You don't have to always travel far and away to have the best holiday. Sometimes, it's just a matter of spending quality time with your family and exploring the cities nearby. This time around, on our holiday back to hometown, we decided to give the entire family a break, from aged to the young ones, we travelled together. Sang songs, gossiped, slept and most importantly bonded over the three-hour long road trip to the ultimate destination - Thekkady!
Thekkady is famous for the wildlife sanctuary located here and for the much controversial Periyar dam that has left two major states in India divided over water.
On our way to Thekkady, we drove past the most scenic site there, the tea estates. The roadsides were covered with coffee, pepper, cardamom and tea plantations majorly. Tea Trails are one of the most picturesque tours here. Imagine acres of land filled with aromatic tea plantation - it is simply breathtaking!
While we decided to spend the rest of our day at the resort relaxing, having good food, chit chatting and sleeping, we were quite sure the very next day would not be the same. And we were right! Just as we thought, our day started quite early at 5 am. An early morning misty ride to the Periyar wildlife sanctuary. Up the hill, down the road and all the way above! The safari jeep took us to the dense forest covered in early morning mist.
The animals could be hiding anywhere, and we were right again! There Mr Fox was staring right at us, followed by Lion-tailed macaque hopping from one tree to the other. We waited patiently for the weather to clear up, drove a little further and stopped over for a cup of tea in a local's house. Continued our journey up again for the most stunning view of the place covered in dense forest.
The famous river - the Periyar was closer to the resort. Government organised transportation took us all the way inside for a boat ride by the river. Since the water levels were relatively lower, the bigger boats with a capacity of 160 passengers were anchored by the shore.
We got back to the resort after an amazing morning to enjoy some delicious breakfast. After an hour long break, our next ride was ready to Tamilnadu, which was less than 15 minutes of drive to cross the border. We passed by the forest again; these curved roads were covered with Monkeys and their family and a spectacular waterfall.
The ride took us less than 45 minutes; we passed by farms, vegetarian plantations like cabbage, tamarind, spinach, herbs, drumsticks and so on. Until the jeep stopped by the most spectacular of all the farms, the vineyards. Acres of land covered in grapes both green and purple. Most people were busy sneaking a few and were caught red handed. But if you wish to buy them, they are available right outside the vineyard itself.
On our way back, all though we were tired and wanted a break from the break itself, we were quite elevated with the entire experience. This charming destination has a lot to offer.
Quick tips:
1. Book your sightseeing tours outside the hotel because they are always cheaper and better
2. Always keep a day aside to just relax in the resort or where ever you decide to stay
3. Take some board games or cards along to spend time
This post was originally published on My Weekend Notes.
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