Introduction

Peppara is about 50 kilometers (31.25 miles) on the north east of Trivandrum city en route to Ponmudi hill station in South Kerala. The sanctuary is spread across 53 sq. kilometers of dense forest and eucalyptus plantation on the Western Ghats. The Peppara Dam built on the serene Karamana River adds to the scenic ambience of the sanctuary. Its rocky terrain dissected in places by crystal-clear streams makes it very popular with trekkers. The park is merged partially with the Palode reserve (24 sq. kilometers), and the Kottoor reserve (29 sq. kilometers) – all the three reserves together form the whole of the area covered by the Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary.

Wildlife commonly spotted at the park comprise tiger, panther, leopard, wild dog, lion tailed macaque, elephant, gaur, sambhar, barking deer, mouse deer, wild boar, Nilgiri langur, and Malabar squirrel among others. An ornithologist’s paradise, bird watchers can look out for an array of water birds such as darter, little cormorant, pied kingfisher and egrets. The region is known for its snake species especially king cobra and python that are prevalent here. Moths and butterflies too come in a fascinating variety at Peppara. Outside of wildlife, the sanctuary is also the home of 13 tribal settlements.

The sanctuary comprises three major forest belts; southern hilltop tropical evergreen forests are found at an elevation of 1000 meters, west coast semi-evergreen forests is spread out on the hills with an elevation of 150 to 1050 meters; southern moist mixed deciduous forests cover over 60 percent of the area down to the lower slopes of the hills.

Kerala Tourism, State Forest Department and the Kerala Water Authority have taken a joint step to beautify the dam site and provide more entertainment/leisure facilities to visitors.

Special Attributes

The wildlife sanctuary is home to the Peppara Dam built on the serene Karamana River, adding to its scenic ambience.

Nuisance

The site is peaceful, and free of irritants.

Dressing restrictions

Dress up in light cottons as it can get humid inside the forest. Avoid wearing bright colored clothes as they alarm most wild animals. And don’t forget to put on your trekking shoes.

Connectivity

Private taxi

Enjoyed by

Backpackers, especially nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts

Exposure

You will be inside a dense jungle, hence not direct exposure to sunshine. You are, however, advised to carry along your sunshades, sunscreen lotion and a bottle of drinking water.

Avoidable Season

August, September, October, November, December, January, February

Facilities

Basic, plan accordingly

Things Not Allowed

No such restriction

Tip

Morning is the best time to explore the sanctuary and enjoy a picnic at the dam site by Karamana River.

Type of site

Wildlife sanctuary