Considered the Kashmir of South India, Munnar is a honeymoon destination. Munnar is home to vast expanses of tea gardens and plenty of endemic species of fauna and flora. 25 km off Munnar on the Coimbatore Udamalpet route is the Eravikulam National Park. Stretching over an area of around 100 square km, Eravikulam National Park is situated in the Western Ghats in the Idukki district of Kerala. It is the first Wildlife sanctuary of Kerala. The Eravikulam National Park also known as the Rajamalai Wildlife Sanctuary was under the control of the Kanan Devan Tea Production Company until 1971 and later in 1978 it was declared as a Wildlife sanctuary and became a part of the forest reserve area.
Anamudi at a height of 2695 m is South India’s highest peak. It forms the origin of many little streams forming perennial rivers like the Periyar in the West and Cauvery in the East. The Lakkam waterfalls also called the Lakkam waterfalls is a famous tourist attraction located near Marayoor of Idukki district. The falls flow out into the Eravikulam stream and are one of the many tributaries of the Pambar River. A trek or safari into the park is very scenic with the lush greenery all around. The park is mainly comprised of high undulating hills with wide plateaus; the average height is around 2000m above sea level. Grasslands alternate with outgrowths of shrubs and forests.
The forests of Eravikulam National Park house many endangered species of animals like the Nilgiri Tahr, grizzled squirrel, Nilgiri Wood pigeon, Nilgiri Langur, large herds of elephants, gaur, and sambar. Also rare are the lion-tailed Macaques, Indian Muntjac, golden jackal, wild dog, jungle cats, and dholes. The park is a sanctuary to the famous Nilgiri Tahr of which there are around 750 known members. 132 species of birds have been recorded and as many as 100 odd species of butterflies also have been spotted and documented. There are 20 species of various forms of amphibians including a rare variety of frogs which was recently discovered only at Anamudi peak in an area of only 3 sq. km. The frog species are being protected being an endangered species and intensive studies are on to learn about their habitat and breeding habits. They are reddish-orange with bright red irises and very short limbs.
The Eravikulam National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is administered by the forest department. Rare herbs and medicinal plants and shrubs populate the densely populated forest areas in the lower valleys.
Trekking in and around the Eravikulam National Park is a group activity that tourists and locals enjoy. If you incline wildlife, forest treks, long walk and you are a nature enthusiast, this is the best place to visit and go trekking with friends and like-minded people.
A trip to Munnar is incomplete without visiting Eravikulam National Park. Our tour operators can arrange exciting tours and safaris to Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary as part of the Munnar Package. So choose from the myriad of tours or let us create a tailor-made package for you to enjoy the splendors of the Western Ghats!
The Eravikulam National Park timings: 7.30 A.M to 4:00 P.M
The park remains closed between February and March every year.
The Eravikulam National Park Entry Fees: INR 90 per individual (Indian National) and INR 360 for foreign nationals. Children Entry fees is INR 65.
