Our 7.30 half day trek with rafting was a special morning spent learning with Knowledgable local guides, , if there is anything to see, they won't miss it! The walk was well paced , we saw evidence of tigers , like fresh paw prints, black monkeys, bison, Malabar squirrel and the sound of elephants, frogs, we found a porcupine quill and many leeches, but the special socks they supply you with keep them away from your skin... my kids were so worried about the leeches but felt protected and start to make finding them on there leech socks a bit of a game! You are given a packed lunch & water plus a back pack You eat this on a raised verandah overlooking the serene river before you goon the raft... We learnt so much, the guides were such easy relaxed company.. Recommended , Btw I have previously been on the large boat , I'd give it a miss, the trek is far superior!

We did the jungle night trek (10pm-1am) and the following day did the half day bamboo rafting which included a 1h30 trek towards the lake and then 1hr30 trek back after doing the bamboo rafting. The jungle night trek was worth it mainly because we saw an elephant, porcupine, deer, monkeys, boars and an owl. It felt thrilling to be in the middle of the jungle walking around in pitch back. We had two rangers with us, each who carry a gun. They were very good at guiding us. The day trek the following day was good, we saw fresh tiger prints but no elephants this time around so we were thankful to have seen one the previous night. The guides this time were very knowledgeable and shared a lot of information with us. We each got given a tiffin (packed lunch) and ate that on a veranda before doing the bamboo rafting. The bamboo rafting itself was tranquil but I felt 45 minutes was more than enough. Don't think I could have done it for any longer. They give you leech socks for protection as there are many many leeches. The socks provide good protection and if you get worried, the rangers are very quick at removing them off your clothing if they get on there. Do not go with the expectation of seeing tigers as it's very rare. Even the elephant sighting during our jungle night trek was based on luck.

3 ways to access the reserve: 1. Stay at the Lake Palace hotel which is within the reserve. That’s what I did 25yrs ago and it was a smooth, peaceful and unforgettable experience. 2. Buy walking tours from the official Park office on one of the main roads. Their tours/walks start at Bamboo Grove just outside the bus station. Try and book online beforehand. 50% places can be booked this way but they fill up. (You will still need to buy a separate Park entry ticket from the bus station office 🤷🏽). 3. Buy a Park entry ticket plus bus ticket from the bus station office. Take the bus to the lake and then hope that you can get a seat on the 60 seat boat. ⛴️ separate fee payable once you get there. Like most places in India credit cards are not accepted and foreigners cannot access Google/phone pay as we don’t have an Indian bank account. Taking cash out of 🏧 seems to be the only answer but then you have to find one that lets you do it.

We pre booked this sight seeing beforehand only based on the advice of our tour operator. I would suggest to pre book the tickets along with the shuttle bus beforehand so that you dont need to wait in the Q for tickets and the journey will be hassle free. Actually, it's just a boat ride in the mangroves. You wont find any tiger or any wild animals as marketed and advertised except some birds and bisons. It's only time spending exercise with boat ride for around 1-1.5 hours. There are other activities as well provided here but since we were only staying for one night we werent able to do anything. Hence, if you dont have anything to do, you can spend your time here.

The full-day border hike (Thondiyar) starts with a trail up to a hill with a very nice 360 degree view of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, its lake and surroundings. On the way, we saw some bison up close, which was nice. The forests we hiked through afterwards were less exciting, though we saw some colorful birds and butterflies. The guides unfortunately explained very little, and only pointed out the names of some animals and plants on the way. I had hoped for some more information on the reserve and its wildlife. The breakfast and lunch provided was simple, but plenty. Overall, I do not think this is worth the 7h and 2500 Rs (hike + entry fee) it costs.

Periyar Tiger Reserve is part of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Periyar National Park offers a variety of activities for visitors to connect with nature and the forest. These include boating, bamboo rafting, tiger trails, nature walks, and green walks. The guide suggests that March, April, and May are ideal months to visit as water dries up inside the forest, encouraging animals to come out. Boating during this time offers better wildlife sighting opportunities. Parking is available in the national park and need to park their vehicles 15 minutes away from the park entrance. Leeches are present in the forest, so visitors need to be cautious and prepared to encounter them during their trekking or nature walks. One needs at least 2 days to explore the park. There is the chance to encounter various animals such as elephants, Nilgiri langur, sambar, bats, bison, and a variety of birds. Boating trips are available at specific times in the morning and afternoon, with ticket charges of 255 INR for Indian visitors. The lake near the sanctuary provides a picturesque setting for these 1.5-hour boating trips. Have to book tickets online well in advance to avoid last-minute hassles, especially for popular activities like boating. Otherwise needed to wait for hours to get a manual ticket. There are many packages to explore the national park, it's given on the Periyar Tiger Reserve website. Even the option of staying at the jungle camp and sleeping in a sleeping bag beside the lake is there, allowing visitors to be closer to nature. Boating Timings: Morning : 7:30 am : 9:30 am : 11:15 am Afternoon : 01:45 pm : 03:30 pm

My wife and I visited Periyar Tiger Reserve two mornings in a row. We tried to book tickets online but we never could get the website to accept our credit card information. We were told by multiple locals that we could simply show up and we shouldn’t have a problem getting boat or nature walk tickets. This proved to be the case in February, although not sure it would be the case during busier months. We showed up to the ticket line for the bus into the park at about 6:15 AM. We hd to wait in line for about 15 minutes. We purchased tickets for both the bus and the entry fee. We rode the bus into the park and arrived before 7 AM. We were directed to another line to purchase tickets for the first boat ride at 7:30 AM. Multiple boats run at the same time. We were able to get a seat at the front of the top level of the boat. Periyar Lake is pristine and beautiful. Would definitely recommend taking the first boat of the day. We saw lots of water birds and, in the distance, saw bison, a group of 3 elephants, wild boar, and a fleeting glimpse of a mongoose. Binoculars make the boat trip much more enjoyable and interesting. One of the guides on the boat took my phone with my permission and captured a number of great photos of birds, wildlife, and scenery. Before we exited the boat landing, we purchased tickets for a 7 AM nature walk for the following morning. Although we weren’t asked, we paid for all 4 spots on the walk. So, it was just me, my wife, the guide, and an apprentice guide on the walk. The walk starts near the ticket office for boat rides and begins with a short bamboo raft ride across the water. We had an excellent guide, Vimwin (? spelling), who was very knowledgeable about birds. We like birdwatching and have our own binoculars. We walked through the forest for 3 hours and saw many new birds, as well as a Malabar Giant Squirrel and a Nilgiri langur. The Periyar Tiger Reserve is clean, well-managed, and definitely worth a visit.

The night trek, known as “jungle scout” involves a slow walk through the forest. I signed up for the 10pm trek where forest rangers/guards escorted a group of 6 people (maximum number of participants). Each participant was given a torchlight. It was an interesting and surreal experience walking through the forest at night, through the silhouettes of trees under a star-lit sky. The forest rangers were constantly alert and vigilant in interpreting the clues around— a slight rustling from a distance, a faint, discernible cry, making out animal footprints. We spotted a family of wild boars, several sambar deer, a porcupine, a solitary elephant across the water eating grass, moving slowly. It was most hypnotic to watch the elephant. At some point we were told not to proceed any further, because it was likely that a group of elephants had gone into a certain direction and following a similar path would be too risky. It was a beautiful experience to walk through the forest at night and to encounter animals, guided by responsible, trustworthy, and experienced forest rangers/guards, so sensitive and attuned to the nuances around. I found the night trek way more stimulating and exciting than the 7.30am leisurely boat ride I went on the next day Periyar lake.

The boat tour inside the reserve is the highlight of this trip. Getting a ticket is tricky because the website doesn’t take foreign credit cards. Our visit was well worth it though. Mani, who was in charge of our boat, was a perfect host, educating us about the wildlife and helping take the best shots. His enthusiasm was infectious. Got great sighting of a family of elephants!

We did the early morning trek. Started at 7am and lasted about 2,5 hours. We had a great guide who certainly knew what he was talking about and looking out for. We managed to see 3 elephants (which are not seen that often) as well as Gaur (Indian bison), Malabar squirrel, some deer and a variety of birds. Heard but didn’t see the monkeys. Our guide was from one of the tribes in the reserve and he spoke good English and was great at spotting animals and birds and getting us in the right place to take some lovely photos. Worth getting up early to enjoy this.