Eravikulam National Park

Eravikulam National Park

It is an ideal place for seeing the biodiversity of high elevation shola-grassland ecosystem. Visitors are taken to Rajamalai in forest dept vehicles and given an opportunity to see all this. Private vehicles are not allowed here. The National Park is usually closed at the time of calving of Nilgiri Tahr which is usually during the early months of every year. Location: 15 km from Munnar. Visiting hours: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. A sanctuary for the endangered mountain goat of South India, the Nilgiri Tahr (Hemitragus hylocrious), the Eravikulam National Park stands out for the stark beauty of its rolling grasslands and sholas, spread over 97 sq km in the Kannan devan hills. Anamudi, the highest peak (2695 m) south of Himalayas, stands majestically in the core area of the national park. The slopes of the hills abound in many kinds of rare flora which include rare terrestrial and epiphytic orchids, and beautiful wild balsams. Important fauna here are the Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Langur, leopard, tiger, Indian bison, etc. Rajamalai is the tourism zone of the National Park, where the visitors are taken in forest dept vehicles and introduced to the shola - grassland eco system unique to this region. There is a very informative interpretation centre at Rajamalai. A protected area, the sanctuary is divided into three regions - the core area, the buffer area and the tourism area. Visitors are allowed only to the tourism area - Rajamalai - the region lying beyond the road entry into Eravikulam. Here one can observe the Nilgiri Tahr at close quarters. Don't make this your destination during the early months of the year, the park may be closed for visitors because it is calving time of the Tahr. Getting there: Eravikulam is 15 km from Munnar. Nearest railway station: Kottayam, about 142 km from Munnar; Ernakulam, about 130 km from Munnar. Nearest airport: Madurai (Tamilnadu) about 142 km; Cochin International Airport, about 150 km.