Kerala is increasingly gaining momentum as a popular tourist destination all over the world. Showered with an eternal sunshine, Kerala - God's own country is all nature lovers' paradise. The lush tropical evergreen rain forests still largely miraculously unspoiled in Kerala, support a rich array of land, marine and avian wildlife. The Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary on the Western Ghats makes an excellent holiday for wildlife enthusiasts.
Wildlife at Chinnar
The endangered Giant Grizzled Squirrel hails from these forests. Apart from that tigers, elephants, gaur, deer, sambar, are the other vertebrates that can be spotted. Among reptiles, watch out for Spectacled cobra, krait, viper. The black eagle, little cormorants and darters dot the skyline at Chinnar.
Vegetation at Chinnar
The vegetation at Chinnar consists of dry deciduous forests, thorny scrub forests, high sholas and wet grasslands.
Tourist Attractions in Chinnar
Following are some of the famous tourist attractions in Chinnar, which you can explore while on a Chinnar Tour -
- Flora: The habitat types in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary range from high altitude shoal-grassland and deciduous forests to dry thorny scrubs. It is a recognized repository of medicinal plants. All the vegetation is interspersed with plains, hillocks, rocks and cliffs which provide microhabitats for varied forms of life. You will find a variety of flora belonging to the Xerophytic species like Acacia arabica (Karivelam), Acacia leucofolia (Velvelam) and Santalum album (Chandanam) at the sanctuary.
- Fauna: Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is home to reptilian fauna that is the richest in Kerala in terms of the variety of species. Besides critically endangered species like Albizia lathamii, the sanctuary has a healthy population of Grizzled Giant Squirrel, the famed white bison of Manjampatti, and 225 species of birds.
Best Time to Visit Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary:
- December-April
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary Timings:
- 06:00 AM – 06:00 PM (Open on all days)
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary Entry fee:
- INR 10 (Indians)
- INR 5 (for children below 12 years and for bonafied students on tour)
- INR 100 (Foreigners)
- INR 150 (Video camera)
- INR 25 (Camera)
How to Reach Chinnar
You can come on a Chinnar Tour, using the following means of transport -
- By air: The nearest airport is the Cochin International Airport (208 km).
- By rail: The closest railhead is situated at Ernakulam (188 km).
- By road: Well-connected by a vast network of roads, Chinnar provides bus service to the major towns of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
If you are about to travel to Chinnar in the near future, Indian Holiday can help you plan your trip. For a Chinnar Tour, just get in touch with us for the tour booking, tour packages and more travel information. Moreover, we offer prices that are among the best you can come across during your travel to India.
Climate
Owing to its position on the rain shadow slope of the Western Ghats, Chinnar gets about 48 days of rain during the Northeast monsoon in October November.
