Cardamom County by Xandari

Bordered by the Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve on one side with the lush highland forests and wet ecosystems, and the vivacious spice trading community that is distinctive of the hill stations above the Malabar coast on the other side, Cardamom County is a natural retreat that offers you to unwind from all the stress and guarantee you a getaway that is sure to leave you entranced and most importantly, a peace of mind.

Get here to de-stress and feel the serenity of the surrounding.

They have three categories among our 44 rooms, all of which are outfitted to prepare you for the next day - whether that will be an active day trekking in the Periyar Reserve, a relaxing day at Ayura, or a culture-spanning day negotiating a spice purchase. The best preparation is comfort. Their guests have been telling them for years that there must be something in the mountain air here that gives them such deep sleep and sweet dreams. They believe that state-of-the-art bedding helps too, but they never dispute the value of fresh mountain air.

The hot showers are one of the luxuries nature provides, due to our location in the heart of one of the most important watersheds in India - they harvest and store that water, heating it with renewable energy sources including solar for the majority of rooms. They are on a mission to demonstrate the importance of water and energy conservation, so rooms are equipped with keys that turn the electricity off when you depart, and other simple choices you can make to keep your stay as green as possible.

The All Spice restaurant is a tribute to its own name. A feast of tastes and textures, All Spice mixes ethnic traditions, natural ingredients and original fusion food concepts to the native gourmet. All Spice has an expansive open air terrace able to accommodate a large number of guests; an ideal venue for informal parties, grills and barbeque.

The food they serve holds deep allegiance to its local roots in its preparation and ingredients. You can sample local flavours at All Spice restaurant at Cardamom County or aboard River Escapes, both of which are famous for lovely traditional Kerala cuisine.

The chefs at the All Spice restaurant at Cardamom County developed an ethnic food fusion that combines traditional recipes with unconventional ingredients pleasing to both the eye and the palette.

A relaxed and laid-back evening by the pool-side becomes so much more when you're surrounded by nature. The Pool Lounge affords just this experience.

An open-air wine and beer bar in a natural setting overlooking the swimming pool welcomes you after a day of trekking or relaxing Ayurvedic therapy.

Landscaped gardens apart, the resort has a beautiful butterfly garden and a self-sustained farm containing not only spices, fruits and vegetables, but chicken, duck, geese and mushrooms. Our natural water pond contains fish that keep the environment in balance. Every effort is made to provide a farm to table experience for our guests.

A welcoming location for get-togethers, meetings and parties, our three conference halls have a capacity of 250, 125 and 50 people respectively. Our rooftop terrace with open-air dining facilities can be used for campfires and cultural shows as well.

The conservation tourism experience includes a number of activities that can allow direct interaction with the local community and the special Periyar environment. We have classified the list of activities into Carbon Neutral and Carbon Plus to help you make a responsible choice.

Conservation tourism, albeit not entirely free from adding to the carbon footprint

An interpretive 4 to 5 km hike through diverse habitats of the reserve, this half day outing offers an excellent opportunity to watch birds, butterflies and other wildlife.

These 3 hour hikes allow visitors to participate in the nightly patrols along the fringe zones of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. By participating you will be helping to protect the forests of Periyar.

This challenging, full-day trek takes guests deeper into the reserve, allowing further opportunity for animal sightings and interaction with the environment..

This all day program combines traditional rafting and range hiking through some of the richest forest tracts of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.

A tribal museum visit is followed by a tour through the tribal hamlet situated within the periphery of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, accompanied by a tribal guide.

This overnight program is unique in being conducted by a team of ex-poachers who turned protectors of the reserve.

Conducted by a group of people previously engaged in sandalwood smuggling who now understand there are greater benefits from sustainable activities.

Visit to an exclusive home for elephants to experience and learn about the life of the domesticated pachyderm.

The road leading to the picturesque Gavi is blanketed by tea plantations. Overseen by trained locals it is an outstanding trekking experience.

Also known as Paranthupara (eagle rock) Grampi has breathtaking views of rocky plains, lush hillsides, forests and trekking trails lending an exquisite charm to this destination. The road to Grampi is flanked by unending cardamom, tea and coffee plantations.

With picturesque locales and magnificent wildlife reserves, Gavi is ideal for activities such as trekking, night safaris, wildlife watching and outdoor camping overseen by trained locals. The road leading to Gavi is blanketed by tea plantations and hence perfect for a full-day jeep safari.

The tour offers an excellent opportunity to see medicinal plants and buy garden fresh spices from the plantation.