About Periyar Rainforest
The Periyar Rainforest surrounding Kerala's iconic lake is one of the subcontinent's most visited and well-managed wildlife habitats, built around the Periyar Lake created by a British dam in 1895. The forest transitions from tropical wet evergreen on the western slopes to moist semi-evergreen and shola-grassland at higher elevations, creating an extraordinary diversity of plant communities within a single protected area. Periyar's community-based ecotourism programme, run by former poachers turned wildlife guides, has become a global model for conservation that works with local people.
Key wildlife & flora
Asian Elephant 🐘
Bengal Tiger 🐯
Gaur 🐂
Nilgiri Langur 🐒
Smooth-coated Otter 🦦
Best time to visit