If you are planning a trip to Kerala, then you must visit the quaint hill station of Thekkady. Though less popular than Munnar, Thekkady situated in the Kumily district of Kerala is a nature lover’s paradise. Read on to find out the best things to do in Thekkady for a short 2-day visit. As I write this post, I have just returned from a thoroughly enjoyable trip from Thekkady. So let me share my experience.
Location
Thekkady is located in Kerala near the Periyar National Park or the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The name “Thekkady” is derived from the Malayalam word “thekku,” which means “teak.” The area is known for its lush forests. It is famous for the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, which is home to various species of animals, including elephants, tigers, and many different types of birds.
How to Reach
Thekkady is a hill station in Kerala, and the nearest airport is Madurai Airport at 143km followed by Kochi International Airport which is at a distance of 162 km approximately. It is easily reachable by hired cabs and state-run buses. Now as far as my experience goes, do not go by the distance mentioned in kilometers. The road from Kochi to Thekkady is typical of the western ghats and will take you through lush green mountainous terrains, but is also more arduous and time-consuming. With one small 15 min break I was able to cover the distance to Thekkady in 5.5 hours.
The road from Madurai is much less arduous since for a longer stretch you have to travel through relatively flatter land. But the flip side is that you get to enjoy the lush greenery and breathtaking waterfalls only for the last 1 hour of travel.
5 Best things to do in Thekkady
So here are the top 5 things to do in Thekkady
Visit the Periyar National Park
This is easily the top attraction of the hill town and hence is one of the best things to do in Thekkady. If you are staying in a hotel or resort in the market area of Thekkady, then the National Park entrance is only a stone’s throw away. There are different ways of visiting the National Park
- Jeep Safari – This is one of the most common options to explore the national park. Jeeps are easily available and there are usually queues of Jeeps before the gates of the National Park. Booking of a Jeep can be done on a per-seat basis or for the full Jeep for a more private experience. The Jeep driver serves as a guide inside the Park and they also provide a Hotel pickup & drop facility for an additional cost. No prior booking is required as even during peak seasons availability is good.
- Boat Safari – Boat safari is organised by the KTDC which is a government provider. Boating rides can be booked online in advance or at the Booking counter near Ambadi junction in Thekkady. Booking a boat safari can be done in larger boats where you have to pay a per-seat rate and will have many other tourists alongside you. Or you can go for smaller boats and book the entire boat for yourself and your family by paying the subsequent charges. Boating in Thekkady is one of the most sought-after things to do in Thekkady.
- Elephant Safari – This is the most sought-after and rarely available safari that you can experience in Thekkady. Elephant safari is operated only for a few hours in the morning and the tickets for the same need to be purchased from the counter. This is my personal choice for the best things to do in thekkady.
Check this link out for more details on the cost and timings, Traveltriangle Kerala. Please note, that I am not affiliated with this website in any way.
Take a Spice Plantation Tour
The fertile lands of Kerala are known for their spices. Thekkady in particular is famous for its cardamom, Pineapple, and rubber plantations. You will see these plantations dotting the hillsides on your way here but if you want to know about how the spices are cultivated, their benefits, and reaping patterns, do take a Spice plantations tour.
You will find several Spice plantations that give you a guided tour of their plantation and also explain the benefits of the spices. The best part is that these plantation visits are free however the farm/plantation owners typically have shops set up and they try to force you to buy spices from there. A small tip, the farms are usually overpriced, I would personally recommend buying from the local market in Thekkady. Visiting a spice plantation is one of the unmissable things to do in Thekkady.
Elephant Rides & Elephant Bath
Being able to ride elephants and seeing them up close is one of the best things to do in Thekkady. It is a memorable experience, one that you will definitely remember for years and also recount to your children in the future. There are some elephant farms that provide 20-30 min rides for a fee where you can ride the elephant as they walk around a spice farm. Trust me, this is an amazing experience.
For additional charges, you can also choose to shower & bath the elephants. This is a much sought-after activity in Thekkady especially by families travelling with kids. Do remember to pack a change of clothes after this fun shower session! Elephant rides are open from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm though timings vary slightly with seasons. No prior booking is required and tickets are available at the counters.
Grape Farm or Vineyard Visit
There are several grape farms near thekkady, in the state of Tamil Nadu. Since this area is close to the border of Kerala & Tamil Nadu, a visit to one of the grape farms in Cumbum in Tamil Nadu takes less than an hour. Visiting a grape farm is an experience of its own where you can see grapes hanging from the vines ( if you visit in the reaping season). You can enjoy the freshly made wine that is sold on these farms and also buy both imported & local wine bottles from the farms & the shops lining the farms. However, do note the wine sold is non-alcoholic wine.
Shopping in Thekkady
Shopping here is one of the most underrated yet interesting things to do in Thekkady. The local shops here offer a wide variety of items namely
- Spices – The local shops sell farm fresh & organic spices and rates much lower than that available from our metropolitan markets
- Tea – Tea cultivation happens in Vandiperiyar, a district very close to Kumily where Thekkady is located. Hence you can buy different varieties of tea in Thekkady markets
- Silk Sarees- Kerala is known for its silk sarees and Thekkady is no different. You can find machine-weaved silk sarees being sold in numerous shops, most of which are government-approved
- Handicrafts – Thekkady is known for the pottery, bronze statues, and cane handicrafts that are sold in almost all shops.
Q&A
Q. Is Thekkady a hill station
Yes, it is a hill station situated in Kerala
Q. Is it worth visiting Thekkady?
Yes, definitely. Talking from my personal experience Thekkady is a must-visit for every nature lover and offbeat traveller.
Q. Is one day sufficient for Thekkady
I would suggest to spare 2 days for thekkady. As mentioned in my post, the travel to Thekkady is a long one and you need at least 2 days to enjoy this town fully.
Q. What is the best time to visit Thekkady?
The best time is winter, from October to March. The weather is pleasant during the day and cool during the night
Q. How is the weather in Thekkady?
Thekkady has pleasant weather most time during the year. Days are cool and nights are cooler. In the Summer months, however, you can expect significant heat.
Hopefully, this blog on the 5 Best Things to Do in Thekkady will make your trip to Thekkady a lot more enjoyable and time-worthy. Do let me know if you have any questions and/or feedback using the comments section below or the contact page. I would love to hear from you to make my blogs more helpful and interesting.
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Hi, lovely post! I was planning a visit to Thekkady and your post definitely helps. Thanks!