Located on the outskirts of the capital city Thiruvananthapuram (around 50km away), Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kerala; acquiring an area approximately 53sq. km. on the Western Ghats. Established in 1938, the sanctuary is well-known for its breathtaking beauty of lush forests, crystal clear streams, rolling and rocky terrains. Peppara is also renowned as a trekker’s delight.
Flora and Fauna
If you are a wildlife enthusiast, then there is no better place than Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary is renowned for some rarely seen species including Asian Elephant, Sambar (deer), Sloth bear, Nilgiri Langur, Nilgiri Tahr, leopard and lion-tailed macaque.
You also get to see some of the colorful feathered birds including Malabar Grey Hornbill, Whitebellied Treepie and small Sunbird.
Moreover, the sanctuary doesn’t seem to disappoint its nature lovers too, the floral diversity of Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is very high and eye-catching. There are several rare and common plants such as Bentinckia condapanna, Eugenia floccose, Ardisia missionis, Hetaria ovalifolia, Janakia arayalpatra, Dialium travancorium and Chiloschista glandulosa.
Other vegetation includes- Southern hilltop tropical evergreen forests, moist bamboo brakes, Riparian forests, grasslands, Southern sub-tropical hill forests, Ochlandra reed brakes and Southern secondary moist mixed deciduous forest.
Places of Interest
The nearby attractions to PepparaWildlife Sanctuary are Vazhvanthol waterfalls and Kalakad waterfalls. Although, Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is open all the year round, the best time to plan your visit is during winter months; from January to March.
