Fast Facts:
Location: Nilgiri Hills, Palakkad District in Kerala, South India.
Area: 236.74 square kilometers
Nearest Airport: Coimbatore airport
Nearest Town: Mannarkkad
Safari: Jeep Safari
Entry Fee: Rs. 25 for Indian Citizen
Best time to visit: December-April
Number of Fauna Species: 34 species of mammals, 128 species of butterflies and 31 species of reptiles
Number of Avifauna species: 16 avifauna species
Overview:
The Silent Valley National Park is nestled in the midst of the Kundali Hills in Kerala is considered to be one of the last unspoiled regions of the tropical evergreen forest present in India. The area features rich biodiversity. The vivid landscapes of the Silent Valley National Park include undulating slopes, hills, water streams and tropical greenery making it one of the most sought wildlife tourism destinations of Kerala. The park is famous amongst the tourist as the home to some of the unique and rare plants and herbs.
The fauna of the park are also known to be habited by a great number of lizards and snakes along with the amphibian species etc. The exotic flora and fauna of the park was endangered by the erection of a Hydel Power Project during the 1970’s.
Climate:
Silent Valley National Park features a warm weather in summers while winter is pleasant around the park. The maximum temperature during the summer reaches as high as 35°C in June. In winters the temperature falls to a reasonable of 20°C during the December month.
Silent Valley National Park During Monsoon:
Monsoon season in this park lies between July to September and receives heavy rainfall. The humid conditions in the park can reach as high as 95% and the estimated rainfall received by the park is around 1600mm.
Wildlife -
Mammals:
Visiting this wildlife sanctuary one can enjoy the sight of various wild animals like tigers, elephants, leopard, gaur, wild boar, Sambhar and lion-tailed macaques. The endangered Lion-Tailed Macaque is endemic to the Western Ghats of Kerala and is one the rarest and most threated species belonging to the Old World Monkey family.
Birds:
While exploring the park the travelers can spot as many as 16 species of birds in the Silent Valley. Some of the commonly spotted birds include Nilgiri Laughing Thrush, Crimson-backed Sunbird, Nilgiri Blue Robin, White-bellied Treepie, Grey-headed Bulbul, Black-and-rufous Flycatcher and many more.
Reptiles:
One can find 31 different kinds of reptile in the sheltered area of the national park.
Flora in Silent Valley National Park:
The flora of this wildlife park consists of four discrete types of vegetation. The biodiversity concentrated area of the park features the rain forest have trees like rosewood, amla, semal, teak and bamboo. The portion of the park is also made from temperate forests, tropical hill forests and grasslands.
Entry Fees:
The entry fee for the Indian visitors is 25 INR. One needs to pay extra charges for vehicle entry.
Best Time to Visit:
The best time to visit this national park is between the months of December and April.
How to Reach:
The Silent Valley National Park can be reached easily by opting for any of the rail, air or road route. The nearest airport to this national park is Peelamamedu airport in Coimbatore. Upon reaching the Peelamamedu Airport in Coimbatore one may hire a private taxi or board bus runs by the state government to drive 155 kms to reach Silent Valley National Park. Frequent flights from all the major cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Madurai and Kozhikode.
While the nearest located railway station to this National Park is situated in Palakkad which lies at a convenient distance of 75 kms. The Silent Valley National Park is also well connected with the road route as well.
Travel Tips:
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