Trekking inside Parambikulam Tiger Reserve: A Thrilling Adventure
The sheer thrill of being on foot with an apex predator like a tiger or a leopard prowling close by. Or the fact that you can come across a herd of elephants or gaurs during your forest walk. Trekking inside a tiger reserve is all of that adrenaline rush and more. Our forest department folks patrol our national parks and tiger reserves in this fashion and it is an absolutely sensational experience to explore the forest like them. But, most of the tiger reserves in India allow you to experience the jungle only from the safe confines of a forest jeep or safari vehicle. Only a select few offer the option to experience the forest on foot. Kerala’s Parambikulam tiger reserve and Tamil Nadu’s Anaimalai Tiger reserve that it is contiguous with are two gorgeous tropical jungles that offer the option to trek deep inside the jungle.
Parambikulam tiger reserve offers a variety of jungle treks. They offer 2 hour, half day or full day treks depending on the physical capability of its guests. Each trek is to be compulsorily accompanied by a member of the forest department who is well versed with the route, the dos and donts and knows how to react when confronted with a wild animal. The trekking routes might vary based on season, but usually they try and follow the same trail. Depending on the comfort of the trekking group, steep inclines can be opted to trek deeper into the forest.
During my time inside Parambikulam tiger reserve, I went on 3 morning treks and two evening treks, each lasting between two to four hours. While 3 of these were around the Parambikulam tented niche, two of them were on Veetikunnu Island, which is deep inside the Parambikulam dam. Unlike the jeep safaris, on a trek, you can experience the forest from much closer quarters. You can smell the plants and the flowers, you can see the animal footprints and pug marks more closely, you can catch the scent of the animals close by, you can see animal droppings more closely, you can soak in the aura of the jungle better and you can hear the animals and the birds just like they can hear you. And unlike the jeep safaris, you don’t have to breathe in the diesel/petrol fumes, you only hear the sound of the jungle and your feet crushing the dried leaves/twigs below you and if your group is quiet, you only get to hear the jungle sounds and of course you breathing and your heartbeat. You can also see the smaller life that survive on the base of the jungle.
Morning treks usually begin just after sunrise. You can have your morning tea/coffee prior to starting on the trek. A good pair of shoes, sunglasses, a bottle of water and a camera are all that you need while going on the jungle walk. In these early hours of the morning when the birds are at their most active self, you can hear the different bird calls echo throughout the forest. My favourite bird to hear in the morning hours is the Malabar Whistling thrush, which whistles its heart out in this tropical jungle. You can also hear the drilling sound of the greater flameback woodepecker reverberate throughout the forest. Other birds active in the morning are the Greater racket tailed drongo, brown headed barbet, common drongo, grey junglefowl, white-throated kingfisher, green bee eater, spotted owlet and malabar parakeet. The prettiest bird that I spotted was the black hooded oriole with its rich yellow coloured body. If you have a keen eye, a good pair of binoculars and oodles of patience, you might see well over 50 species of birds during these morning treks.
As the sun ascends in the sky, you will start noticing more of the larger creatures. You will see Nilgiri Langurs moving in the trees. You might also spot the malabar giant flying squirrel jumping from one branch to the other. You might get to see a common or a ruddy mongoose moving along the jungle floor. The call of the peacock will reverberate through the jungle and you might see them basking in the morning sun. The spotted deer and sambar deer who have been grazing might stop their grazing and look up at you to see who disturbed their breakfast. And the most thrilling time would be when you hear an alarm call ring throughout the jungle. It could be the alarm call of the spotted deer, the langur, the peacock or the junglefowl. Whosever call it might be, the news is that there might be a tiger or a leopard close by. Had you been in the forest jeep, you would have stopped, taken your binoculars out and started searching for the predator. But, when you are on foot, the reaction is much different. You look all around you to see if the tiger is visible. You wait for a while to see where the calls are coming from and pretty soon, you try to ascend or move in the opposite direction. This is to give some space between you and the predator. And all this while, you can feel your heart racing, your adrenaline pumping and some raw excitement flowing through your veins.
When we were trekking the trails of Veetikunnu Island, the thrilling adventure went up a few more notches. All throughout the trail, we kept seeing elephant dung, some of which was very fresh. This only means one thing that elephants are close by. For those who don’t know, elephants can run pretty fast and stay at it for long distances. And we all know about their strength and temperament, especially if there are solo tuskers or if they have young calves in their herd. Hence, seeing fresh elephant dung can get your adrenaline pumping. And you have to stay quiet too as elephants have excellent long distance hearing. Pretty soon, we spotted a large herd of elephants with some young ones a bit far away. Somewhere, I wished to see them at much closer proximity, but at the same time, I was aware of the dangers too. That dual feeling of joy and thrill together is what these Parambikulam tiger reserve treks offer. Along with these elephants, we also spotted crocodiles and spotted deer. And yes, more birds.
The evening treks are even more adventurous as by the time you return to your base, it will be well past sunset. This means that you have to trek for close to 30 minutes in failing light. This is the best time to spot more wild animals as most animals start coming out of the deep jungle around this time. If the weather is cooler, you might see gaurs and elephants while returning. We heard a lot of alarm calls, but just missed spotting a leopard and a wild tusker. Apparently, other groups were lucky to see them at close quarters. What a thrill it must have been for them! We saw spotted deer, peacocks and even a barking deer during these evening treks.
I was hoping to see some lion tailed macaques and great hornbills, but apparently, one needs to trek in a different part of the forest, where the altitude is much higher and the forest more dense and evergreen. Treks inside Parambikulam tiger reserve allow you to see the diverse nature of the forest, which includes the flora, fauna, the rich wildlife and the gorgeous view points that fall on your different trekking routes. If you wish to see a wild animal at a few feet from you without any safety net, these jungle treks are for you. It will allow you to appreciate and experience nature at a much deeper level.
Best season to visit:
Parambikulam tiger reserve is open all year round. If you can handle the heat, the best time to see wild animals would be the dry months between March and May. If you wish to see the forest in all its lush glory, the post monsoon months from November to February would be ideal. During the other months, you can see animals and birds, but it would depend on your luck. Monsoons happen to the season of mating, so may be, you will see the birds busier than usual and showing their best plumage.
How to reach there:
The nearest airport and large railway station would be Coimbatore. The nearest large bus station would be Pollachi. From Coimbatore, Parambikulam tiger reserve is about 120 kms away. Only four wheelers are allowed into the forest. It is best to hire your own vehicle to travel to Parambikulam as a lot of different places in Parambikulam are quite far away from each other. The route would be Coimbatore –> Pollachi –> Top Slip (Anaimalai Tiger Reserve) –> Parambikulam Tiger Reserve. If you have booked your accommodation at Parambikulam, you can show that booking voucher at the different forest entry gates.
How to make the bookings:
Bookings can be made easily by visiting the Parambikulam tiger reserve website. The bookings include your accommodation, food, safari, treks and entry fee. Anything additional will be charged. There are certain remote places in the tiger reserve where you might need to carry your food supplies with you. This will be informed to you at the time of booking.
Where to stay and eat:
The only places to stay inside Parambikulam tiger reserve are the properties managed by the forest department. These include the tented niche, Treetop hut at Thunakadavu, Honeycomb, Peruvari Island Nest,Veetikunnu Island Nest and Tented Roost. All these places will provide you with food, though some places might need you to carry the food rations as they are totally remote and do not have a functioning kitchen.
Other nearby tourist attractions:
1) Anaimalai Tiger Reserve: Of elephants, gaurs, tigers and hornbills
2) Puthuthotham Estate: The hidden gem of Anaimalai tiger reserve
3) Kannimara Teak: The oldest teak tree in Parambikulam Tiger Reserve
4) The best place to see the rare Lion Tailed Macaque in the wild
5) Monkey Aliyar Falls, Aliyar Dam, Sholayar Dam and other vast water bodies
6) Pristine Vazhachal Rainforest highway: A special road trip hot spot
7) Valparai to Athirapally: One of the top tropical motorcycle routes in India
8) Poringalkuthu Reservoir: Nestled in the tropical rainforests of Vazhachal, Kerala
9) Athirapally Falls: The Niagara of Kerala
10) Valparai: The unsung hill station of India
11) Nallamudi Poonjolai: Velu saw god here
12) Udumalpet to Munnar Forest highway: Perfect route for your Neelakurinji holiday
13) Chinnar wildlife sanctuary: An offbeat wildlife heaven
14) The tea estates of Valparai and around
15) Eravikulam National Park: The Nilgiri Tahr lives here
