Wildlife & Trekking Diaries

Planning a Chinnar trip Official information checked: 6 November 2026 For bookings, use the Kerala Forest Department's Chinnar booking page . The review, rankings and photographs below are from my 2014 visits. Getting there: Chinnar is on the Munnar–Udumalpet road near Marayoor. Kerala Tourism describes the Thoovanam waterfall walk as a guided 4 km trail from Alampetty Check Post, taking about three hours. Ask the forest office where to report when you book. Treks and fees The Forest Department lists four treks. The programme window is 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; ask for the starting time of your trek when booking. Thoovanam Waterfalls : ₹300 under “entry fee”; ₹700 under “Foreign Adult”. Alampetty cultural rock-painting hike : ₹300 under “entry fee”; ₹700 under “Foreign Adult”. Chinnar riverside trek : ₹300 under “entry fee”; ₹700 under “Foreign Adult”. Vasyappara trek : ₹700 under “entry fee”; ₹1,500 under “Foreign Adult”. Online bookings close 23–24 hours before the 8 a.m. ...

Trekking in Chinnar part I :  Churlipatti Log House Riverine Trekking To reach Pambar Log house there were couple of routes. As it was hot we chose to walk along chinnar river. One has to walk 2 kms along chinnar and come to the confluence of Pambar and Chinnar  (called the Kootar),   then walk a km along P ambar to reach the log house. Hardly few meters into the path we realised we had made the right choice. Chinnar Riverine Trekking This riverine ecosystem with its thick vegetation and excellent bird life is in total contrast with the scrub forests and adds to the diversity of Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.  Riverine path to Pambar Lodge My knowledge of birds is extremely limited and it was almost non existent then. Above that I made the blunder of not noting down whatever species my guide (who was pretty good) was identifying for me. I can only recollect Paradise Flycatcher, the big brown fish owl, serpent eagle apart from drongos, io...