Conservation Tourism

A Great Finale To Our Kerala Experience

/ Barbara Lang / 2 Comments

Photo credit: Milo Inman

Our time at Cardamom County in Thekaddy, Kerala was way too short.  After returning from a wonderful trip with River Escapes in the backwaters of Kerala we headed for the state’s iconic hill stations in the Western Ghats.  I suggested to my husband Dave that we take a taxi, but being a former backpacker, he urged me to give the bus a chance.  I stood my ground, insisting the trip would take several hours and I could bet the buses wouldn’t pass an inspection. But Dave was persistent and persuasive – I acquiesced and don’t regret that decision for one moment.  It was a wild ride.

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A Summer in Muir Woods

/ Organikos / 1 Comment

Guest Author: Robert Frisch

In the summer between the first and second years of nearly every MBA program, students are tasked with finding themselves a three-month internship.  Some advise trying to round out your resume by focusing on your weaknesses.  Others say to shoot for a well-known company that will lend you credibility.  For me, I knew that I wanted to spend my time doing something that I love and feel passionate about.   A position in the realm of sustainable hospitality, land conservation, or eco-tourism was what I was looking for.  I had a few interviews for a sustainability position in a hotel real estate investment trust (REIT), talked to a conservation focused management firm based in India, and a for-profit land conservation company based in Chile.  I would have never guessed it, but I ended up accepting a position as a summer consultant to the National Parks Service in San Francisco. Continue reading →

A Perfect Sendoff and a Nostalgic Farewell

/ Ben Barkley / 2 Comments

It is amazing how fast ten weeks can go by.  I remember sitting in the library at Cardamom County writing about my first day of birding here; I remember how excited I was to see barbets, minivets, and leafbirds from the parking lot.  Now, ten weeks later with about a dozen activities completed and many birding expeditions into the Periyar Tiger Reserve under my belt, I’m suddenly looking back on fond memories.  My first excursion into Periyar was a Bamboo Rafting trip along Periyar Lake.  To be honest, I was a little overwhelmed in this strange new place with its checklist of over 300 unfamiliar birds.  As is always the case with Periyar, the excursion was a blast, and that trend continued with the Border Hike, the Nature Walk, the Tiger Trail, the Green Walk, and indeed with every trip into the Reserve.

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Kovalam Beach

/ Salim.E.I / Leave a comment

Kovalam lies 16 kms  south of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala’s Capital.  Three crescent shaped beaches surrounded by rocky outcroppings form the main attraction of this coastal resort. The coast is backed by steeply rising headlands covered in verdant coconut palms, especially the southernmost Lighthouse Beach. The green hinterlands provide a refreshing backdrop to the white sandy beaches, offering privacy and seclusion.

Beauty of Munnar

/ Salim.E.I / 2 Comments

The hill station Munnar lies 1600 metres above sea level, making it the perfect summer resort of the British Administration in South India before independence. Now famous for its tea plantations Munnar retains its colonial charm. With its sprawling estates, rolling hills, sparkling waterfalls, picture postcard hamlets and undulating valleys, Munnar has all the makings of an idyllic holiday destination.

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Green Walk

/ Ben Barkley / 3 Comments

There is nothing quite like waking up in the morning knowing that you are about to enjoy a beautiful hike through the incredible Periyar Tiger Reserve.  Sign up for the Green Walk and experience not only this wonderful feeling but also the sights and sounds that make Periyar so special.  A three-hour hike, the Green Walk takes you through some of the most amazing habitat the reserve has to offer.  With Great Hornbills flying overhead and langurs calling from the trees, the Green Walk is certainly a hike to remember.

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