VANAMCOVE 
Salim Ali's richest bird habitat
Why this weekend?
The day-by-day plan
Day 1 · The birds
- Bird trail
- Watchtower
- Rare-bird stop
Day 2 · The river
- River decks
- Night walk
- Return
Geography & terrain
Thattekad Bird Sanctuary lies in the Ernakulam district of Kerala at about 100 m, 60 km from Kochi and 12 km from Kothamangalam — the bird sanctuary of the region, its 1972-era park, the rare birds and the river set on the Western Ghats' west edge.
History & culture
The park's story runs with the 1983 notification era — the bird sanctuary of the 1972-era park and the 1983-era notification of the Kerala forest service, with the park's modern role as the birding stop of the Kochi circuit and the home of the rare birds and the 1980s-era towers and the 2010s-era trails; the park's history of the 2000s-era surveys and the river decks, gives Thattekad its bird character.
Where to stay
Budget
₹1,500–3,500/night
Mid-range
₹3,500–7,000/night
Comfort
₹7,000+/night
Things to do
- Bird sanctuaries
- Watchtowers
- Rare-bird corners
- River decks
- Night walks
Eat & drink
- Karimeen pollichathu
- Appam with stew
- Malabar porotta
- Sadya on banana leaf
Getting there
- Fly
- Kochi (COK) / Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) / Kozhikode (CCJ)
- Train
- Kochi, Kollam, Kozhikode junctions
- Road from Kochi
- varies by district — 50–400 km
- Getting around
- Autos, KSRTC buses, ferry networks
Budget snapshot
- Total
- ₹10,000–18,000 (2 days)
- Per day · Stay
- ₹1,500–7,000/night
- Per day · Food
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Transport
- ₹1,200–1,600
- Per day · Activities
- ₹2,500–2,900
Month by month
- Jan · Best
- 20–31°C · None rain
- Feb · Best
- 21–33°C · None rain
- Mar · Hot
- 23–35°C · None rain
- Apr · Hot
- 25–36°C · Moderate rain
- May · Pre-monsoon
- 26–35°C · Moderate rain
- Jun · Monsoon
- 24–32°C · Heavy rain
- Jul · Monsoon
- 23–31°C · Heavy rain
- Aug · Monsoon
- 23–31°C · Heavy rain
- Sep · Monsoon tail
- 24–32°C · Heavy rain
- Oct · Good
- 24–33°C · Moderate rain
- Nov · Best
- 22–32°C · Light rain
- Dec · Best
- 20–31°C · None rain
Practical info
- Language: Malayalam (English understood in tourist spots)
- Best window: Nov–Mar
- Connectivity: good 4G in towns
- UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops
Practical tips
- The season (Nov–Mar) holds the birds
- The mornings hold the best sighting
- Pairs with Munnar for the circuit
Frequently asked questions
What is Thattekad?
The bird sanctuary of the Kerala.
What is there to do?
The birds, the towers and the trails.
How long is the visit?
Two days.
Salim Ali's richest bird habitat
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