Club Mahindra Thekkady

At an altitude of 2,700 feet above sea level, is this Magnificent Resort - Club Mahindra Tusker Trails which is built in traditional Indian 'machan' style. It nestles within a thickly wooded plantation of coffee, cardamom, pepper as well as teak and fruit trees. It is 2 kms from Kumily, on the Kerala - Tamil Nadu border and 1 km from the Periyar Tiger Reserve.

Thekkady is an important plantation centre and picturesque hill station It is home to one of the finest wildlife reserves in India. The very sound of the name conjures up images of elephants, unending chains of hills and spice scented plantations. There, in the crisp, cool air of the Western Ghats, you will experience the most enchanting holiday, with the animals of the wild.

Surround yourself with the effortless blend of modern luxury and nature's glory.

There are 49 rooms with a private balcony and are in cottages built on stilts. The rooms overlook hills, verdant foliage or landscaped gardens. Amenities include in-room tea and coffee makers, mini refrigerator, hair dryer, direct dial telephones, colour television with satellite programs. All bathrooms have bath tubs.

Room types

• Deluxe room
• Junior Suite
• Superior Suite

Dining
Multi-cuisine Restaurant - The Periyar Room, a charming restaurant with a rustic setting, serves A la carte and buffet open for breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner. It also serves local Kerala specialties, as well as Indian and continental delicacies.

Indoor facilities

• Badminton court
• Laundry service
• Ayurveda Centre
• Library
• Indoor Games
• Pool table
• Table Tennis
• 24-hour facsimile/copier facilities
• Travel Desk
• Safe Deposit Lockers
• Doctor on call
• Conference facilities
• Gymnasium

Outdoor facilities

• Swimming pool
• Boat rides on lake Periyar for game viewing
• Jungle treks
• Spice plantation tour
• Elephant ride
• Bamboo rafting
• Nature walk
• Adventure valley

Nature Walk
Different nature trails traversing diverse habitats form the trekking routes, generally 4 to 5 Km. in length. This is an interpretive program offering excellent opportunity to watch birds, butterflies and other wildlife. The trails often pass through evergreen and moist deciduous forests interspersed with marshy grasslands. A maximum of 5 persons can go for trekking at a time along each nature trail, accompanied by a trained tribal guide.

Jungle Patrol
This is part of the regular night patrolling in the fringe eco development zone of the tiger reserve. The trekking could be done between 7 PM. And 4 AM and could be taken by person having proper physical and mental fitness to trek through the wilderness in the night. The maximum duration for a slot is 3 hours and the maximum capacity of one slot is limited to 8 visitors (to move in two separate teams). They will accompany two protection watchers and one-armed forest guard!

Gavi
Gavi, a picturesque land is one of the most off-the-track destinations ideal for a wilderness retreat replete with trekking, canoeing and facilities for boarding. There are hills and valleys, tropical forests, sprawling grasslands, shoals, cascading waterfalls and cardamom plantations. Endangered species including the Elephant, Nilgiri Thar, and Lion-Tailed Macaques are often sighted at the outskirts of Gavi.

Mount
Mount is a beautiful picnic spot, 25 Km from the resort from where one gets to see waves of mountains, grasslands and Sholla forest. The drive is through the scenic tea gardens. A packed picnic lunch can be provided at the spot.

Bamboo Rafting
This is a dawn to dusk range hiking and rafting program through some of the richest forest tracts of Periyar Tiger Reserve. Starting at 8 AM from the boat landing, a mosaic of habitats will be traversed before the group gets into rafts made of bamboos. The rafting is for about three hours and one gets a panoramic view of forest-clad hills reflected in the lake.

Boat Ride
The first and the foremost activity of a tourist in Thekkady is boating in the Peiyar Lake. K.T.D.C. and forest department are operating the boats. Daily 5 trips, each of two hours are arranged. The timings are 07.00, 09.30, 11.30, 14.00 and 16.00 hrs. Also 16.00 hrs ride is for 1.5 hrs while the rest of the rides are for 2 hrs. The boat landing is 3 kms. from the hotel. Half an hour before the ride one has to leave from the hotel.

View Point
Just 17 Kms. away from the hotel, this point from where one could have a beautiful panoramic view of the Tamil Nadu valley. If you have your own car, then you can take a guide, or otherwise a Car can be hired.

Spice Plantation Tour
A fascinating and informative guided tour can be arranged to neighboring spice plantations as well as smaller scale spice gardens whose owners take pride on their adoption of organic farming methods. A must for any food-oriented visitor, a spice plantation visit enables you to get a deeper understanding of how the spices used in everyday cooking throughout the world are grown, harvested and processed before they find their way to your local supermarket.

Tea Plantation Tour
Besides enjoying and relaxing in the charm of this enchanting place, visiting the tea plantation and tea factory is another essential part of a tourist’s itinerary. A guided tour can be taken for the same.

Elephant ride
One of the most fascinating and famous activities of Thekkady is the Elephant ride. There are two different programs, which guest can choose from. The first one is a half an hour program where you can enjoy elephant ride along with feeding them and clicking photos with them. The second one is a two-hour program where along with enjoying elephant ride and feeding them you can actually give a bath to the elephant and in turn the elephant gives you a shower. Also one can see a demonstration of how elephants were used to dragging timber in the olden days.

Trekking
Main trekking areas in Thekkady: Kurisumala near Kumily, Pullumedu, Ottakathalamedu near Kumily, Grampi near Vandiperiyar. The Forest Department conducts daily treks from the boat landing station at Thekkady to the Nellikkampetty area and Manakkavala.

Games

• Carom board
• Table Tennis
• Board Games
• Cricket
• Football
• Volleyball
• Badminton
• Pool Table

The Periyar Tiger Reserve
Lying close to the plantations, in the rich jungles of Periyar in Thekkady is one of the world's most fascinating natural wildlife reserves - the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar adds to the charm of the park. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can have the unique experience of viewing wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat on the lake.

Murikkady (5 kms from Thekkady)
Washed in fresh spice-scented air, Murikkady is a panorama of cardamom, coffee and pepper plantations.

Chellarkovil (15 kms from Kumily)
This sleepy little village with its breathtaking view of the plains and cascading waterfalls is a feast for the eyes. The village slopes down to the famous coconut groves of Cumbum in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

Kumily (2 kms from Thekkady)
This plantation town, closely associated with Thekkady, is situated on the outskirts of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. An important shopping centre ans spice trade centre, the main bus station and most of the medium range accommodation in the Periyar region are in Kumily.

Mangala Devi Temple (15 kms from Thekkady)
This ancient temple is hidden in the dense woods at the top of a oeak 1337 m above sea level. The temple is built in the traditional Kerala style of architecture. Visitors are allowed here only on the Chithra Pournami festival day.

Vandanmedu (25 kms from Kumily)
This is one of the world's largest auction centres for candamom. A walk through the sprawling cardamom plantations of Vandanmedu is a heady experience.

Boat cruises on the Periyar Lake
Timings: 07.00, 09.30, 11.30, 14.00, 16.00 hrs. The Forest Department (Ph:322028) and the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. (Ph: 322023) conduct boating trips from Thekkady.

Ramakalmedu (40 kms from Thekkady and 75 kms from Munnar)
Rolling green hills and the fresh mountain air make Ramakalmedu an enchanting retreat. The hills top also offers a Panoramic view of picturesque villages of Bodi and Cumbum on the Eastern slop of the western ghats.

Pullumedu (43 kms from Thekkady, 26 km from Periyar)
The winding journey to this hill town, along the Periyar River, offers a stunning view of the rolling hills draped in lush greenery. Velvet lawns, rare flora and fauna add to the beauty of Pullumedu which can be accessed only by jeep. The famous Sree Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala and the Makara Jyothi illumination at the shrine are visible from here.

Kurisumala
A place for adventure tourism and trekking. This will offer a panoramic view of Kumily town and Periyar Tiger Reserve.

Pandikuzhi (5 kms from Kumily)
This picturesque spectrum of exotic flora, fauna and gurgling streams is cradled between Chellarkovil and the Tamil Nadu border. A popular picnic spot, Pandikuzhi offers great opportunities for trekking and is a photographer's delight.

Vandiperiyar (18 kms from Thekkady)
The River Periyar flowing through the centre of this town nourishes its vast tea, coffee and pepper plantations. A major trade centre, Vandiperiyar is also home to a number of tea factories. The Government Agriculture farm and Flower Garden have a delightful array of roses, orchids and anthuria.

Nearest Airport
The nearby airports are at Madurai (149 kms), Kochi (185 kms) and Thiruvanthapuram (265 kms).

Nearest Rail head
Kottayam (108 kms), Madurai (140 kms) are the convenient railheads from Thekkady.

By Road

• Kumily 2 km (10 min)
• Idukki 65 km (2.5 hrs)
• Munnar 106 km (4 hrs)
• Peermede 40 km (1 hrs)
• Vagamon 70 km (2.5 hrs)
• Kumarakom 128 km (4 hrs)
• Sabarimala via Erumeli 134 km (4 hrs)
• Kodaikanal 149 km (5 hrs)
• Alappuzha 164 km (5 hrs)
• Kollam 220 km (6 hrs)
• Ooty 390 km (11 hrs)
• Madurai 140 kms (4 hours)
• Kochi 190 kms (6 hours)
• Thiruvananthapuram 265 km (7 hrs)