Parambikulam tiger reserve is a tiger reserve in Nelliampathy – Anamalai region on the Western Ghats in Palakkad district, Kerala state, India.
View of Parambikulam Reservoir from the tree-top house
Parambikulam Tiger Reserve was earlier known as Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary. It’s a Tiger reserve under Project Tiger, a project to save the Bengali Tiger, the national animal of India. Apart from the Tigers, the beats of this jungle include Wild Boar, Sambar, Gaur, Panthers, etc. There are a large number of Elephants in these reserved forests.
Parambikulam Tiger Reserve is spread over an area of 643.66 Square kilometers. This Wildlife sanctuary is rich in peninsular flora and fauna. They are well-conserved, as there is minimal human interference.
Parambikulam Tiger Reserve is situated close to Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. Parambikulam is one of the few sanctuaries allowing trekking within the park. You need to get prior permission from the forest department office at Anappadi.
Parambikulam Dam, the number one embankment dam in India in terms of volume and one among the top 10 such dams in the world, is situated within the Tiger Reserve. Thunakadavu Dam and Peruvaripallam Dam are two other dams within this Tiger reserve.
Entry Procedure to Parambikulam Tiger Reserve
Anamalai Tiger Reserve Entry
Note: All charges or rates mentioned anywhere on this website are subject to change. Please confirm the rates or charges at your end.
There are multiple entry fees to be paid. The first entry fee will be paid at the Anamalalai Tiger Reserve entry gate at Anappadi, maintained by the Tamilnadu Forest Department. Annamalai Tiger Reserve was previously known as Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park. It is spread over Coimbatore and Tiruppur Districts of Tamilnadu state.
Entry is allowed between 7 am and 4 pm. It is advisable to go at 7 a.m. to view wild animals at close range. The entry fee is Rs 30 per person for adults and Rs 15 per child (below 12 years). Camera charges are Rs 50 per camera. Mobile phones with cameras can be taken without any payment. The vehicle entry fee is also to be paid.
You need to travel around eight kilometers from this entry gate to reach the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve entry gate. You cannot leave your vehicle during this journey through the forest.
Parambikulam Tiger Reserve Entry and Kerala Forest Department Tour
The second entry fee must be paid at the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve entry gate at Thunakadavu, maintained by the Kerala Forest Department. The fee is the same as that is mentioned in the last paragraph. You need to travel around two kilometers from the second entry gate to reach the parking lot.
Both Kerala and Tamilnadu state forest departments have offices near the entry gate.
There are minibusses to take tourists inside the Parambikulam tiger reserve at the parking lot as part of a conducted group tour. Charges are Rs 200 per person. These buses will take you to different viewpoints and dams inside the tiger reserve.
You can also go for Bambo rafting as part of this conducted tour. Tribal people are involved in the tour program as oarsmen for the bamboo boats and trekking guides. Bamboo rafting charges are Rs 100 per person in 2023.
The Safari ride takes around 3.5 hours. It covers the Kannimara teak forests, Thunakadavu Dam, Peruvarippalam Dam, etc. Local tribal people are employed as guides for the safari tour. It covers a distance of approximately 50 kilometers.
Tamilnadu Forest Department Tour or Trekking Inside Anamalalai Tiger Reserve
Tamilnadu State Forest Department also conducts tours inside the Anamalalai Tiger Reserve in Tamilnadu state. You may opt for that package tour instead of the Kerala forest department-conducted tour of the Parambikulam Tiger reserve mentioned above. The Tamilnadu Forest Department office near the second entry gate has the fee counter for this package tour.
Guest Houses and Tree Top Houses
Night stays at the Forest department’s tent, Travellers Bungalow, tree huts, etc., can be booked online.
Many tents are also available near the parking area inside the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, costing 3,000 to 6,000 rupees. Two people can stay in each tent. It needs to be booked in advance during weekends and holidays. If tents are available, anybody can book them then and there. Check-in time is noon. Check-out time is 10:30 a.m. the next day.
There is a forest guest house inside one of the islands. It costs Rs 9000 or so. Five people can stay for this amount. You will be taken to the islands in a bamboo boat.
The treehouses inside the tiger reserve allow a great view of the wildlife from vantage points. There are watchtowers at Anappadi and Zungam, inside the Tiger Reserve.
There are also air-conditioned rooms available inside the tiger reserve.
To book any of the accommodations mentioned above, you can do so by clicking the Tourism -> Jungle Camps option on the online website of Parambikulam Tiger Reserve. Contact numbers are +91-9442201691 and +91-9442201690. The contact Email address is parambikulamsanctuary@gmail.com.
How Do I Go to Parambikulam Tiger Reserve?
Parambikulam Tiger Reserve is around 95 kilometers distance from Coimbatore.
Pollachi is the nearest town to the tiger reserve.
Those coming from southern Kerala can go to Pollachi via Vazhachal. An entry permit is to be taken from the Vazhachal forest range office.
Those coming from north Kerala can go to Coimbatore and then to Pollachi. Alternatively, they can go directly to Pollachi, avoiding Coimbatore town.
The entry point to Sanctuary is situated at Anappadi. The headquarters of the Sanctuary is located at Thunakadavu, around eight kilometers from Anappadi. Contact numbers are +91-9442201690 and +91-9442201691, and the email ID is parambikulamsanctuary@gmail.com.
The nearest railway station is at Pollachi, though it is small and not on the mainline. The closest major railway stations on the mainline are Palakkad and Coimbatore. Coimbatore is a major railway station well-connected to the rest of India.
The nearest airport is the Coimbatore International Airport at Peelamedu, which is around 13 kilometers from the city center.
