Another one of Cardamom County’s fantastic excursions into the Periyar Tiger Reserve is the Nature Hike.  If you are looking for an easier hike that lasts only a few hours but still provides an opportunity to see amazing animals, especially birds, then this hike is perfect.  The excursion lasts about three hours and is offered at various times between 7:00 and 10:30 AM and between 2:00 and 3:00 PM.   On this walk, you will hear the soundtrack of the inner jungle, as the guide leads you through the forest filled with the calls of Nilgiri Langurs and Bonnet Macaques as well the songs of a large variety of birds.

We arrived at the boat launch at 7:00 AM and were met by our guide, Kuttappan, who was exceptional.  He was extremely knowledgeable about the animals, and he knew the bird songs and calls very well.  He was also very communicative, always pointing out the call of the Malabar Whistling Thrush and the Great Hornbill.  I was very impressed.

From the boat launch, we headed across the lake basin and into the jungle.  In the forest we were immediately met by a symphony of bird songs, including the hornbill. (This trek gives guests one of the best opportunities to see the Great Indian Hornbill, one of the wild five of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.  This hornbill is the heaviest hornbill in the world, and it is truly amazing to hear its resounding calls and its whooshing wing beats as it flies overhead.)

We spent the majority of the three-hour walk in the jungle.  One of the best reasons to do this hike is to view and appreciate the many species of birds the Periyar jungle has to offer.  We found Vernal Hanging Parrot, Malabar Parakeet, Coucal species, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Great Indian Hornbill, White-cheeked Barbet, Rufous Woodpecker, Common Iora, Small and Scarlet Minivet, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Black Drongo, White-bellied Treepie, Indian Yellow Tit, Jungle Babbler, Oriental White-eye, Hill Myna, Malabar Whistling Thrush, White-bellied Blue Flycatcher, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, and Golden-fronted Leafbird.

We found many langurs and macaques in amongst the branches and were able to get great views and photos of them.  Also, I enjoyed the unbelievable trees and beautiful plants and flowers along the way.  Some of the trees are massive, and many of the flowers are stunningly colorful.

Upon leaving the jungle, we walked around the lake for a brief time where the view along the tree line was incredible.  Along this path we had great sightings of water birds, such as Little Grebe, Indian Pond Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, cormorants, and Pied and Common Kingfisher.  This excursion had special importance for me, for it was at this point that I found my 1,000th world bird, a Grey-headed Fish Eagle, soaring overhead.  We then returned to the meeting point following this route.

I highly recommend the Nature Hike as one of Cardamom County’s best treks. It does not require a huge time commitment, as you will be back within three hours of departing.  However, in those three hours, you are bound to see amazing animals.  It is an incredible experience walking inside the jungle listening to hornbills and whistling thrushes and watching langurs jump from tree to tree.  This would be a great introductory hike in the reserve prior to trying out the Bamboo Rafting and the Border Hike Excursions, and it is one you will always remember.