Travel · Destinations · 9 min read

Thekkady and Kumily Travel Guide: Spice Gardens, Periyar Lake and the Spice Market

On the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border, the twin towns of Thekkady and Kumily smell of cardamom and pepper. A guide to their spice plantation tours, the boat cruise on Periyar Lake, forest walks, the spice market, culture shows and viewpoints.

By GK Global, Adimali, Munnar · Trails & Tales by GK

Step off the bus in Kumily and the first thing you notice is the smell: cardamom and pepper, cinnamon and cloves drifting out of the spice shops that line the road down to Thekkady. Behind the town, forested hills roll away into the Periyar Tiger Reserve, and in their folds lies a great, still lake, its waters dotted with the silver stumps of drowned trees. Thekkady and Kumily are where Kerala's spice country meets one of India's finest wildlife reserves, and for many travellers they are the heart of any journey through Idukki.

The two towns run into each other. Kumily, the busy market town, sits right on the border with Tamil Nadu; Thekkady, about 4 km away, is the gateway to the reserve and its lake. Together they offer spice gardens to wander, a boat cruise to remember, forest walks, culture shows and some of the best shopping for spices in Kerala.

Top things to see and do in Thekkady and Kumily

Spice plantation tours

The hills around Kumily are among the richest spice-growing lands in India. Guided tours of spice plantations take you through shady gardens where cardamom grows under the forest trees, pepper vines climb their trunks, and coffee, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, ginger, turmeric and cocoa grow side by side. Guides show you how each spice is grown, harvested and dried, and let you crush leaves and pods between your fingers to smell them. Many tours visit a cardamom drying house, and some include Ayurvedic herb gardens. Morning and late-afternoon tours are cooler and best for photographs. Plantation villages such as Murikkady, a few kilometres from Kumily, are known for their spice gardens.

(Read our series on the spices of Idukki, starting with cardamom and black pepper.)

Boating on Periyar Lake

Periyar Lake was created in 1895 by the Mullaperiyar dam, which flooded the forested valleys of the Periyar river. Its long arms wind between forested hills, and the trunks of drowned trees still stand in the water. A boat cruise from the Thekkady boat landing, inside the reserve, is the classic Thekkady experience. As the boat glides along the shore, you may see herds of elephants coming down to drink, gaur (Indian bison), sambar deer, wild boar, otters and a wealth of birds, from cormorants and darters to kingfishers and hornbills.

The cruises are run by the Forest Department and the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), with several departures a day from early morning to mid-afternoon; each trip lasts about an hour and a half. Tickets are limited and sell out quickly, especially in season, so book in advance through the official Periyar Tiger Reserve or KTDC booking websites. Visitors park at Anavachal and take the reserve's shuttle to the boat landing; arrive early. The first boat of the morning, with mist on the water, is the most atmospheric.

(Read about the reserve in Periyar Tiger Reserve and the dam in the Mullaperiyar dam.)

Forest walks, bamboo rafting and trails

The Periyar Tiger Reserve runs a range of community-based eco-tourism programmes, many of them led by guides from local tribal communities who once lived by the forest. They include short nature walks, longer jungle treks, full-day bamboo rafting trips that combine a trek with a raft ride across the lake, border hikes along the ridge with Tamil Nadu, and overnight trails. Group sizes are small and places are limited, so book ahead through the reserve's official channels. Wear leech socks in the wet months.

Elephant encounters

Private "elephant junctions" around Kumily offer elephant rides, bathing and feeding sessions with captive elephants. Concerns about the welfare of captive elephants have grown in recent years, and many travellers now prefer to see elephants in the wild, from the lake or on a guided walk. If you do visit a captive-elephant centre, choose a licensed, well-run one and avoid any where animals appear chained for long periods, overworked or mistreated.

The Kumily spice market

Kumily's main road is lined with spice shops, cooperatives and small factories selling cardamom, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, tea, coffee, honey and Ayurvedic oils. Buy whole spices rather than powders, look for plump, green, fragrant cardamom and bold black pepper, and compare prices before you buy. The serious cardamom trade happens at the Spices Board's e-auction centre at Puttady, about 25 km away.

Kathakali and Kalaripayattu shows

Several theatres in Kumily and Thekkady stage nightly Kathakali performances, Kerala's classical dance-drama, often with a chance to watch the artists apply their elaborate make-up beforehand, and Kalaripayattu, Kerala's ancient martial art, with leaping, sword and shield fights and fire.

Viewpoints and nearby sights

• Chellarkovil, about 15 km from Kumily: a viewpoint on the edge of the hills, looking down over the plains of Tamil Nadu, with a small waterfall in the monsoon.
• Mangala Devi Kannagi temple: an ancient stone temple on a hilltop at about 1,330 m on the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border, inside the reserve, associated with Kannagi, heroine of the epic Silappatikaram. It is open to pilgrims only on one day a year, at the Chitra Pournami festival (April–May).
• Pandikuzhi and Ottakathalamedu: viewpoints over the hills and valleys around Kumily.
• Gavi: a remote forest eco-tourism village reached through Vandiperiyar. (Read our article on Gavi.)
• Cumbum: the vineyards of Tamil Nadu, just across the border. (Read the vineyards of Cumbum and Surulipatti.)

Best time to visit

• September to February: pleasant, green and cool, ideal for spice tours, walks and sightseeing.
• March to May: warmer, but as waterholes dry up in the forest, animals come to the lake to drink, making this a good time for the boat cruise.
• June to August: the monsoon is lush and atmospheric, with fewer visitors; expect rain, leeches and occasional suspension of boating or treks in heavy weather.

How to get there

• By road: Kumily lies on the Kottayam–Kumily road (NH 183). It is about 110 km from Kottayam, 165 km from Kochi, 140 km from Madurai and about 90 to 110 km from Munnar, depending on the route.
• By rail: the nearest major stations are Kottayam (Kerala) and Madurai (Tamil Nadu).
• By air: Madurai airport is about 140 km away and Cochin International Airport about 145 km.
• Getting around: autos and jeeps are easily available in Kumily; the reserve's shuttle takes visitors to the boat landing.

Travel tips

• Book the boat cruise and eco-tourism programmes well ahead, especially at weekends and holidays.
• Carry binoculars and wear muted colours on walks.
• Plastic is restricted inside the reserve; carry a refillable bottle.
• Bargain politely in the spice shops, and buy from trusted sellers.