Thekkady is located about 257 km (160 mi) from Trivandrum, 114 km from Madurai
City and Madurai Airport, 145 km from Cochin International Airport and 114 km
from Kottayam railway station. Thekkady is located near to Kerala- Tamilnadu border.
1. The Periyar Wildlife sanctuary is spread across 777 km2 (300 sq mi), of which
360 km2 (140 sq mi) is thick evergreen forest. The wildlife sanctuary was declared
a tiger reserve in 1978. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam
across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park. The greatest attractions of
Periyar are the herds of wild elephants, deer and bison that come down to drink in
the lake. The sanctuary can be accessed through a trekking, boating or jeep safari.
2. Mangala Devi Temple is situated about 15 km from Thekkady at an altitude of
1337 m above sea level. It is surrounded by lush greenery and is closed throughout
the year except during the Chitra Pournami festival. At other times tourists can
still visit it by getting a special letter from the forest ranger. The view from
the temple premises is spectacular and one can see part of Eastern Ghats and some
villages from adjacent state of Tamilnadu.
3. Cellar Kovil s located about 15 km from Kumily en route to the Theni district
of Tamil Nadu. This place has a lot of picturesque waterfalls and cascades.
4. Thekkady is considered as a heaven for natural spices such as black pepper,
cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, nut mace, ginger and clove.