Tour	Description
KB/01: 03 days Thattekad-Kumarakom Birding Tour	03 days birding at Thattekad, Kerala' leading birding destination & Kumarakom near the backwaters. This is for birders pressed for time.
KB/02: 03 Days Arippa - Kalakkad - Koondakulam - Ariyakulam South Kerala Birding	A short short trip to known high bird density areas of Arippa, Kalakkad, Koondakulam and Ariyakulam. This one will amaze you !
KB/03:  05 days Thattekad, Munnar, Chinnar & Parambikulam Birding Tour	A five-day medium birding tour which takes you through to Parambikulam, one of the finest wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala and adjacent to the Anamalai National Park.
KB/04: 08 Days Thattekad, Munnar, Chinnar, Periyar & Kumarakom -  Central Kerala Birding Tour	A swing through the landscaped centre of Travencore in Central Kerala covering the picturesque places of Thattekad, Munnar , Periyar and Kumarakom.
KB/05: 12 Days Grand Kerala Birding Tour Arippa- Kalkkad-Periyar-Munnar-Thattekad-Kumarakom.	The complete birding trip to Kerala ensures a thorough birding of Kerala 's wonderful avifauna. It is easy to sight more than 250 species in this time frame.

KB/01: 03 days  Thattekad-Kumarakom Birding Tour
Featuring House boat cruises in the Kumarakom Lagoon

Day 01: Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Thattekad
Arrive Kochi. Meet and assist on arrival.  Transfer to Estate Bungalow at Kothamanagalam 40 Kms away by road.  Welcome drink on arrival followed by lunch. In the afternoon proceed for birding with your birding guide. Should see the  Chestnut bittern, Black bittern, Greyheaded fishing eagle, Western marsh harrier, Red spurfowl, Red spurfowl, Orange breasted green pigeon, Oriental scops owl, Brown fish owl, Brown wood owl, Ceylon frogmouth, Great eared nightjar, Malabar trogon, Broadbilled roller, Malabar grey hornbill, Ocyceros griseus, Crimson breasted barbet, Rufous woodpecker, Scarlet minivet,  Whiterumped shama, Orange headed ground thrush, Asian fairy bluebird, Rubythroated bulbul, Whitebrowed bulbul, Little spiderhunter and the  Purple sunbird.

Thattekad is undoubtedly one of the most productive destinations for the birder. Bill Simpson the noted birder says in OBC journal "I would suggest birdwatchers include this site on a tour, if only for the owls....". Over 270 species have been identified from this 25 sq kms preserve. Mottled Wood Owl Spot-bellied Eagle Owl  Malayan Night Heron Sri Lanka Frogmouth Rusty-tailed Flycatcher Grey-headed Bulbul Nilgiri Wood Pigeon are some of eth rarer species found here.

Day 02:  Kumarakom
Drive to Kumarakom to embark a  House Boat - a converted traditional rice barge  with all modern amenities. Commence cruise through the backwaters. You are  likely to see myriads of water  birds like Whitebreasted Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Small blue Kingfisher, Little cormorant, Whitebreasted water hen, Black bittern, Chestnut bitten, Little egret, Cattle egret and  Median egrets. You may also see Great Cormorants, Open billed storks, Grey Herons, Yellow Bitterns, White Ibis, Cotton Teal, Pheasant tailed Jacanas, Koras, Blackcaped Kingfishers, Ruddy Crakes, Gull Billed Terns and  Shikras. In the evening step off at Kumarakom for a visit to the Kumarakom  bird sanctuary. After a  candle light dinner on the boat, spend the night on board.                                                      

Day 03: Kochi
Depart for Kochi ( 70 kms ) after breakfast.  TOUR ENDS.

KB/02:  03 Days South Kerala Birding Tour

Day 01: Kovalam
Arrive Trivandrum. Meet and assist on arrival. Drive to Arippa (70 kms), a small evergreen forest, rich in bird life. Birding. If time permits, a short visit to a Kani tribal hamlet. Proceed to Mayuram Farmstead near Kalakkad National Park. Arrive by evening. at Thenkasi Arrive by nightfall. 

Day 02 & 03: Kalakkad
The lodge is in the shadow of the Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.  There is a very good population of bird life in and around the estate. Morning birding around the grassland-shrub forest.  Evening visit to a local jheels (pond) for birding especially migratory species. Should see Rose Ringed Parakeet, Blossom Headed Parakeet, Peafowls, Purple Sunbird, Small Blue Kingfisher, Common Bee Eater, Black Ibis, Median Egret, Darters, Black Winged Kite, Pheasant Tailed Jacana, Common Hoopoe, White Breasted Kingfisher, Dabchick, Garganey, River Tern, Bronze Winged Jacana, White Ibis. There is also an option of going across to the Kalakkad Reserve itself during the day.

Day 04:
After breakfast depart for Trivandrum.  TOUR ENDS

KB/03:  05 days Thattekad, Munnar, Chinnar & Parambikulam Birding Tour

Featuring trekking, jeep safaris and watch towers

Day 01:
Arrive Kochi. Meet and assist on arrival.  Drive to Estate Bungalow near Thattekad 50 Kms  by road.  Welcome drink on arrival. After lunch proceed for birding with birding guide. Return by nightfall.   

Day 02:
Early morning trip to Thattekad for birding. Return for late lunch. Overnight atop observation tower for night birding. 

Day 03:
Depart for Munnar early morning. The drive will take approximately 2 hours and passes through some dense low altitude forests of Neriyamanagalam where reed is extracted for manufacture of traditional household items like baskets and mats. Approximately 1,00,000 people here depend on this minor forest produce for their survival. The adjoining forests of Edamalayar and Pooyamkutty are environmentally fragile and form the ground zero of an ongoing environmental issue of construction of a mega dam. The drive also passes through rubber estates, pepper estates, cardamom estates and finally tea – all this as the altitude goes up gradually to 5000 feet msl (1600 m). Transfer to Forest Resort near Munnar. The resort is in the midst of a  cardamom forest. The programme at Munnar consists of birding  in the sholas here. The shola (high altitude montane forests) – grassland eco-system is fragile and all rivers in Kerala originate from these types of shola-grassland  eco-systems.  

Munnar & surrounding areas of Eravikulam National Park, Kallar, Chinnar & Manavan Shola (Asia's biggest shola) are all excellent places for birding. You should sight the Blackwinged kite, Indian moorhen, Crested serpent eagle, Peregrine falcon, Kestrel, Painted bush quail, Nilgiri woodpigeon,  Little scalybelied woodpecker, Redrumped swallow, Rufousbacked shrike, Greyheaded myna, Rosy pastor, Yellowbrowed bulbul, Black bulbul, Kerala whitebreasted laughing thrush, Black & orange flycatcher, Nilgiri flycatcher, Malabar whistling thrush, Nilgiri white eye, Eurasian blackbird. Munnar is also a ea town and the drive through these tea gardens is an experience never to be forgotten. The sholas were never disturbed while tea was originally planted here and these now provide excellent refuge for avifauna of this range.

Day 04:
Early morning birding to Chinnar (2 hours drive). A small trek inside will take one to a dry deciduous forest which are also home to a good number of elephants, gaur and Grizzled Giant squirrel. Atop the watch tower it is possible to observe wildlife. The areas around the forest rest house and the river banks here are all ideal for birding. By afternoon after lunch, proceed to Parambikulam. On arrival  check into forest lodge / tree house for the night. Evening proceed for birding. Should see the Darter, Little Cormorant, Black eagle, Lesser adjutant stork, Black capped kingfisher, Great Indian hornbill, Broad billed roller, Black woodpecker.

Parambikulam sanctuary is adjacent to Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary  in Tamil Nadu. The altitude ranges between approximately 450m and 1,440m. The highest peak, Karimalagopuram (1,440m) lies on the ridge  separating Parambikulam from Sholayar Range. Conditions are predominantly influenced by the south-west monsoon. Weather conditions are more stable in the valleys. However, the higher slopes become fairly cool during the monsoons. The milder north-east monsoon is received in October-November. The vegetation  includes patches of evergreen and semi-evergreen forest , occurring mainly in valleys and the wetter western and southern regions; secondary moist deciduous forest which is more widely distributed; and grasslands and marshes. The western and southern areas once had extensive evergreen forest cover; similarly, the original moist deciduous vegetation in eastern parts has been almost entirely replaced by teak plantations. Bamboo stands and reeds  occur in the natural forests. The best natural teak Tectona grandis in Kerala was once found in this region but is now rare due to over-exploitation. The fauna here consists of the tiger, leopard , sloth bear  and wild dog ,  lion-tailed macaque, bonnet macaque, Nilgiri langur , and common langur.  The teak plantations constitute an ideal habitat for gaur and the largest population in any protected area in Kerala is found here . Other mammal species include Indian elephant, spotted deer, sambar, Indian muntjac, Indian spotted chevrotain, wild boar, smooth-coated otter, small Indian civet, common palm civet, Indian giant squirrel, Indian porcupine, jungle cat , yellow-throated marten , Indian pangolin and ruddy mongoose.There are over 174 bird species  which include the great Indian hornbill, and Ceylon frogmouth

Day 05:
Early morning proceed for birding with packed breakfast.  Return for late lunch. Depart for Coimbatore / Kochi by evening. TOUR ENDS.

KB/04: 08 Days Central Kerala Birding Tour

Featuring the hill station Munnar, the world famed Periyar Tiger Reserve.

Embark on an 8-day birding trip to the central highlands of Kerala. The trip will take one through the lowland forests of Thattekad described by Dr Salim Ali as one of the finest in India for birding; then onto Munnar, the tea town established by the British over hundred and fifty years ago. Munnar’s sholas (high altitude montane forests) are home to a large number of avifauna, some of them endemic to the Nilgiris. The last stretch of the tour will be spent in a dense evergreen forests adjacent to the famous Periyar Tiger Reserve at Gavi where over 250 species of birds have been identified. 

The trip will also be an insight into the lives of the people, its cultural ethos and historical highlights by visiting historically important areas, visit to tribal villages and all the while enjoying the excellent culinary feats of the Keralan menu.   

Day 01: Thattekad
Arrive Kochi. Meet and assist on arrival.  Transfer to Estate Bungalow at Kothamanagalam 40 Kms away by road. The Estate lodge is set amidst a rubber estate. Welcome drink on arrival followed by lunch. Evening prceed for at Thttekad.

Day 02: Thattekad
Early morning trip to Thattekad for birding. By mid morning proceed to Muniyaras (where menhirs are heaped around megalithic  burial sites. The word menhir is likely to have some connection with the word Muniyara). Return for late lunch. After afternoon rest, proceed for night birding.   

Day 03: Munnar
Early morning visits to plantation for observing rubber tapping and processing. After breakfast proceed to Munnar. The drive will take approximately 2 hours and passes through some dense low altitude forests of Neriyamanagalam where reed is extracted for manufacture of traditional household items like baskets and mats. Approximately 1,00,000 people here depend on this minor forest produce for their survival. The adjoining forests of Edamalayar and Pooyamkutty are environmentally fragile and form the ground zero of an ongoing environmental issue of construction of a mega dam. The drive also passes through rubber estates, pepper estates, cardamom estates and finally tea – all this as the altitude goes up gradually to 5000 feet msl (1600 m). Transfer to Forest Resort near Munnar. The resort is in a cardamom forest and is home to large numbers of bird species like the  

The programme at Munnar consists of birding  in the sholas here. The shola (high altitude montane forests) – grassland eco-system is fragile due to population pressure and is threatened. Recent steps however are being taken to protect this since all rivers in Kerala originate from these types of shola-grassland  eco-systems.   

Day 04: Chinnar
Early morning birding to Chinnar (2 hours drive). A small trek inside will take one to a dry deciduous forest which are also home to a good number of elephants, gaur and Grizzled Giant squirrel. Breakfast en-route. On return stop at Marayur and trek to a tribal settlement (Optional). The mudhuvans are one of the tough mountain people living along the upper reaches of mountains here. The settlements called kudis are made with grass, mud & bamboo. Also visit the waterfall at Lakkam (Optional) – a good spot for birding and butterflies. Picnic lunch near waterfall. Return to resort in the evening.  

Day 05: Periyar
After breakfast, proceed to Gavi near the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Gavi is contiguous to the Periyar Tiger Reserve and Goodrickal Reserve . This place is located  in the middle of the evergreen forest and is accessible only along a dirt road. Chances of wildlife encounter are bright and include elephants, gaur, Lion Tailed Macaques  and sambar, apart from wild dogs and the occasional tiger. This place is also a veritable treasure trove of birds (over 260 species). On arrival, lunch at the forest lodge. After a brief rest, proceed to sunset point where one can see the famous temple of Ayyappa down in the valley.

Periyar is well  located as a centre for seeing most of these ornithological specialties of the Western Ghats, as well as large numbers of other resident hill species and migrants. Its attraction for birdwatchers is enhanced by the proximity of low lying plains on three sides. There is considerable local migration, often in the drier weather, of  lowland species up into the foothills,  and several  interesting examples of ecological counterparts in pairs of wet zone and dry zone species can be found,  e.g.  the Barbets.  This is particularly noticeable at  Thekkady,  conveniently sited near the top of a steep 450m/1500ft ghat above the dry Tamil Nadu plain. In deciduous forest around Thekkady the commonest species in mixed foraging flocks are, in descending order Racket-tailed Drongo, Scarlet Minivet, Velvetfronted Nuthatch, Bronzed Drongo, Grey Tit, Goldenback Woodpeckers, Whitebellied Tree Pie, Jungle Babbler, Indian Rufous Tree Pie, Yellowbrowed Bulbul, Large Wood Shrike, Ashy Drongo, Small Minivet, Goldfronted Chloropsis, Small Green Barbet, Flowerpeckers. Other  common  members  include  Orioles,  Fairy  Bluebird,  Leaf  Warbler Flycatchers and Quaker Babbler. Very few species recorded in the sanctuary cannot at one time or another seen in the Tourist Zone, though it is necessary to climb to the grassy hilltops find some such as Brown Rock Pipit and Pied Bush Chat.  The sanctuary is also one of the finest for wildlife viewing.

Day 06: Periyar
This is a day of trek through the evergreen canopy to a place Meenar,. The trek is likely to take about 5 hours and end up at the camping spot where hot lunch will be served. The guides on this trek will be experienced local guides who occasionally work in the cardamom plantation nearby. In order to ensure safety during trekking, a look-out party as well as an experienced ‘elephant chaser’ with a hand held device known as the patanki will accompany, apart from the birding guide and other porters. Return to the forest lodge in the afternoon. In the evening visit the local settlement for the Sri Lankan Tamil expatriates who have been resettled here. Visit the cardamom factory and the local temple and school. Evening night safari to Kochu Pampa or Pachakanam on jeeps after dinner. 

Day 07: Kumarakom
Boat ride on the Gavi lake in the morning. Visit Paradise cove with its spectacular array of wild flowers and the water fall. Return to forest lodge for breakfast. Depart  for Kumarakom after breakfast. Embark houseboat in the afternoon. Step off at Kumarakom bird sanctuary in the evening. View sunset on the houseboat as the boat traverses the Kumarakom lagoon. Overnight on the houseboat. 

Day 08: Kochi
Arrive Alleppey by morning. After breakfast, depart for Kochi. TOUR ENDS.

KB/05: 12 Days Grand Kerala Birding Tour
A Swing through the length of Kerala

Day 01: Kovalam
In Kovalam at the hotel of your choice. In the evening meet with birding guide/ornithologist for overview of the programme.  

Day 02: Arippa
Early morning departure by road to Arippa (66 kms), a small evergreen forest patch, rich in bird diversity.  Breakfast during the birding session. Greater racket–tailed drongo, Bronzed Drongo, Asian paradise flycatcher, Asian fairy blue bird, Malabar trogon, Indian pitta, Heartspotted woodpecker, Great black woodpecker, Malabar Grey hornbill, Spotted babbler (endemic), Greyheaded flycatcher, Hill myna, Velvet fronted nuthatch, Scarlet minivet, Golden oriole, Black bulbul, Green imperial pigeon, Emerald dove, Crested serpent eagle. Also a short visit to a Kani tribal hamlet near Banaccord.  Meet the Kani people, an ancient mountain tribe of the southern Western Ghats. Proceed to Mayuram Farmstead near Thenkasi.

Kalakkad Along the border with Kerala to the South lies the Kalakakd-Mundanthrai National Park. This sanctuary is very popular with botanists and ornithologists as it has a great variety of fauna and bird life. Among the carnivores of this place are tiger, panther, jackal and wild dogs, while the reptile population includes the king-cobra, cobra, python and several other snakes. The Kalakad Sanctuary was declared a forest preserve for the rare lion-tailed macaque, which is easily spotted here. Kunthakulam, a renowned birding place  is close-by. It is a small, scenic village in a region of natural forest and ponds. During the season from January to April every year,  thousands of migratory birds flock here. Ariyakulam, another bird sanctuary is also nearby,  where a variety of birds congregate in large numbers from March to June for breeding. 

Day 03 & 04: Kalakkad
At Mayuram near Thenkasi. Birding in the morning near the grassland and shrub forests moving up to the tropical forests. Return for late breakfast. In the evening, birding around the local ponds for water birds of which this place is very rich. Camp fire in the evening.

Day 05 & 06: Gavi
Transfer to Gavi (240 kms). Check in to forest lodge. Gavi skirts Periyar Tiger Reserve and the Goodrickal Forest Range. Over 266 species of birds have been identified here. Trek through the rain forest and jheels (ponds) for birding. Green Mansions Forest Lodge is a well appointed  lodge on the side of the Gavi Lake. 

Day 07 : Munnar
After breakfast, drive to  Munnar (150 kms).  On arrival check in to resort.  Optional afternoon vsisit to Eravikulam National Park (home of the rare and endangered "Nilgiri Tahr") for birding. 

Day 08: Munnar /Chinnar
After breakfast, drive to Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary (45 kms). Opportunity to bird at the largest shola forest (high altitude montane forest) in Asia. Lunch at the sanctuary.  Return to Munnar. 

Day 09 & 10: Thattekad

After breakfast, drive to Thattakkad (85 kms).  On arrival check in at Lodge. Consisting of tropical evergreen forests, semi - evergreen lowland rainforests and tropical deciduous forests, Thattakad is the only 'recognised' bird sanctuary in the State.  Visit  to Edamalayar forests (Optional)  

Day 11: Kumarakom
After breakfast drive to Kottayam (50 kms). Board Houseboat.  Cruise through the backwaters. Visit Kumarakom bird sanctuary.  

Day 12: Kochi
After breakfast disembark from Houseboat at Alleppey. Drive to Cochin ( 60 kms). TOUR ENDS.

Tour Prices: On request

Regional Operator partners
Information given here has been solely contributed by our operator-partners Kalypso Adventures, who operate all the tours in this region.
 

 
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