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Visit
Trivandrum
- Kalakkad - Periyarkulam - Koondakulam - Periyar National
Park - Munnar - Thattekad - Kochi
08 nights & 09 days
(October to
April)
Day 01
 Trivandrum-Kalakkad
Arrive Trivandrum also
called Thiruvanthapuram and drive
to Kalakkad (3-hours). Arrive Mayuram Farm. This farm
house is set against the backdrop of the Kalakkad hills
and surrounded by savannah and deciduous forests. A
river cuts across the farm and the nearby village has
many water tanks and ponds, which attract birds in large
numbers. Short trip for birding near the tanks & bunds
in the local village. Overnight at Mayuram Farm.
Day 02
Kalakkad
National Park
Early morning drive to
Ariyakulam and Kundakulam. Stop over at Tirunnelveli for
breakfast followed by morning birding at Ariyakulam.
After lunch, proceed to Kundakulam (1 hour), a small
village of around 200-300 houses. Birds and people live
together at peace with one another. Water birds such as
painted stork, the globally threatened spotbill pelican,
night heron, little cormorant, little egret have been
making Kundakulam their breeding station. They arrive at
the village by October. Return by evening.
Day 03
Kalakkad-Periyar National Park
Early morning trip for
birding around the farm house and the open grasslands to
the changing eco tones of dry deciduous to evergreens.
Lunch at the riverside, evening depart Mayuram and
proceed to Periyar (3 hours). Check into Spice Village.
Day 04
Periyar
National Park
 Birding at Periyar National
Park. Thick forests and open grasslands dominate this
region and is home to over 360 species of birds. One can
expect wayanad laughing thrush, oriental darter,
wooly-necked stork, rufous-bellied eagle, grey
junglefowl, pompadour green pigeon, malabar parakeet,
great indian hornbill, vernal hanging parrot, grey
nightjar, malabar grey hornbill. Overnight at the Spice
Village.
Day 05
Periyar
National Park-Munnar
After breakfast depart for
Munnar, the hill station and tea town. Munnar is a
combination of rolling grasslands and shola forests
(high altitude montane forests). Weather is cool
throughout the year. Tall Trees Resort. Chances of
seeing 15 of the 16 endemics is very high at Munnar.
Afternoon birding at Rajamala (Eravikulam National Park)
and the sholas en-route. One can expect to see black
baza, painted bush quail, nilgiri woodpigeon, red-rumped
swallow, yellow-throated bulbul, black & orange
flycatcher, grey-breasted laughing thrush, nilgiri
pipit, white-bellied shortwing, white-rumped needletail.
Overnight at Tall Trees Resort.
Day 06
Munnar-Manavan Shola-Marayur
Early morning drive to
Manavan Shola (1 hour), a pristine shola and Asia’s
largest. Lunch at Manavan Shola. Return by evening to
Tall Trees. Overnight at Tall Trees.
Day 07
Munnar-Kochi
Morning birding at Munnar.
After lunch, depart for Kochi. Overnight at Bolghatty
Palace.
Day 08
Kochi-
Thattekad-Kochi
 Early morning drive to
Thattekad. (1½ hours) Thattekad is a lowland forest area
of approx 25 sq km and very rich in bird life and easy
to spot. One can expect broad-billed roller, chestnut
bittern, grey-headed fish eagle, orange-breasted green
pigeon, spot-bellied eagle owl, brown fish owl, mottled
wood owl, sri lankan frogmouth, greateared nightjar,
malabar trogon, malabar grey hornbill. In the evening
proceed to the watch-tower for night birding. Return in
time for dinner to Bolgatty Palace.
Day 09
Kochi-onward destination
Transfer to airport to
connect flight to onward destination. OR opt for an
extension to Kumarakom (back waters).
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