Ecotourism in Kerala: Read our review

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Overview of Ecotourism in Kerala

India is one of the world’s most exotic tourist destinations. From the snowy glacier to the hot desert, and the wide fields and forests, India has it all. Thanks to such diverse topography and ecotourism is a growing business in recent years. Kerala is one such state which has made a name in ecotourism recently. As a result, many tourists have started exploring ecotourism in Kerala.

  • The TOURISM VISION 2025, Kerala aims to increase earnings from tourism by 10 per cent by 2025.
  • The VISION also states that the tourism industry will create 10,000 jobs in the next 5 years. 

Why Ecotourism in Kerala?

With tourism growing a significant form of income, Kerala attracts a large number of tourists. They have established themselves as a tourism hot-stop in India in recent times. With plenty of scenic beauty and its dense flora and fauna, you must explore ecotourism in Kerala as well as ecotourism near and around Mumbai.

  • Kerala is down south and is rich in greenery.
  • This place also has some of the best backwater streams in the country.
  • The list of tourism attractions goes on and on when it comes to Kerala. It is because of such beauty and importance Kerala is also called God’s own country. 
  • With the world move towards an eco-friendly nature, even tourism jumped into the trend. Ecotourism is spreading like wildfire, and India has abundant landscapes to show its visitors.
  • Ecotourism in Kerala goes hand in hand; after all, it is God’s own country. 

You can explore Kerala as a couple or as a family holiday or as for your love for nature. Before you start packing your bags for this magical place, here are some destinations that you need to know.

Top places for Ecotourism in Kerala

Thenmala

Thenmala translates to Honey-hills. True to its name, this place has some of the sweetest herbs in the region. Thenmala is also one of the first ecotourism destinations in Indian. The place is of three segments cultural, relaxation, and adventure zone. On the cultural front, you can experience the traditional art, history, and music that this place has to offer. 

As you move forward, you get to experience the scenic beauty of the Western Ghats and the region surrounding those mountains. Located around 1650 meters above sea leave adds to the views you get in this place. Then comes the activity area where you can exhaust yourself with trekking, cycling, rock climbing, and other activities that the place has to offer. 

Location: Kollam district 

Peppara wildlife sanctuary

This is the place of your dreams if you are into flora and fauna. Spanning over 53 acres, it is one of the dense forest eco-system in the country. The forest is covered by tropical, semi-tropical, and to an extent, deciduous trees. It also has a wide variety of wildlife spread across the board. From insects to birds and even fish, this place has it all. 

All this combined makes it the place to be for bird watching and butterfly watching. On the activity front, they have some of the best wildlife safaris in the country thanks to its abundant forests. You can also go camping and trekking in this area. What more? It also has a Dam that encloses a river that passes through this beautiful region. With so much to do, this is a tourist’s paradise. 

Location: Thiruvananthapuram district

Wayanad wildlife sanctuary 

If you are one of those people who want to be one with nature, then this is the place for you. Wayanad is one of the thickest and richest forests in all of India. It has an abundance of birds and wildlife. One can never get enough of what this place has to offer. The safari organised by the forest department of Wayanad is what this place is most famous for. You will be in love with this place if you are a bird lover. The dense tropical dry forest with its rich wildlife will etch to your heart for years. 

During your safari, you will halt near a watering hole where most animals come to aid their thirst, which makes it the best place to see some wildlife at it’s finest. The fun does not end there; you can also go camping in this forest with proper permissions and an authorized guide. If you are lucky enough, one can even encounter wild elephants and wild cats during their visit.

Location: Wayanad, Kalpetta 

Also, Read 

Top 10 tourist destinations for eco-tourism near and around Mumbai

Munnar

Munnar had established itself as a tourism venue right from the time when the British ruled India. Munnar has had so many rest houses and estates built over the years for the British to escape the heat during the hot summers of India. Since then, the place has had major evolutions and now stands as a trademark tourism spot in Kerala. Because of such improvements, Munnar has become one of the most sort-after ecotourism destinations not only in Kerala but for the whole of India. 

Munnar is 1600 M above sea level, which keeps the temperature here cool most of the time. Thanks to the dense forest in this area, the rainfall is also high for this region. All this makes one of the best honeymoon destinations for newly-weds. As this mountain range consists of three hills, it also makes it one of the best places for trekking and mountain biking. 

Location: Idukki district

Gavi

If it is on the list as one of the must-visit places in India for an eco-tourist, then it must be stunning. This place gained attraction in recent times and has become a hot-stop for ecotourism in Kerala. The forest department and the government took immense care in shaping this place to what it is today. If unaltered nature is your thing, then this is the place to be. You can enjoy the accommodation and the hospitality of the place as everything is an initiative to elevate the local community. 

For all the adventure tourists who go there, they have you covered too. You can indulge yourself in a trek through the thick forests, go rafting in the rivers, camp out in the wild under the stars, and even go for a night safari with an authorized guide. If you want to accommodate a treehouse during your visit, you can do that too. Overall this is a place where no one will get disappointed.

Location: Pathanamthitta district

Nelliyampathy

People call Nelliyampathy as poor man’s Ooty. Ooty is known as the queen of hill stations in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. So this makes Nelliyampathy Kerala’s version of the infamous Ooty. The most exciting part of visiting this place is the ride you take to reach the place. It has some of the sharpest hairpin bends in the region. As you incline up to the top, you will experience one of a kind ride with all those twists and turns. The best part is the view you get to experience as you move up the mountain. 

The lush green forest fills the mountains, combine that with one crazy ride you get the story for years to come. It is best to visit this stunning place during the monsoon to enjoy the complete beauty of Nelliyampathy. The journey to the top is full of waterfalls; normally, they would be small creeks, but it is during the monsoon that it makes the water run crazy down the mountains. Once you reach the top get ready for some of the best views, you have had in your life. 

Location: Palakkad district

Chellarkovil

Have you ever thought of abandoning the busy streets of your city and escape to a place of complete peace and calmness? This is the place you are searching for. For comparison, Chellarkovil is very near to one of the busiest ecotourism destinations in Kerala, Thekkady. Despite that, Chellarkovil is untouched by every growing past. It is more like a relic to remind us how beautiful the Earth is. 

Even the roads to this place are not so huge, and you might have a tough time finding this place. Through your journey, you can find only a few residences who are happy with the little they have as they are content with the beauty of this place. This enchanting beauty makes it one of the best honeymoon places in Kerala, as you will have no outside disturbance. Not just for couples, an eco-tourist who wants to have some alone time and rejuvenate themselves for this fast-moving world can get their peace in this land. 

Location: Idukki district

Some more places for ecotourism in Kerala worth visiting

  • Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary: This is a place to be if you love birds and spend most of your time bird watching.
  •  Abhayaranyam ecotourism: This place is a renounced rehabilitation centre for wildlife. It is a paradise for birds, insects, and other small creature lovers. 
  • Chembra Peak: The famous heart-shaped lake that you see in most tourism page is from here. The peak is a three-hour trek, and the view from the top is breathtaking. You get a bonus as the lake on your way to the top. 
  • Ponmudi Hills: This is a place for short trips. The place is very close to the major city so you can enjoy the beauty of this place even if you are short of time.
  • Neyyar: For all the big cat enthusiasts. This place is home to some of the big cats like the lion and leopard. It also houses some unique wildlife within it. So a safari through this place becomes a must-do. 
  • Kottur: Elephants are a huge part of the culture and nature of Kerala. Your visit to Kerala can never get completed without you seeing an elephant. And one of the best places to see them is in Kottur. 

Our opinion on Ecotourism in Kerala

Kerala is on a league of its own when it comes to nature. These are just some of the few places that you can visit in the vast lands of Kerala. These places are the ones for ecotourism in Kerala. Kerala is doing good work in this direction. As you dig more and more, you are sure to find even more reserved and beautiful places that you can see nowhere on planet Earth. Besides, Kerala is “God’s Own Country” for a reason. 

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