Tucked away on the border between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, around 50 Km from Coimbatore, lies Palakkad. It is known as ‘the gateway to Kerala' because it opens Kerala to the rest of the country through a 40 Km wide gap in the Western Ghats known as the Palakkad Pass, to be the largest mountain pass in the world.
In the northeastern corner of Palakkad lies the famed Silent Valley. The Silent Valley is located about 75 Km from Palakkad and is spread over 237 Sq Km and happens to be among the oldest stretches of rainforests in the world. It is possibly the only region in the country with a relatively undisturbed evolutionary history of at least 50 million years.
The Kuntipuzha flows through the entire 15 km length of the park from north to south, finally meeting the Bharathapuzha. The Kuntipuzha divides the park into a narrow eastern sector and a wide western sector. This is a perennial river and the waters run crystal clear. The main tributaries of the river are kunthancholapuzha, Karingathodu, Madrimaranthodu, Valiaparathodu and Kummaathanthodu and they originate on the upper slopes of the eastern side of the valley. The river is uniformly shallow, with no flood plains or meanders.
The Mahabharata tells the story of the Pandavas losing a game of dice, and being sent into exile for 13 years. Legend has it that the Pandavas had spent the better part of these years in the Silent Valley.
The silent-breaking cicadas are conspicuously absent here. It is this silence that made the British name ‘Silent Valley' in 1847.
A power project that was coming up on the Kuntipuzha River in the 1970's had triggered off one of the fiercest environmental campaigns the country has ever known. The then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi stepped in and stopped the project from coming up and in 1984, the Silent Valley was declared a National Park.
Mannarkkad is the nearest town from the Silent Valley. About 22 Km from Mannarkkad is Mukkali — the starting point for a trip to the Silent Valley. Buses ply every hour between Mannarkkad and Mukkali. The Silent Valley is divided into four parts of which only Sairandhri is open to visitors. From Mukkali, you need to hire a jeep to get to Sairandhri. The breathtaking journey from Mukkali to Sairandhri takes about an hour. Entry to the Silent Valley National Park is permitted from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm only. Visitors need to leave by 5.00 pm.
The denizens of the Silent Valley National Park include the lion-tailed macaque (one of the most endangered primates of the country), the Nilgiri Tahr, barking deer, elephant, tiger and over a 100 species of birds.
The 100 feet watchtower at Sairandhri gives the visitor a bird's eye view of the Silent Valley.
In 1847, Robert Wright made the first investigations in the Silent Valley area. There are many legends as to how the valley got its name. One theory is that the British named it so, because of the absence of the Cicadas. Another theory says it is the Anglicisation of Siarandhri. Locally the area is known as Sairandhrivanam – which when translated means Sairandhri's Forest. Sairandhri is the name of Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas. Yet another story claims it is so named because of the many lion-tailed macaques ( Macaca silenus).
Above 1500 m, the evergreen forests begin to give way to stunted forests, called sholas, interspersed with open grassland. Both are very important to naturalists, biologists and other researchers because the rich biodiversity here has never been disturbed by human settlements. Several threatened species are endemic here. New plant and animal species are often discovered here.
The best time to visit the Silent Valley is from November to March.
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| Suggested Itinerary |
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Day 1: |
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- Evening – Departure from Chennai by train
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Day 2: |
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- Early Morning – Arrival at Palakkad / Coimbatore Railway station
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- Freshen up & breakfast at Palakkad / Coimbatore
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- Post breakfast, drive to Mannarkad & check in to the hotel
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- Post lunch – Sightseeing trip to Kanjirapuzha Dam (15 Km)
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- Dinner & overnight at Mannarkad
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Day 3: |
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- After early breakfast – Visit into the Silent Valley National Park by Forest
department Jeep / Bus
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- Evening return to Mannarkad & drive to Palakkad / Coimbatore
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- Dinner at Palakkad / Coimbatore
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- Departure to Chennai by train
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Day 4: |
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- Early Morning – Arrival at Chennai
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The Package Cost |
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(The Package cost depends on the Group Size / Mode of Transport / Food Preference / Other Connected Services) |
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Food |
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- Simple vegetarian food will be served during the complete trip
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(Non-Veg menu can be organized at additional cost on prior information & subject to feasibility) |
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Package cost includes: |
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- Overnight stay accommodation at the Forest Guest House / Resort / Hotel / In open (subject to the location of the visit)
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- Food as mentioned in the itinerary
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- Basic Survival Ration, in case if trekking is involved
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| | - Two bottles of drinking water (Additional requirement to be procured at own cost)
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- Entry fee into the Reserve Forest
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- Bonfire (Subject to feasibility & permission from concerned authorities)
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Package cost does not include: |
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- Transportation from own location to destination and back (can be organized at additional cost)
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- Food other than mentioned in the itinerary
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- Entry fee into any other places of visit
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- Camera charges / Safari charges / Dharshan charges, etc
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- Snacks during bonfire (can be organized at additional cost on prior information & subject to feasibility)
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- Personal expenses, if any
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Note: |
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- The trip can be customized as per the group’s exact interest.
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- No guarantee will be given on sighting any wildlife / Birds / Plants, etc during the trek.
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- Since the area of visit may have only the basic amenities for stay, it’s advisable to carry own bed sheet / blanket along with personal toiletries for overnight stay.
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- All participants are requested to carry their personal medicines, if any.
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- All participants are requested to carry a bed sheet (this can be a standby in case of any shortage of the same in the Forest Guest House).
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- It’s the responsibility of the coordinating person / team leader of the participating group to collect and maintain the emergency contact details of each participant.
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- Outdoor activities are not mandatory and will be subject to weather as well as feasibility conditions.
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- All participants are requested to follow the law of nature to ensure that the ecology of the mother earth is preserved at its best.
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- Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the forest area.
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- Basic Survival Ration will be provided by the organizer, subject to the exact need / feasibility.
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- The area of visit is under the control of Forest Department and there may be any last minute restriction to enter into the assigned area without prior notice
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- The organizer is not responsible for any untoward incident if happens during the course of the trip. However, basic precautions will be taken by the organizer to ensure that the trip ends in a good note.
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Mongoose Nature Trails Activities |
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(Subject to feasibility / time availability / permission from concerned authorities) |
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Nature Activities: |
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- Trekking (Mild / Medium / Hard Treks)
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Wild Crafts: |
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- Fun & Learn with Rope Knots
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- Improvised Chopsticks, etc.
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Hobbies: |
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- Solving the Rubik’s Cube (Basic), etc.
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General: |
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- Self Defence Basics (Body Techniques / Nunchaku / Silambam)
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- Life Saving / First Aid (Basics), etc.
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| "Knowing is not doing; Doing is doing" |
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I hear, I forget! I see, I remember!! I do, I understand!!! |
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Explore a Memorable Experience!!! |
