Meenvallam waterfalls

Meenvallam waterfall is situated in Palakkad district. The water falls from a height of around 25 ft and the depth of the water is 20 ft. This waterfall has 10 steps and the 8 steps lies in dense forest. Each of these steps has a height that ranges from 5 to 40 m.It originating from the Thuppanadu River - a part of Western Ghats. This place is about 8 km from Thuppanad Junction on Palakkad-Mannarkkad route. Thuppanad Junction is connected by frequent buses from Palakkad. Private vehicles can be hired from here to the falls. About 2 Kms trekking is required to reach these falls which includes crossing Thuppanad River.

How To Reach
Near Bus Station Thuppanad bus station
Near Railway Station Palakkad railway station                                                        
Near Airport Coimbatore International Airport / Cochin International Airport

Dhoni waterfalls

Dhoni waterfall is located on top of Dhoni hills and is about 15 km from Palakkad town and the dense reserve forest surrounding the waterfalls magnifies the beauty of the region. It is an ideal place for trekkers as it requires 3 hours of trekking to reach the top of Dhoni hills. The trekking trail through the wild forest is extremely enchanting, and though the interior regions are rich with wildlife, the route to the waterfalls is safe to tread through. Water from here ultimately feeds Malampuzha Dam.

The ideal time to visit the waterfalls is soon after the monsoon as the surroundings are blessed with newly sprouted greenery and the streams are freshly replenished.

How to Reach

Nearest Airport: Coimbatore International Airport, about 78 km and Calicut (Kozhikode) International Airport ,about 101 km

Nearest Railway station : Palakkad, via Olavakkode – Dhoni Rd, about 12 km

Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary

A tropical evergreen forest, a stone's throw from the Pallakad gap in the southern Western Ghats, this part of Tamil Nadu is arguably its most biodiversity-rich. More popularly referred to as the Anamalais (elephant mountain), it has been officially christened the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. The Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala (like the Anamalais) is mountainous, wildlife-rich and fascinating almost beyond description. Famous for its three reservoirs – Peruvaripallam (2.89 sq. km.), Thunakadavu (4.33 sq. km.) and Parambikulam (21.22 sq. km.), the forests epitomise the counsel of naturalists that "protecting forests protects water sources." A visit to the Anamalais-Parambikulam rainforest, populated by elephants, tigers and a wide variety of bird species, is an exhilarating and unique experience. These forests are some of the most biodiversity-rich in India. Top Slip, a popular destination, is a birdwatcher's paradise. Karian Shola is a highly recommended tourist destination which begins at Top Slip and moves through the semi-evergreen forest to a mountain top where one has a 360 degree view of the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary. Another place to visit in the Anamalais is the Akamalai Shola (near Valparai) which is a good place to look for shola birds. The dense hilly terrain of the Anamalais has a high density of herbivores and a low density of carnivores. The Nature Information Centre and the Annapady area are definitely worth a visit. Karimala Gopuram is the tallest peak (1,438 m.) in the sanctuary. The mountainous terrain of Parambikulam harbours over 2,000 species of plants.

Parambikulam’s animal species include many of India’s most prominent mammals: tigers, leopards, wild dogs, sloth bears, elephants, wild boar, barking deer, spotted deer, langurs and macaques. Parambikulam is also home to Kerala’s largest population of gaur. Besides these, civet, chevrotain, pangolin, crocodile, jungle cat, porcupine and some 140 species of birds are found in the sanctuary. Although the larger cats are few and far between, gaur, monkeys and deer are fairly common in the sanctuary.

Entry into the sanctuary is allowed from 7:00am till 6:00pm in the evening and no vehicles can leave the park after 6:30pm.

How to Reach:

Nearest Railway Station : Coimbatore and Palakkad (107 km.)

Nearest Airport : Cochin International Airport and Coimbatore airport

The Silent Valley National Park

The Silent Valley National Park is a unique preserve of natural rainforests. Within an area of 237. 52 Sq.km, it houses a rich mosaic of varied habitats. Out of these springs the amazing variety of life forms some of them endemic to the Western Ghats. The Valley exudes a quite grandeur, a mystery half revealed and half concealed that is part of a story older than mankind, for this rainforest probably dates back to 50 million years. Silently she beckons us to witness the marvelous exuberance of life that expresses itself in an incredible chaos of plants and animals and birds and insects. At the heart of her many songs is a still, deep silence which only those who tread softly and wait patiently may learn to hear. Located in the Nilgiri Mountain ranges, Silent Valley National Park is a wildlife paradise and boasts of lush green landscape and several wildlife species.

Along with Mukhurti National Park and Karimpuzha National Park, Silent Valley National Park forms the core of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Explored in 1847 by Robert Wight, the park remains one of the last undisturbed territories of south Western Ghats montane rainforests and tropical moist evergreen forests in the country.Environmentalists saved the rich ecological beauty of the National Park from destruction by protesting against the development of a hydroelectric power plant in the valley during 1970’s. On November 15, 1984, the area of the reserved forest was declared as a National Park.

The national park hosts over 1600 species of flora comprising mainly of evergreen and montane grasslands and over 858 species of fauna that includes 34 species of animals and about 500 species of butterflies and moths. It is also an excellent location for birdwatchers as the park is home to over 292 species of birds that include Nilgiri wood pigeon, blue winged parakeet, grey headed bulbul, white bellied blue flycatcher, broad tailed grass wabler, Nilgiri pipit, etc.The lion tailed macaque is the most popular attraction in Silent Valley National Park. Nilgiri langur, mouse deer, gaur, fishing cat, stripe necked mongoose, panther, etc. are some of the other exotic wildlife species found in the park.Snake lovers, if they are lucky, can be treated to the sight of cobra, King cobra, viper, rat snake and many other species of the slithery reptile.

 The beautiful Kunthi River which descends from an altitude of above 2000 feet from the Nilgiris passes through the national park. It is home to 13 species of fishes.Located at altitude ranging from 658 to 2383 metres and surrounded by high mountains, Silent Valley National Park enjoys salubrious climate.

How to Reach:

Nearest Railway Station : Palakkad, about 80 kms away

Nearest Airport : Coimbatore (in neighbouring Tamilnadu State), about 55 kms away

Malampuzha dam

                                                                    malampuzha yakshi

Malampuzha  dam  is  located  in  Palakkad  district.  This  dam  which  has  a  height  of  6066  feet  is  built  across  the Malampuzha river and is said to be the largest irrigation reservoir in Kerala. It is combined of 1849 meters long masonry dam and 220 meters long earthen dam. This reservoir can hold 8000 sq m of water. There are 2 canal systems which serve the purpose of irrigation and the reservoir provides water to Palakkad. This is also a major tourist destination. The Malampuzha garden and the reservoir are located having the Western Ghats as the background.

The main attractions here include  the Malampuzha garden, snake park, rope way, reservoir, road train, Japanese garden,  fish  shaped  aquarium  etc.  Malampuzha  gardens  are  popularly  called  as  the  ‘Vrindhavan  of  Kerala’.  The passenger rope way takes one on an air journey over the garden. There is a Rope Way Bridge that connects the two sides of the park and a specialty if this bridge is that only 50 persons can walk through this bridge at a time. There are guards to watch this. There is a huge sculpture in Malampuzha gardens which is very famous. It is a cement sculpture of a ‘Yakshi’ and is made by Kanayi Kunjiraman. The rock garden is made of broken pieces of bangles, tiles, used plastic cans and other waste materials by the master sculptor Padma Shree Neck Chand Saini, whose rock garden in Chandigarh is world famous. Boat cruises can be conducted in the reservoir. Pedal boats, Motor boats, Rowboats etc are available for hire.

Timings:

Malampuzha garden : 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Aquarium : 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm

1:00 pm to 9:00 pm on holidays Snake park : 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Rock garden : 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

How to Reach

Nearest Bus Station      : Palakkad bus station

Nearest Railway Station : Palakkad railway station

Nearest Airport             : Coimbatore International Airport

Attappady

Attappady  is Located 38 km from Mannarkkad, Palakkad district, north Kerala. Situated on the northeastern side of the district and spread over an area of 827 sq km. Attappady is one of the largest tribal settlements in the State. The grandiloquence of this great symphony of forests, rivers and mountains is awe inspiring. Many tribals like the Irulas and the Mudugas live here, though the density of their population is very low. The tribals worship the mountain peak "Malleeswaran' as a huge 'Sivalinga' (the Linga is the venerated image of Lord Siva) and Sivarathri at the Malleeswaran temple is the most important festival celebrated by the tribals. The Malleeswaran peak and the river Bhavani have a tremendous influence on the lives of the tribals.

Attappady Reserve Forest - a protected area in Palakkad district of Kerala is the scenic spot which Bhavani River flows. Bhavani River, nestled below the Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats, is the second largest river in the State of Tamil Nadu, India. A long perennial river, Bhavani, is a major tributary of the Kaveri River, the longest river in Tamil Nadu. It also flows through the beautiful land of Kerala. The gurgling sound of the river awakes the sleeping minds to be in a rather different green world.

How to Reach:

Nearest Railway Station : Palakkad about 40 km from Mannarkkad.

Nearest Airport : Coimbatore Airport in neighbouring city State of Tamilnadu about 55 km from Palakkad.

Killikkurussi Mangalam (also known as Lakkidi)

Lakkidi, the gateway of Wayanad, is situated 700 m above mean sea level, at the crest of the Thamaraserri ghat pass. Lofty peaks, gurgling streams and luxuriant forests add magic to the journey up the winding roads to this hill station.Lakkidi is one of the highest locations in Wayanad, and registers the second highest degree of Rainfall in the world.

Killikkurussi Mangalam (also known as Lakkidi) is a small village around 8 km from nearby town Ottappalam in Palakkad district of Kerala. Lakkidi (30 km from Palakkad). Killikkurissimangalam at Lakkidi is the birth place of Kunchan Nambiar, the 18th century satirist and exponent of the Tullal (classical art form). The poet's house has been preserved as a monument by the State Government.Located 30 km from Palakkad, the Kunchan Smarakam fort of Palakkad is not a usual historical monument. It is a memorial built as a tribute for the famous poet of Kerala, Kunchan Nambiar. The monument now serves as an institution for young people interested in satirical art form. The festival of "Navaratri" is celebrated with much grandeur and opulence here. The birthday of the poet, which falls on 5th of May, is also celebrated with much fanfare. The monument is a must visit if you want to see the nurture of talent in caring hands.
 
Kunchan Smarakam is at Killikurissimangalam, Lakkidi. In this house where the inventor of the satirical art form was born, young artists are trained in the various divisions of the art form, Parayanthullal.

Contact:
Kunchan Nambiar Smarakam
Killikkurissimangalam,
Lakkidi, Palakkad - 679301
Ph: +91 466 2230551

How to reach
Nearest railway station: Ottappalam, about 9 Km from Lakkidi
Nearest airport: Coimbatore (Tamilnadu) about, 55 Km from Palakkad

Nelliampathy

Located at a distance of 52 kms from Palakkad, the cool hills of Nelliampathy, nestling atop the Western Ghats, offer a breathtaking view of the misty mountains and enchanting valleys interspersed with sprawling tea, coffee, cardamom and orange plantations. The bracing climate and green magic of nature enhance the exhilarating experience. For a vantage view of the spectacle, one must visit Seethakundu, where a 100m high waterfall provides an added attraction.It offers a fantastic view of the valley below a wide-angled vision of one-third of the entire Palakkad area. A forest range 75 kms from Palakkad, the Nelliyampathy hills comprise a chain of ridges cut off from one another by valleys of dense evergreen forests and orange plantations.
The height of the hills ranges from 467 metres to the tallest peak Padagiri looming at 1572 metres. Nelliyampathy has immense trekking potential. The community hall at Kaikatty provides a good camping ground for the trekkers. Accessing Nelliyampathy from Palakkad is a sensation on its own, as one has to negotiate over a dozen hairpin curves on the Ghat Road, passing through the fascinating jungles of the Sahya Ranges. En route, 17 kms from Palakkad, the shimmering Pothundi Reservoir and its manicured surroundings make for the ideal stop over.

How To Reach

By Air
The nearest airport is at Coimbatore in the neighbouring state of Tamilnadu, about 55 km from Palakkad.

By Rail
The nearest railway station is in Palakkad, about 5 km from Palakkad town.

By Road
The hills of Nelliyampathy lie at a distance of 75 kms from Palakkad. It takes 2 ½ hours to travel to the place.

Siruvani Dam

 

 

Siruvani Dam site about 48 Kms from Palakkad is also almost equi-distant from Coimbatore city. Journey to Siruvani through the winding road is thrilling. It is surrounded by thick forest having all sorts of wild animals.This magnificent waterfall at situvani is located in the midst of thick forests, and entry is restricted after 5 pm. The sweet-testing situvani is the source of drinking water supply for coimbatore city.

Best Season: All seasonTransport Terminals: Nearest bus stand: Edakkurissi, which is in Palakkad-Manarcad routeHow to Reach: Nearest airport: Coimbatore (55 km)
Palakkad Junction Railway Station (5 km from the city) is a major railhead of the Southern Railways.
Palakkad is connected by an excellent network of roads to all the major cities in India. KSRTC bus stand