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Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary)

Salim Ali's richest peninsular birding forest on the Periyar

WildlifeOffbeat

Best time to visit Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to March
  • Shoulder: April and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: June to July

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryMarchNovemberDecember

Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary) season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Nov-Feb is prime: winter migrants are in, mornings start near 20°C and the dawn trails turn up frogmouth, trogon and hornbills.

Summer March to May Prime time

March still delivers with the leaf litter dry and birds pinned to water, but by May it is 37°C and walks have to end by nine.

Monsoon June to September Mixed, read the detail

June-July is relentless rain and leeches; the birds are breeding and loud but you will barely see through the wet canopy.

Autumn October to November Prime time

Oct is wet and quiet because the migrants have not arrived; November flips it and the guide-run homestays start filling up.

What Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary) is actually like

Serious birders in a handful of guide-run homestays; you are up at half past five and asleep by nine, alone or paired up

Getting to Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary)

Kothamangalam 12 km by bus, Aluva station 50 km, Kochi airport 55 km; hire a local bird guide, it is worth it

Practical ways in: flighttrainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Mid-range
How busy
Quiet at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
45 m
State
Kerala
Coordinates
10.1310, 76.6883

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary)?

November to March is peak season in Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary). April and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid June to July. Oct is wet and quiet because the migrants have not arrived; November flips it and the guide-run homestays start filling up.

How many days do you need in Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary)?

2 days is the usual stay. Serious birders in a handful of guide-run homestays; you are up at half past five and asleep by nine, alone or paired up.

How do you get to Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary)?

Kothamangalam 12 km by bus, Aluva station 50 km, Kochi airport 55 km; hire a local bird guide, it is worth it. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.

Is Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Nearby, and where to go next

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