Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary

If you are in an area of thick vegetation with enchanting natural sounds of the wildlife around and you don't know where you are, chances are that the imposing peak of Agasthyakoodam hill which is 1890 meters high will make you realize that you are in the comforting lap of Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary. The south east corner of the Western Ghats is the place where the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary is located. The area of the sanctuary is actually the drainage basin of Neyyar River and its tributaries.

Initially the conservation efforts did not show much improvement on the ground and therefore a wildlife wing was set up in 1985. As a result, the efforts began to show the positive consequences on the ground at Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary. The forests of the sanctuary are of the tropical wet evergreen and grasslands type. The animals that you can spot here are elephants, gaur, Nilgiri tahr, bonnet macaque, sloth bear etc.

Best Time to Visit
The months between October to January are best suited for the tourists visiting the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Though you can extend this period to March if you can't schedule your itinerary before.

Climate
The average summer temperature is 35 Celsius where the average temperature in winters is about 16 Celsius. The South West monsoon as well as the North East monsoon are responsible for the rainfall in the area which take place in the months of May – July and October – November respectively.
Sightseeing
The sanctuary has many additional attractions such as a deer farm, lion safari park and a crocodile rearing centre where you can spend some quality time learning how exactly the entire ecosystem is interlinked together.

Activities
There are trekking and boating facilities waiting for you at the sanctuary. The trekking and boating combo which starts from Neyyar and goes up to Meenmutty via Kombai is the most exciting part of your vacations in the Neyyar Wildlife sanctuary. It requires one whole day in which you'll get to do boating for about 9 km after which you'd continue guided trekking for about 6 km. The same trip can be extended for two days if you want to have a close look at the area but that will include overnight halt at the camp house at Meenmutty.

How to Reach?
The nearest airport and railway station is Thiruvananthapuram which is 32 km away. If you prefer to travel by road, you can start from Thiruvananthapuram and drive via Kattakada.

Accommodation
The accommodation facilities available near the sanctuary are the following:
» Neyyar Rest House
» Youth Hostels
» Guest House of KTDC