Apr 29, 2008 03:54 PM
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I read a lovely review about the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary by one of the mouthshut members and I was
wondering if there was another place called "Periyar wild life
Sanctuary" that I had been to . Seriously the only wild life I saw there were 2 elephants
and I hate to say it but they were both temple elephants, so that
doesnt count as "wildlife", I guess.
Where one stays in Periyar makes all the difference and maybe even the season . I stayed at the Taj Garden retreat away from the national park for 2 nights and the rooms were comfortable but the food was way too expensive and not edible. My mother swears that she could use the iddlis to clobber the waiter.
We went during November and hence the elephants had not yet arrived at Periyar . Apparently the elephants make a stop-over in huge herds during the summer. So we had to make do with watching 2 temple elphants. I would've loved to spot the malabar giant squirrel and the other common wild life but unfortunately for me even a 3 hour treck into the forest with a local guide did not help me find those common wild life. However, we did spot a "Horn Bill', so our trip was not a total washout. Well, the lesson here is not to expect too much from the Wild life Santuaries in Kerala . One can go to chill out and have a good time enjoying the greenery but one must not have too much hope of sighting wildlife here. This is just not from one experience at Thekkady but our trip to Tholpetty -which is also a wild life santuary, has nothing but a few Lungi clad guys walking in the middle of the forests -dont know doing what! The same goes for "Muthunga". well, you might see one or two elephants at the most. So honestly dont go to Kerala for "wildlife sightings" . kerala is a place to unwind, go for boat rides, eat appams, take a dip in the backwaters . "nothing more and nothing less". BTW, I am a keralite!
