Periyar is a forested highland destination in Kerala’s Idukki district, centered on the Periyar Tiger Reserve and the town of Thekkady. Set within the Western Ghats, the region combines wooded hills, evergreen forests, grasslands, streams, and the large Periyar Lake. The tiger reserve covers about 925 square kilometres and supports an extensive range of wildlife. Its landscape is particularly associated with Asian elephants, Bengal tigers, gaur, sambar deer, wild dogs, and rich birdlife. The surrounding hills also contain plantations of cardamom, pepper, tea, coffee, and other spices.

Periyar has a strong connection with the Indigenous communities living around the reserve, including Mannan, Paliyan, Urali, Ulladan, Malapandaram, and Mala Arayan communities. Their traditional knowledge and relationship with the forest form an important part of the region’s cultural identity. Community participation is also incorporated into conservation and tourism programs around the reserve. Thekkady’s plantation culture adds another layer to the local character, with spice cultivation influencing agriculture, livelihoods, and the sensory experience of the surrounding countryside. Traditional forest knowledge remains particularly relevant to guided ecotourism activities.

Periyar Lake is the focal point for wildlife viewing, with boat trips offering views across wooded shores where elephants, sambar deer, gaur, and waterbirds may be seen. The reserve also provides guided trekking, bamboo rafting, nature walks, border hiking, and other regulated ecotourism programs. Its forests support at least 66 mammal species, 330 bird species, 68 reptiles, 64 amphibians, 45 fish species, and hundreds of butterfly species. The Periyar landscape forms part of the Western Ghats World Heritage region, recognized for its exceptional biodiversity and high number of endemic species.

Periyar’s location in Kerala’s spice-growing highlands is reflected in its food traditions. Dishes served around Thekkady commonly draw on Kerala cooking, with coconut, black pepper, cardamom, ginger, and other locally cultivated spices used extensively. Rice-based meals, appam, vegetable curries, and preparations featuring fish or meat are widely associated with the regional cuisine. A distinctive feature of Periyar is the close relationship between conservation and community-based tourism. Local people participate in programs such as guided walks, bamboo rafting, and forest protection, helping visitors experience the reserve while supporting livelihoods connected with conservation.