Set high in the ranges of the Western Ghats, in God's own Country, kerela, is the Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve, one of the most captivating wildlife parks in the world. Periyar is a national park as well as a protected tiger reserve, whose total area is about 778 km sq (core zone 350 km sq).
The terrain ranges from hilly to flat grassland areas at the edges of the man made lake which is a major tourist attraction. The lake which is at the heart of the park was formed with the building of a dam in 1895. It provides a permanent source of water for the local wildlife. Though the Periyar National Park is a tiger reserve, tourists do come here with a desire to see the Indian elephants in a playful mood by the Periyar lake. The Periyar National Park is also called by the name 'thekkady'. The best season to visit the Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is from the months of October and June.
