Ecotourism destinations to visit in Kerala

Kerala is one of the states in India and is placed on the west coast of India by the Arabian Sea. The state well known for its greenery and the mighty Western Ghats running from one to the other has lots of places one can choose for ecotourism. There is a rich bio diversity and beautifully unmatched natural destinations make the state an hot spot for ecotourism.

Ecotourism is a new concept which has been brought about in the recent days. The purpose of eco travel is to understand nature by its cultural and the history of the surroundings and the environment, without altering the natural system found there. At the same time the program is to produce economic opportunities for the locals as well as help in the conservation of those natural resources.

Only when a tourist project satisfies at least some of the following rules it can be called as an eco tourism project, they are

(a) nature based,
(b) ecologically sustainable,
(c) where education and interpretation is a major component and
(d) where local people are benefited

Eco tips to be observed while travelling to an ecotourism destination

Dos & Don'ts for Visitors while touring an ecotourism destinations
Total silence and discipline is required to spot wild animals.
Early mornings and late afternoons are the ideal time to visit forests.
Travelling alone is prohibited, especially in the Elephant Reserves.
Do not wear colourful clothes or perfumes. Khakis, browns and greens are best suited.
Always carry drinking water, tea/coffee, snacks etc.
Seek the assistance of a forest guard while going into the forests.
Do not disturb or tease animals.
Trekkers are advised to use jungle boots to ensure safety.
Carry a first aid kit with medicines for common ailments.
Do not litter the surroundings.
Do not remove anything from the Sanctuary.
Carry a notepad, flashlight, road maps, bus/train/airline timetables.
Do not try to explore unfamiliar things.

Source - Ecotourism

Thenmala is located at about 72 kilometers from the capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram
Adventure sports namely, Elevated walkway, Mountain biking, Rock climbing, river crossing, etc are available other than trekking trails. Resting spots are made available along the nature trails which winds through various parts of the Eco Tourism Zone.
AS for leisure, you can find various activities like, Restaurant, amphi theatre, shopping area and an open air musical dancing fountain to understand the cultures and traditions of Kerala.

As for accommodation facilities you can find
dormitory which can accommodate 42 persons at a time
Check out 12 noon
Contact no - 0475 2344800

In the adventure zone you can get Tented accommodation with toilet facility about 100 meters away.
Maximum 8 tents accommodating 16 persons.
Contact no - 0475 2344800

Conducted tours are available from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha,Kottayam and Ernakulam. Contact Numbers are :

Thiruvananthapuram - KTDC ( 0471 2330031 )
Kollam DTPC Kollam (Ph 0474-2745625, 1364)
Pathanamthitta DTPC Pathanamthitta (Ph 0473-2229952/2326409)
Alapuzha DTPC Alappuzha (Ph: 0477-2251796, 2253308)
Kottayam DTPC Kottayam (Ph: 0481-2560479)
Ernakulam DTPC Ernakulam (Ph: 0484-2383988, 2367334)

For local guides call 0475 2344725

Shensuruney Wild life Sanctuary is located in the Kollam district of the state of Kerala surrounding the Parappar Dam placed at about the middle of it. The name Shenduruney seems to have been derived from chenkurunney a flowering species found only in this area.
Shenduruney has a rich heritage. Shenduruney river valley civilization is the one of the oldest of all civilizations dating back from 5210 to 4420 B.C., older than the Indus Valley Civilization which is believed to have flourished from 4400 to 3700 BC
You can find mesolithic paintings in the cave here which can be compared to the paintings found in the central partsof India.
There are four types of vegetation found on Shenduruney namely, the west coast tropical evergreen forest, west coast tropical semi-evergreen forest, southern moist mixed deciduous forest and the southern hilltop tropical evergreen forest.
Contact Address

1. The Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife)
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695 014,
Phone : 322217.

2. The Wildlife Warden,
Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary,
Thenmala Dam P.O.,
Thiruvananthapuram.
Phone : 344600 - 0475.

Konni eco destination isin a village with dense forests situated on the banks of the mighty Achankovil River in Pathanamthitta Districtin the state of Kerala. Konni is also well known for its Elephant training centre, one of the oldest of its kind in India.

Half a day to one day trekking packages are available for sightseeing the evergreen forests of Kurichi, Chavarpandy etc. Manalar Kumbhavurutty in Achankoil is an enchanting waterfall located deep inside the forest. This will need two days of trekking in to the forests.

How to reach Konni ?

Konni can be reached via Kochi as well as Thiiruvananthapuram International airports. Kochi is the nearest airport as well s the railway station. Aluva and Kottayam railway stations are also nearer to the Konni Eco Destination.

Neyyar Dam and the surrounding areaswith an areaof 12000 square kilometers have been declared as the Neyyar wildlife sanctuary. It is an eco destination with bluish beautiful lake and is located in the Thiruvananthapuram district of the state of Kerala. The repository of the wildlife sanctuary consists of various species of flora and fauna.

The species in Fauna includes Asiatic Elephants, tigers, Leopards, slender Loris etc and reptiles like King Cobra and travancore tortoise. There is a crocodile bank as well in the wildlife sanctuary.

How to reach Neyyar Dam and the Wildlife Sanctuary?

Thiruvananthapuram is the capital city of Kerala. It is also an International airport with connection flights from all over the world. You can also get connections via Chennai, Kochi and Kozhikode airports.

Thiruvananthapuram is a railway station and is connected to the Indian Railways network. The trains connect via Nagerkoil and Coimbatore from the state of Tamil Nadu.

There is a motorable road from the city. The place is connected by regular bus services from the city bus stand.

Accommodation Facilities

Youth hostel - 20 beds

Dormitory Kombai - 20 beds

TB - 2 beds

Rest house meenmutty - 10 beds

For more Details Contact -

Wildlife Warden, Thiruvananthapuram - 9447979082

Asst Wildlife Warden, Thiruvananthapuram - 8547602970

Rhodo Valley is located at about 24 kilometers from Munnar, a well known tourist destination in the Idukki district of Kerala in India. The place seems to have derived its name from the abundance of Rhododendron flowers in the area. Rhodo Valley is placed at an altitudeofabout 2000 meters above sea level and so is well suited for adventurous activities. Next to Rhodo Valley lies Anamudi, the highest peak in South India.
Trekking is best done in the area which allows one to get plenty of fresh cool mountain air and the beautiful surroundings.

Wild life and trekking camps are held here. They start from the Silent Valley Tea Estate and take 2 -3 days packages. Visitors can stay at the camps during these camps in the forests.
There are many other places of attraction for the guests and the tourists to the area. some of them are the Orchidarium and flower garden near the KFDC Office in Mattupetty Road. Mattupetty Dam, Lockhart Gap, Kundala and Devikulam Lakes etc.

How to reach Rhodo Valley ?
Kochi / Cochin International airport is the nearest one and is about 121 kilometers away.
The nearest railway station is Aluva . Direct roads connect aluva, kochi city and palakkad district with Munnar.

Accommodation facilities
There is a KFDC office at Munnar which can be used as an accommodation. Various other resorts and hotels can be found in Munnar as well.

For enquiries and bookings, contact:

Kerala Forest Development Corporation, Kottayam,Tel : 0481-2581204.

EMail : mail@keralafdc.org

District Tourist Promotion Council Office
Idukki, Ph: 0486-2232248
Munnar, Ph: 04865-231516

Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary located on the Thrissur side of the Nelliampathy hills, established in the year 1984. The sanctuary lies close to Peechi Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary on one side and Parambikulam wild life Sanctuary on the other. The forest has deciduous forests of tropical, evergreen, semi evergreen and moist. The soil is ideal for both wildlife and plants.

Trekking and Bamboo Rafting are the activities to take part in this eco destination. Bamboo Rafting is also arranged in nights so that tourists can have a moonlight sonata.

Trekking expeditions are arranged for 3 hours to half a day trips in and around the wild life sanctuary.

There are many more eco tourism destinations in Kerala, in fact the state has too many in the mighty Western Ghats, namely, Arippa, Peppara, Palaruvi, Eravikulam, Aralam etc. let me collect all the details and come out with Eco Destinations Part 2