Silent Valley National Park-"the greenest of evergreen forest ever"

 

          Silent Valley in Kerala is considered India's last area of tropical evergreen rain forest and is a precious biodiversity resource. Located in the Northeast corner of Palakkad district, Silent Valley was named a national park only in 1984.It is also called as Sairandhrivanam (the forest in the valley). Silent Valley National Park holds a valuable reserve of rare plants and herbs.The park is called Silent Valley because the loud calls of Cicadas heard elsewhere in this region are not heard here. It constitutes the centerpiece of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, an integral part of the Western Ghats, christened a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2012.

            Silent Valley has an amazing range of wildlife.More than 100 butterflies species and 400 moth species have also been observed in Silent Valley National Park. Tigers, deer, and mammals native to the South Indian Peninsula, such as the Nilgiri Langur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Lion-Tailed Macaque, Flying squirrel and Civet Cat are found in Silent Valley National Park. One can enjoy observing these rare animals and many more during the trekking in Silent Valley National Park.

         

          The flora and fauna found here makes one wonder if this ecosystem has survived since the very beginning of time. Birds such as the Malabar Hornbill, Great Indian Hornbill, hoopoes, tree pie, barbets, crow pheasant, woodpeckers, rollers, drongoes, kingfishers and parakeets can be seen in abundance in Silent Valley National park. Many varieties of snakes, amphibians and lizards can also be seen in Silent Valley. There are more than 110 species of plants in Silent Valley National Park, including many plants that are known for their medicinal properties. The best time to visit Silent Valley is from September to March, during the pleasant winter.

How To Reach Silent Valley National Park: By Air: The nearest airport to Silent Valley Park is the Coimbatore International Airport  located 117 km away.  Upon arrival at the airport, one can hail a cab or taxi to the park, or board one of the many buses that ply on the desired route for a rather economical journey.

By Rail: The nearest railway station to Silent Valley is the Palakkad Junction Railway Station located at a distance of mere 45 km from the park.

By Road: The Silent Valley Park is well connected to nearby cities via a well maintained road network. For those coming from nearby cities like Bangalore, Chennai, and Coimbatore, a road trip to the park can be an enthralling advent in either of the modes of transport – bus, cab, or one’s personal vehicle.  There are various private buses as well as those run by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) plying on this route. 

Silent Valley National Park Timings: The Silent Valley forest opens at around 6:45 AM in the morning and remains open for tourists till around 2:45 PM in the afternoon. The park is open for tourists on all days except Friday.

Silent Valley National Park Safari Timings: The park is open for all venturing inside for a safari ride from 8 AM to 5 PM (the vehicles have to return latest by 5 PM). One can venture inside the park area in different time slots as per their convenience and keeping the park timings in mind.

Silent Valley National Park Entry Fee: As compared to other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala, one needs to pay a nominal fee of INR 50/- per person as entry charges at the Silent Valley Park.

Vehicle/Jeep For 5 Persons: INR 1,600/- per person Guide Charges: INR 150/- Still Camera: INR 25/- Video Camera: INR 200/- 

Things To Do At Silent Valley National Park:

• Wildlife Safari
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• watchtower gives splendid views of the entire Silent Valley National Park.

        

• Trekking:

courtesy: https://www.keralatourism.org
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