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| Last Updated:: 16/01/2025

Ecotourism

     

            Eco tourism means management of tourism and conservation of nature in a way so as to maintain a fine balance between the requirements of tourism and ecology on one hand and the needs of the local communities for jobs, new skills, income generation and a better status for women on the other. The World Tourism Organisation has defined Eco tourism as 'Tourism that involves traveling to relatively undisturbed natural areas with the specified objects of studying, admiring, and enjoying nature and its wild plants and animals, as well as existing cultural aspects found in these areas'. In total, the definitions focus on three significant aspects - nature, tourism and local communities. It differs in the meaningful ways from mass tourism that aims at consuming nature and leaving it depleted on more than one front. Eco tourism aims at promoting environmental values and ethics and preserving nature in its uninterrupted forms. It thus benefits wildlife and nature by contributing towards ecological integrity. The tourists have a firsthand encounter with nature and learn to admire it than to ravage it. Since the essence of eco tourism lies in admiration of nature and out door recreation, it encompasses a wide range of activities such as trekking, hiking, mountaineering, bird watching, boating, rafting, biological explorations and visiting wildlife sanctuaries. The key elements of eco tourism are

 

  • A well preserved eco tourism site to attract tourists
  • Cultural and adventure activities
  • Active involvement of local people who are able to provide authentic information about nature, culture and their ethnic traditions to the visitors.
  • Empowering the local communities to manage eco tourism so that they ensure conservation through alternate livelihood opportunities.

   

Eco-tourism in Kerala

 

                  Ecotourism in Kerala was developed as part of the Participatory Forest Management for the benefit of the forest dependent communities. The service charges collected from the visitors of these sites constitute the Eco-system Management Fund which is utilised for maintenance and protection of the ecotourism centres, removal of wastes, providing basic visitor amenities and security to the visitors and remuneration to the members of VSS/EDCs engaged in various activities in the ecotourism sites. At present there are 389 Vana Samrakshana Samithies and 187 Eco Development Committees registered with the 35 Forest Development Agencies. The VSSs and EDCs are grass root-level organisations where forest dependent families are members participating in the planning and implementation of various forestry and community development programmes.

 

              Ecotourism products like facilitation Centre, Camping Units, Interpretation centres, Trekking Trails, Purchase of Trekking and Camping Gears were developed in eco-tourism sites in Kerala including Neyyar-Peppara, Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary, Palaruvi Water falls, Thenmala Ecotourism, Thattekkad Wildlife Sanctuary, Silent Valley National Park, Eravikulam National Park, Pythalmala,Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary, Peechi Wildlife sanctuary, Vazhachal and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. Visitation of domestic tourists has reached upto the carrying capacity of many destinations.

 

 

Tips for Visitors

 

  • Total silence and discipline is required to spot wild animals.
  • Early mornings and late afternoons are the ideal time to visit forests.
  • Travelling alone is prohibited, especially in the Elephant Reserves.
  • Do not wear colourful clothes or perfumes. Khakis, browns and greens are best suited.
  • Always carry drinking water, tea/coffee, snacks etc.
  • Seek the assistance of a forest guard while going into the forests.
  • Do not disturb or tease animals.
  • Trekkers are advised to use jungle boots to ensure safety.
  • Carry a first aid kit with medicines for common ailments.
  • Do not litter the surroundings.
  • Do not remove anything from the Sanctuary.
  • Carry a notepad, flashlight, road maps, bus/train/airline timetables.
  • Do not try to explore unfamiliar things. 

 

  Prominent Ecotourism Locations in Kerala

 

1 Thiruvananthapuram

Arippa

 

       2

Thiruvananthapuram

Kallar

 

       3

Thiruvananthapuram

Mankayam

 

       4

Thiruvananthapuram

Ponmudi

 

      5

Thiruvananthapuram

Kottoor

 

       6

Thiruvananthapuram

Peppara

 

       7

Thiruvananthapuram

Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary

 

       8

Kollam

Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary

 

       9

Kollam

Manalar-Kumbhavurutti

 

       10

Kollam

Palaruvi Waterfalls

 

     11

Kollam

Kudukathupara

 

       12

Pathanamthitta

Konni-Adavi-Gavi

 

     13

Pathanamthitta

Konni Ecotourism

 

   14

Pathanamthitta

Adavi Bowl Boat Centre

 

15 Alappuzha Pathiramanal

 

16 Kottayam

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary

 

17

Kottayam

 

Illikkal Kallu
18 Kottayam

Vembanad Lake

 

19 Kottayam

Aruvikuzhy Waterfalls

 

  20

Idukki

Pettimudi

 

   21

Idukki

Chellarkovil

 

  22

Idukki

Kalvari Mount

 

   23

Idukki

Thommankuth

 

   24

Idukki

Shola National Park

 

   25

Idukki

Chinnar Sanctuary

 

  26

Idukki

Eravikulam National park

 

  27

Idukki

Vallakadavu

 

   28

Idukki

Periya Tiger Reserve

 

   29

Idukki

Chokramudi

 

  30

Idukki

Kainagiri Waterfalls

 

   31

Idukki

Marayoor Anakottapara Nature Park

 

   32

Idukki

Rajiv Gandhi Nature Park

 

  33

Ernakulam

Vellappara

 

  34

Ernakulam

Thattekad Bird Sanctuary

 

   35

Ernakulam

Windy Walk at Vagavanam

 

   36

Ernakulam

Bhoothathankettu

 

   37

Ernakulam

PaniyeliPoru

 

           38  

Ernakulam

Mulamkuzhi Waterfalls

 

           39  

Thrissur

Athirapally & Vazhachal

 

     40  

Thrissur

Chimmony

 

     41

Thrissur

Peechi –Vazhani

 

    42

Palakkad

Meenvallam Waterfalls

 

    43

Palakkad

Minnampara

 

    44

Palakkad

Parambikulam Tiger Reserve

 

    45

Palakkad

Silent Valley National Park

 

    46  

Palakkad

Nelliyampathy Hills

 

    47  

Palakkad

Dhoni Waterfalls

 

    48  

Palakkad

Ananganmala

 

          49  

Palakkad

Irulankunnu Waterfalls

 

          50

Palakkad

Thodukappu Ecotourism

 

          51  

Malappuram

Nedumkayam Rainforest

 

          52

Malappuram

Kodikuthimala

 

          53

Malappuram

Conolly's Plot

 

          54

Malappuram

Kozhippara Waterfalls

 

          55

Malappuram

Chaliyar

 

          56  

Kozhikode

Kakkad

 

          57  

Kozhikode

Thusharagiri Waterfalls

 

          58  

Kozhikode

Kakkavayal- Vanaparvam

 

          59  

Kozhikode

Kakkayam

 

                60  

Kozhikode

Peruvannamoozhy

 

          61

Kozhikode

Janakikad

 

62

Kozhikode

 

Arippara Waterfalls

         63  

Wayanad

Kuruva Islands

 

         64  

Wayanad

Varambetta Mosque

 

         65

Wayanad

Soochipara Waterfalls

 

         66

Wayanad

Chembra Peak

 

  67  

Wayanad

Muneeswarankunnu

 

         68  

Wayanad

Brahmagiri Peak

 

         69  

Wayanad

Banasura Meenmutti Falls

 

         70

Wayanad

Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary

 

        71

Wayanad

Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary

 

        72

Kannur

Alakapuri Waterfalls

 

        73

Kannur

Paithalmala Manjapullu

 

        74

Kannur

Sasippara

 

        75

Kannur

Palukachi

 

        76

Kannur

Meenmutti - Aralam

 

        77

Kasargod

Ranipuram Hills

 

 

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