mullya minnows, River-carp baril, Giant Danio and the endangered hill stream game fish Deccan Mahseer. 22 amphibian species live in the Sanctuary. There are 156 species of butterflies.

There are 965 species of flowering plants in the sanctuary Ecoregions of the sanctuary comprise mostly grassland and wet grasslands vegetation and some South Western Ghats montane rain forests and high shola at the higher western elevations. South Western Ghats moist deciduous forestss at mid elevations give way to dry deciduous forests and thorny scrub forests in the lower dryer eastern edges of the valley. The major Xerophyticspecies in the throny scrub forests are Acacia arabica, Acacia leucofolia, Acacia concinna, Prosporis juliflora, and Opuntia stricta.

The Marayoor Sandalwood forest is located here.

Major attractions include:
Grizzled Giant Squirrel: The riverine forests along with Chinnar and Pambar support a large number of highly endangered Grizzled Giant Squirrels. The sanctuary plays host to the second largest population of Grizzled Giant Squirrels in the world.

Thoovanam Waterfalls: Deep within the sanctuary, the spectacular Thoovanam waterfall is located. The river Pambar flows eastwards through the sanctuary and plummets down from a great height on the river Chinnar. Wildlife Department permit tourists to visit the falls as part of wildlife tourism.

Watch Tower: Standing on the lofty watchtower, one can have a panoramic view of the entire park and the wildlife beauties, adjoining jungles in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu and also the magnificent mountains far away.

Tourists can enjoy the natural walk along the Chinnar and Pamber river banks. They can also find the grizzled giant squirrel. This is an amazing place for the trekkers also. They can enjoy the scenic beauty of the nature by moving towards Thooyanam Waterfalls. Tourists can enjoy camping here.

Eco-tourism is promoted and organized jointly by the Forest Department and the Eco Development Committees (EDCs) of the local tribal communities, the objective is to empower latter and involve them in the conservation of the forest ecosystem.

Trek paths most commonly used are the Chinnar – Chullipetty and Chinnar – Koottar. Trekking to the Dolmens, the megalithic burial sites of tribal communities in Alampatti, can be arranged. Daytime sighting of crocodiles and boars is possible while hiking along the riverside. The trail will also take you to the enchanting Thoovanam falls and to the watchtower in Jellimalai.
Chinar watchtower

The lofty Chinnar Watch Tower has a panoramic view of the entire sanctuary, and beyond to the jungles of Tamil Nadu to the east and the majestic hills of the Western Ghats in all directions. The watch tower is accessible to the public with the permission of the forest department. The watchtower is a 20-minute walk from the Chinnar check post.