Cheap Thekkady Tour Packages, Best Travel Agent in Thekkady, Local Travel Agent in Thekkady, Travel Hed Located in Idukki Thekkady is a small village, set amidst spice plantation but more known for its Periyar Wildlife Reserve. Nevertheless its size, it allures a huge number of tourist every year. The reason behind this is that it is the only gateway to famous wildlife sanctuary of the south - the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Thekkady is the instance of nature's bounty with enchanting scenic charm, rich bio diversity containing thick jungle and rich plantation. 186 km south east of Kochi and 114 kms away from Kottayam this amazing place lies on the Western Ghats is approximately 4000-5000 ft above sea-level, sprawled over an area of 777 Sq.km. Periyar is one of the 27 tiger reserves in India. Thekkady is an awesome combo of nature and culture. In fact it is a pleasant paradise on earth for those who love nature in its wild manifestations. This sanctuary is centered around the large (24 sq km) artificial lake formed by a dam across the Periyar river. The main attraction here is a boat ride over this man-made lake of Thekkady. Other attractions here lies in the trekking inside the sanctuary and in the elephant rides. Though the Periyar is famous for herds of wild elephants but one can also spot here gaur, sambar deer, tiger, jungle cat, sloth bear and wild boar which can be sighted from the boats. There are about 265 species of birds including migrants, which make boat ride more lyrical. Deep inside the forest there is a ruined stone temple known as Mangla Devi Temple is another attraction in the Periyar. A trip to Thekkady would be incomplete if you do not go for plantation tour. A eco friendly plantation tour is arranged from the District Tourism Information Office at Thekkady which covers cardamom, pepper, coffee and tea plantations, tea factories, tribal settlements and the surrounding hill regions.