This summer break, my family and I finally booked a stay at the Lake Palace in Thekkady, managed by KTDC (Kerala Tourism Development Corporation). It is part of the Periyar Tiger Reserve and is on an island in the Periyar Lake. It can be reached by a 20-minute boat ride from the mainland and is famous for animal sightings. The resort was formerly the summer retreat of the Travancore Royal Family, which was transferred to the Government of India after Independence. During t

As a family that loves monthly getaways to hill stations and tiger reserves, being split apart for educational and career purposes made scheduling trips difficult. That meant every family reunion involved packing and setting out to the road. This time, we accepted a long-due invitation from my dad's childhood friend to visit his farm resort at Kanthalloor– Escape Natural Farm . True to its name, it is an escape from the traffic and smoke of cities to the fresh cool air of th

Our final stop on this trip is Gavi Eco-Tourism in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. This place holds a special spot in my heart, and I lost track of the times I've come here with my family. Being a reserved forest area, not many people frequent the place and it's part of why my introverted self loves it here :) From Thekkady, we set out at noon, had lunch in a restaurant enroute, and reached our destination around 4 PM. Usually, we stay in tents which are a bit closer to

Periyar House Jungle Lodge at Thekkady, Kumily. (This image is taken from the internet) From Munnar, we set off for Thekkady, part of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, and stayed at a KTDC lodge. Only those who pre-book a stay are allowed inside with their cars, but jungle safaris in the forest department's buses are available from the checkpoint. We almost glided through the well-built road, drinking in the greenery. I have stayed here once before with my cousins and my only conc

This post follows the previous one, in which I explained the circumstances of the trip and its overall details. So do check that out. Before we start, I have to clarify that my intention in writing this is to share some of my favourite moments during the trip. So, I'm afraid, it may not cover all the famous sights in Munnar. But I will share a link after this from which you can gather everything you need to know to kickstart your journey. With eight people travelling in two

This year's Christmas vacation was unlike any other. While going on trips was usual with our family, this time, it was neither just us nor with family friends. My brother's colleagues were coming from Mumbai to visit Kerala. So we arranged an itinerary that captures and presents the beauty of our state in the limited duration of the trip. The first one-day section of the trip included experiencing the peaceful ambiance of the Vembanad Kayal in an aesthetically pleasing house