Welcome to Wildernest

Your nest in the wilderness

Thekkady, Kerala

Our Story

Defining the eastern border of the Indian state of Kerala are the fabled Cardamom Hills. In the heart of this mountain fastness is a silent tropic wilderness, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. To experience Periyar is to know freedom.

And The Wildernest is created to give you the freedom to experience it, your way. We make Periyar special because we keep it simple. Perched on our logotype is the Great Pied Hornbill (Buceros Bicornis Linnaeus), the state bird of Kerala. In Malayalam, it's called, simply, 'Vezhambal'.

Rooms & Living Spaces

Like a nest made of natural materials, The Wildernest is crafted with locally sourced resources like timber from nearby hillside cardamom plantations. Our spacious stone and brick structures are all natural materials and blend perfectly with the wilderness all around us. Our rooms are some of the biggest in Thekkady and we have designed each room so that no two rooms look and feel the same.

Terraced Rooms 5 Rooms
Garden Rooms 5 Rooms

Location & Experiences

Periyar is 925 sq. km of rugged wilderness. The forests are tropical, a mixture of deciduous, semi-evergreen, and evergreen, relieved by patches of grassland. This breathtaking variety is echoed in the fauna too.

You’ll find spectacular herds of wild elephant roaming free, along with astonishingly diverse species of primates, birds, and tropical woodland animals. By the way, there’s a reason why local guides know the wildlife so well. They used to poach it. Until the government convinced them to go straight, that is. So, rest assured, you’re in the hands of experts!

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Cuisine & Dining

Our menu at Wildernest Café takes inspiration from nature to offer you cuisine that is both healthy and tasty. Our café offers all-time favourites like dosas, wraps, sandwiches, salads, and a variety of beverages, with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. We also encourage you to savour the authentic local cuisine available from the excellent restaurants nearby that we’ll gladly recommend upon request—all just a few minutes’ walk from The Wildernest.

People & Services

Frankly, there’s not too much fuss at The Wildernest. Comfortable beds, clean sheets, and a king-sized breakfast each morning. The rest of the experience is, naturally, Periyar itself. Can you ask for anything more? Well, that’s where The Team comes in… a word about people.

Need an extra pillow? Want an early breakfast because you’re out trekking tomorrow? What about a packed snack? Leave it to us. Looking after your needs at The Wildernest is a small but efficient eight-person team.

They will tell you the history of the land. Or where to get a dinner that’s exactly to your taste. Want to go shopping for souvenirs? One of them will walk with you, if he or she is not too busy that is. You see, The Wildernest is a family. And we run it like one.

Sustainability & Responsibility

Being in the middle of the wilderness, and the fact that we love nature, we are very conscious of how we impact the environment. To minimise our carbon footprint, we have installed energy efficient solar panels to heat water, and treat our waste water using an anaerobic STP, which has a green rating from the Kerala State Pollution Control Board. We hope you share our concern for the environment and take the necessary steps to preserve our ecology when you stay with us.

Getting Here

AIR

Kochi (Cochin) at 180 kms or Madurai in Tamil Nadu at 140 kms are the nearest airports from Periyar.

RAIL

Kottayam at 114 kms is the nearest railway station from Periyar.

ROAD

Kumily, the nearest town from Periyar is well served by both state and private buses from Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Madurai in Tamil Nadu.

And the last mile…

When you get off the Kumily main road and take the short road leading to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, keep an eye out on your left. You’ll be here in a minute if you’re driving, and in 5 if you’re walking. You can’t miss us.