Worth knowing
Thattekad rewards birders most, and its best birds are found with expert local guides who know each roost and territory. With the right guide, it is exceptional.
Getting there
~1.5 hr drive from Kochi
Best for
Western Ghats endemic birds and lowland evergreen forest birding
The land
Lowland evergreen and deciduous forest along the Periyar river
Good to know
A dedicated birding destination; an easy add-on to a Kerala trip
What it is
Thattekad is the forest the father of Indian ornithology rated above all others — and it still delivers.
Named for Salim Ali, the Birdman of India, who called it one of the richest bird habitats he knew, Thattekad is the premier lowland birding site in the Western Ghats. Its evergreen forest along the Periyar river holds a long roll of Ghats endemics — Malabar trogon, Sri Lanka frogmouth, woodpeckers, owls and more — in a compact, accessible area an easy drive from Kochi. For serious birders, it is one of the south's essential destinations; for anyone, a beautiful introduction to the Ghats' avian wealth.
PhotoA Malabar trogon perched in dim evergreen understorey.
The reason to come
Western Ghats endemics, up close
Thattekad concentrates a remarkable share of the Western Ghats' endemic birds into one accessible forest — the trogon, the frogmouth, the grey-headed bulbul, a host of others. With a good local guide, the density of specialities here is hard to match in the south.
The endemics
A long list of Western Ghats specials in one compact forest — the reason birders make the trip.
The frogmouth
The Sri Lanka frogmouth, a bizarre nocturnal bird, is a Thattekad signature — found by guides who know its roosts.
The accessibility
An easy drive from Kochi makes world-class birding a simple add-on to a Kerala trip.
Salim Ali's verdict
A forest with a pedigree.
Thattekad's reputation rests on Salim Ali himself, who surveyed it and rated its birdlife among the richest in peninsular India. The endorsement of the man who shaped Indian ornithology still draws birders here — and the forest continues to justify it.
PhotoDense evergreen canopy along the Periyar river.
When to come — honestly
A dry-season birding trip.
November – March
Best
Cool, dry and comfortable, the prime birding months with the fullest activity and wintering species present.
April – May
Good
Hotter but still productive, with breeding activity and the forest quieter before the rains.
The monsoon brings heavy rain to Kerala. The cool, dry months are the time for Thattekad — comfortable conditions and the most active birding, with both residents and migrants present.
A small forest's worth
Endemism on the Periyar
Thattekad's importance comes not from size but from what it holds — a concentration of Western Ghats endemic birds in a lowland forest that has largely survived where surrounding land was cleared. Small protected fragments like this carry the region's biodiversity.
Local guides, many of them from families that have birded these forests for decades, are central to the experience and to the sanctuary's value — their knowledge is part of what protects it.
We guide Thattekad with the expert local birders who know its endemics, because here the guide makes the difference between a good day and a great one.
Beyond the obvious
Three ways to read Thattekad.
Endemic birding
Forest walks for the Ghats specialities, with an expert local guide.
PhotoThe frogmouth roost
The frogmouth roost
Finding the bizarre Sri Lanka frogmouth at its day roost — a Thattekad classic.
PhotoNight birding
Night birding
Owls and nightjars after dark in the evergreen forest.
Why Wild Voyager
We run India on our own ground.
India is one of three countries we run with our own guides and vehicles, not booked through a middleman. In Thattekad Bird Sanctuary that means guiding the forest with the expert local birders whose knowledge of roosts and territories makes the endemics findable.
We operate it, not a middleman
Our team handles the permits, the zones and the timing, so we answer for your sightings — not a stranger hoping it works out.
We base you in the right zone
At Thattekad the local guide is everything — they know each frogmouth roost and trogon territory. We bring in the best of them, so the endemics you came for actually appear.
We guide for wildlife, not a checklist
Our naturalists work the alarm calls, the tracks and the light — they would rather earn you one real sighting than tick a list.
Journeys
Trips through Thattekad Bird Sanctuary
Where to stay
Where you’ll stay in Thattekad Bird Sanctuary
Signature Collection
Luxury Collection
Classic Collection
Wildlife you may see
Pair Thattekad with Periyar
and the Kerala Ghats.
Thattekad's birding, an easy drive from Kochi, pairs with Periyar's elephants and the Kerala hills. We route the birds with the wider Western Ghats.
Plan a Thattekad trip