Overlooking the glistening seashore along the landscaped Malabar washed away by the silently breaking columns of water, the city of Thiruvananthapuram is fringed by the magnificent Western Ghats to form one of the most scenic coastal terrains in Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram is home to innumerable attractions, which include the picturesque locations in and around the town as well as the marvelous wonders of the human world. The beautiful sites that are situated in and within short distances from the city of Thiruvananthapuram are the best venues for picnicking - favourite equally among the local sightseers and international backpackers. One of these breathtaking destinations snuggled into the bosoms of unharmed territories of nature replete across the entire mountainous region and forest lands in Kerala is Thenmala, home to the finest of natural retreats positioned nearby Thiruvananthapuram. To explore and comprehend the evolution of the animal world in coherence with the indomitable presence of mankind, the most ideal place to visit near Thiruvananthapuram is the ecotourism centre of Thenmala.
Thenmala - An Overview
Situated within 72 Kilometres from the capital Thiruvananthapuram of Kerala, which is a drive of less than 2 hours from this city, Thenmala provides the nature lovers the most fascinating way of getting one with nature without spoiling the treasures of the ecosystem. The adventurer seekers and nature travellers, both are attracted to the abundance of natural beauty thriving at Thenmala understanding the significance of harmony that should prevail in the ecosystem for supporting the existence of the entire human race. For leisure as well as for adventure, all sorts of interesting options available at Thenmala for the travel enthusiasts, which offer them ample opportunity to enjoy a day out at the laps of nature amidst peace and serenity as well as thrill and excitement. An exploration trip, which includes trekking uphill, mountain-biking, moving across the meandering streams, resting for a short while enjoying the cool shadows of green trees and beholding the breathtaking views of the charming water hole are some of the best activities that appeal to the beauty seekers at Thenmala. Shopping arcade, amphitheatre, food joints and a musical fountain – all make Thenmala one of the most interesting places for all here to get acquainted with the art, craft, culture and tradition of the region.
Nature at Thenmala
Nestled at the base of the Western Ghats, the quaint village of Thenmala embraces the appealing option of Thenmala Ecotourism, which flourishes across the impressive Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary. The nature reserve here wraps the greeneries over an area of 100 sq. km. inhabited by a diverse range of animal and plant life. In the local dialect, honey is known as “Then” and hillock means “Mala”, both these words being joined to offer Thenmala its name, which means hills of honey.
Attractions at Thenmala
Butterfly Safari
The luxuriant arrangement of green plantations in Thenmala at the on-site garden is an exquisite setting to attract all the exotic species of butterflies found in the region. A safari, which can be enjoyed as a guided tour amidst the lush greeneries offers the nature enthusiast a unique opportunity to behold the butterflies in their natural habitat.
Nakshatravanam
Nakshatravanam, a landscaped garden at Thenmala, is adorned by 27 green trees that signify 27 birth stars or nakshatras. A nature tour amidst the greeneries here reveals interesting facts about trees. Picnickers and sightseers curious about this place can opt for buying a book called “Stars & Trees-Trees of the Nakshatravanam” sold against a negligible amount of 250 rupees at the service station of Thenmala. Conceptualised by the Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute of Palode, the book has Thenmala Ecotourism Garden as its publisher.
Sculpture Garden
A plush surrounding, amidst which trails encircle an impressive display of manmade figurines, is thematically created as “Man And Nature” to embody the harmonized existence of nature and mankind.
Musical Fountain
The musical and colourful fountain is an orchestrated show of a uniform water shower spurting out with the accompaniment of a harmonized system of colour changing lights. The spellbinding sight of this human marvel is a prime tourist attraction at Thenmala.
Adventure at Thenmala
Adventure seekers are provided with innumerable options of enjoying thrilling and exciting activities at Thenmala comprising of walking tours, rock climbing, mountain biking and river crossing. The walking trail, which starts from the base and moves up across each of the levels shrouded with thick greeneries terminating at the Thiruvananthapuram Shenkottah Road. Moving over the rocky terrains the hikers enjoy panoramic views of the thriving tropical greens lying underneath along with whispering tunes of the refreshing breeze blowing around and the chirping sound of the birds that fly about.
Boating at Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary
The boating tours at Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary last up to one hour and the tourists are taken across the forestland to the dock on cars operated by the Thenmala Ecotourism Promotion Society. This car ride makes the sightseers conscious about the importance of pollution control to save the natural resources still thriving in the region. The wild animals in that area including Sambar, bison and elephants are the usually sighted during this boat trip, the fascinating beauty of the surroundings hills and forests being the most mesmerizing.
Conveniences for the tourists at Thenmala
An on-site information centre that unveils the attractions existing at Thenmala
Trained and professional staff to guide the visitors across the various attractions
Operated by indigenous females a shopping plaza that features gift and souvenir shops selling locally handcrafted objects
Accommodation at Thenmala
Thenmala has extensive options for the travellers regarding accommodation. People interested in extending their picnicking tour to a weekend trip at Thenmala have the choice of accommodating in a dormitory, which is charged 110 rupees for every person excluding tax. Accommodating 42 guests at a time, the dormitory features 4 rooms with 2 attached bathrooms for each of the rooms. Price for accommodation does not include the meals, which are served at the on-site restaurant. For making a stay at Thenmala a more interesting and memorable one, travellers can opt for accommodation at the tents. Toilets are situated at about 100 metres away from the tents. The facility contains 8 tents accommodating up to 16 persons in total. A night stay at the tent lasts from 6 pm to 8 am, the amount payable being 400 rupees to 1000 rupees on an average for 2 guests. International travellers are charged 500 rupees for a couple in a tent.
Conducted tours to Thenmala from Thiruvananthapuram
Guided tours to Thenmala are available for the holidaymakers in Kerala from various locations including Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala Tourism Development Corporation offers short tours to Thenmala from Thiruvananthapuram. Contact number of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation regarding these tours from Thiruvananthapuram to Thenmala is 91-4712330031. For availing the services offered by the local guides at Thenmala the contact number is 91-4752344725. One day visits or single day picnics to explore Thenmala Ecotourism, which include the educational trip to Deer Rehabilitation Center and discovery of other attractions like the Sculpture Garden and dancing fountain are extendable as customised weekend visits to the magnificent sites of the Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary, Palaruvi, Khumbhavurutty Waterfalls, Achancoil Eco-Contact Center, Courtallam Waterfalls, Kulathupuzha and the pictorial villages around the region.
