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Thekkady sightseeing by cab
Places to visit in Thekkady, and the order to see them
Thekkady's main sights fit in one day by cab: a boat on Periyar Lake in the morning, a spice plantation walk, and the viewpoints at Ottakathalamedu and Chellarkovil, with a Kalaripayattu show in Kumily in the evening. A second, half day goes to Pattumala and Parunthumpara near Peermade. Nothing here closes on a set weekday.
7 placesroutes from road routing, timed against opening hours
How many days do you need?
Each plan is a real route by cab, timed against opening hours.
Cab for Thekkady sightseeing
Call or message a local Thekkady operator with this plan. Tell them your hotel and dates, and they send a price for the car and driver.
Full day, 8 h / 80 kmSedan, SUV or InnovaPrice from the operator
Opening times of Thekkady's top sights
With the best time to go and how long to stay.
| Place | Open | Best time | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Periyar Lake boat ride | Boats leave at about 07:30, 09:30, 11:15, 13:45 and 15:30; each trip is about 90 minutes | The first two boats of the morning, when animals come down to the water. | 3 h |
| A spice plantation walk | Most gardens about 09:00 to 17:00; some open from 07:30 | Late morning, after the boat. | 1 h 15 min |
| Ottakathalamedu viewpoint | Open hillside with a watchtower, in daylight? | Late afternoon, or early morning for the mist. | 30 min |
| Chellarkovil viewpoint | Open hillside, in daylight? | Morning or late afternoon, on a clear day. | 1 h |
| Pattumala Church | Open through the day; no hours published; mass times vary? | Morning, on the road to Peermade. | 40 min |
| Parunthumpara | Open hillside, in daylight? | Late morning, before the afternoon mist. | 1 h 15 min |
| Kalaripayattu show, Kumily | Shows about 18:00 to 19:00, every evening | Evening, after the cab day, a short walk from Kumily town. | 1 h |
All 7 places to visit in Thekkady
Periyar Lake boat ride
3 hA cruise of about an hour and a half on Periyar Lake, the reservoir inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, past drowned tree stumps and forested banks. Elephants, gaur, sambar deer and otters are often seen at the water's edge; tigers rarely.
In the 1-day planA spice plantation walk
1 h 15 minThekkady sits in the Cardamom Hills, and the gardens along the Kumily to Murikkady road offer guided walks among cardamom, pepper vines, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla and coffee, with a guide who shows how each is grown and dried.
In the 1-day planOttakathalamedu viewpoint
30 minA hilltop just north of Kumily with a watchtower that looks over Thekkady's lake and forests, the hills round the Mangala Devi temple and the plains of Tamil Nadu. It is also known for its Kurisumala, a hill of crosses climbed by pilgrims on Good Friday.
In the 1-day planChellarkovil viewpoint
1 hA village on the edge of the Western Ghats about 15 km north of Kumily, where the hills drop to the coconut groves of Kambam and the plains of Theni in Tamil Nadu. In the monsoon a waterfall, Aruvikuzhi, spills off the edge into Tamil Nadu.
In the 1-day planPattumala Church
40 minA granite church in Gothic style, blessed in 1998, on a hill among tea estates about 24 km west of Thekkady. It grew from the devotion of tea estate workers to Our Lady of Good Health, and the name Pattumala is said to mean the hill draped in silk.
Day 2 of the 2-day planParunthumpara
1 h 15 minA grassy hilltop about 6 km from Peermade, named after a rock that looks like an eagle's head. On a clear day the view runs across the forests to Sabarimala, about 15 km away.
Day 2 of the 2-day planKalaripayattu show, Kumily
1 hA one-hour show of Kalaripayattu, Kerala's old martial art, at the Kadathanadan Kalari centre in Kumily: sword and shield fights, staff work, high kicks and a leap through a ring of fire, in a small pit theatre.
Not in our plans. Add it if you have time.Questions people ask
How many days do you need for Thekkady sightseeing?
One day for the Periyar Lake boat, a spice garden and the viewpoints. Two if you also want Pattumala and Parunthumpara near Peermade, or a slower first day.
Can a cab drive to the Periyar boat landing?
No. Cars stop at the reserve entrance near Kumily, and forest buses run the last 4 km to the landing. The cab waits at the entrance while you take the boat.
Is the Mangala Devi temple open to visitors?
Only on Chitra Pournami, the full moon of April or May, when it opens for one day inside the tiger reserve. At other times it needs permission from the Wildlife Warden at Thekkady.
Where can I see Kathakali or Kalaripayattu in Thekkady?
Centres in Kumily put on one-hour shows each evening: Kalaripayattu, the martial art, at about 18:00, and Kathakali, the dance drama, in the late afternoon or evening. Tickets are about Rs 300 to 400; buy them in the afternoon.
Is Ramakkalmedu a day trip from Thekkady?
It is about 44 km each way by road, so a round trip with the stops is over the usual 80 km cab day. It sits near the Thekkady to Munnar road, so see it on that drive instead.
Is a full-day cab enough for Thekkady local sightseeing?
Yes. The one-day plan is about 37 km and the Peermade day about 64 km, both inside a usual 8 hour, 80 km day. Check the hours and kilometre limit with the operator before you book.