Thekkady is a small town in the district of Idukki and home to South India’s most popular wildlife reserve, the Periyar Wildlife Park and Tiger. Spread across 777 square kilometers, it includes 26 square kilometer artificial lake created by the British in 1895.Thekkady is located 4 km away from Kumily, a plantation town in Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.
The sanctuary is famous for its dense evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous forests and savanna grass lands. This is Kerala's first tiger reserve in 1978 (though founded as a sanctuary in 1934) – shelters wild boar, sambar, bison, langur, 2000 elephants and 35 to 40 hard-to-spot tigers.
Shikari boat rides in this lake, well known for its scenery, let's visitors spot wild animals in their natural setting, especially early in the mornings and in the evenings. The best wildlife-spotting months are December to April. The drive to Thekkady is truly picturesque, with tea plantations and rubber estates in the foothills. The weather is cool throughout the year. The name Thekkady is derived from the word "thekku" which means teak.The greatest attractions are the herds of wild elephants, deer and bison that come down to drink at the lake. The sanctuary can be accessed by trekking, boating or jeep safari.