Periyar National Park and Spice Plantation, Martial Art Show, Periyar, India

Periyar is known for its wildlife reserve, spice plantations, and traditional Kalaripayattu martial arts shows. 1238

Periyar National Park: Kerala, India
Spice Plantation: Thekkady, Kumily, Attappallam, Kerala 685509, India
Date Picture Taken: Feb, 2026

We are ready to walk to Periyar National Park.

Periyar National Park, also known as Periyar Tiger Reserve, is a protected wildlife area in the forested hills of Kerala’s Western Ghats. Centered around scenic Periyar Lake, the park is known for its elephants and is also home to tigers, deer, wild boar, monkeys, and many species of birds. Visitors can explore the area through guided nature walks and boat trips on the lake.

We took a guided nature walk through Periyar National Park with a trained local guide, giving us a chance to observe birds, monkeys, deer, and other wildlife while learning about the plants and ecosystem of the Western Ghats.

This was the endpoint of our trek, and from here, we started walking back toward the park entrance.

In the afternoon, we visited a local spice plantation.

The Periyar region is famous for its spice plantations, where cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and other spices thrive in Kerala’s warm, humid climate. Many plantations offer guided walks where visitors can see how these spices are grown and learn about their traditional uses.

The plantation also had a small spice market selling locally grown spices, herbs, teas, and other regional products.

After visiting the spice plantation, we went to see a traditional Kalaripayattu martial arts show.

Kalaripayattu is an ancient martial art from Kerala, known for its fast movements, acrobatics, and dramatic displays of combat skills. The show featured performers demonstrating hand-to-hand fighting, wooden staffs, swords, shields, and other traditional weapons in an energetic and highly skilled performance.