Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary
Chimmony wildlife sanctuary (also Chimminy))is one of the 25 bio-diversity hotspots on earth.
Located at eastern Thrissur District, it shelters several endemic and endangered species within 86 square kilometres bound.
Chimmony
joins Peechi-Vazhani and Parambikulam wildlife sanctuaries to form a
contiguous biosphere of 210 Sq. Kms. Habitat continuity facilitates
uninterrupted wildlife movements and increased diversity.
Moist
deciduous forests take up more than half of Chimmony landscape, while
tropical evergreen and semi evergreen forests fill the rest.
Starting from 40 m altitude, eastward slant escalates to hit zenith at Punda peak, 1116 m from sea level.
Temperature
reaches to a low 15 Centigrade in January.
Hovering in the low 20
degrees usually, it raises to about 30 degrees plus in peak summer of
April and May.
The only human inhabitants close to Chimmony
Wildlife Sanctuary is about 200 people belonging to Malaya tribe. Many
of them assist trekking and camping sites.
Chimmony dam
Chimmony River originates at the
western slopes of Nelliyampathy hills. Flowing through the sanctuary, it
plays a vital role in shaping up forest life. Even the Sancturay is
named after the river.
A dam is constructed across the river,
within the Sanctuary. Chimmony dam is a tourist attraction by itself.
Getting on to its top, visitors enjoy panoramic view of the basin
encircled by green hills. The artificial lake formed at the reservoir
spans 10 sq. kilometers while reaching 20 metres of depth.
Chimmony , blessed with numerous tiny creaks, also benefits from Kunumali and Mupliyam Rivers flowing through it.
Wildlife
Chimmony rain forests along the
inclines of Nelliyampathy hills form natural habitat to leopard, tiger,
elephant, bear, bison, great squirrel, sambar, and deer and many more.
However, sighting tigers and leopards during sanctuary visits is not usual.
The forests of Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary, teeming with 39 species of mammals, 160 species of birds, 25 species of reptiles, 14 species of amphibians and 31 species of fish attract nature lovers and wildlife admirers alike.
Chimmony woods are described as an important bird area. Bird lovers joyfully watch grey headed bulbul, Indian rufous babbler, lesser fish eagle and several other interesting birds.
Chimmony
Wildlife Sanctuary is also notable for the rich butterfly population.
About 100 species of butterflies brings in vibrancy and a touch of
colour. Chimmony forests are home to the rare Atlas Moth, which is considered as world’s largest moth.
Wildlife
photographers take a visit to here seriously, while trekkers find
delight in making new paths where nobody ever blazed trails.
What
visitors find appealing is the freshness of less explored terrains of
Chimmony which still remains a local secret. Journey through rocks and
rivulets may at once appear challenging and exciting.
Even after
enduring a period of haphazard human activity, still there is much left
in Chimmony. Thankfully, the wild days of indiscriminate logging are
over and Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary is in better hands.
Sightseeing and organised tours at Chimmony wildlife sanctuary
Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary has a raft of activities to keep visitors busy.
Visitors
can chose short or full day Bamboo rafting trips. Or else, can opt for
the more romantic version of rafting in moonlit waters.
Guided
bird watching trips are popular among bird lovers. If you are lucky, may
spot 50-70 species in a full day trip. Half day programs are also
offered.
Similarly, there are shorter guided walks to spot
butterflies. Relaxed walking along blossom trails leads to spotting a
couple of scores of butterflies.
Certain areas within the
sanctuary are rich in Orchids. Orchid walks, conducted here provide
insight to a world of flowers and colors. While enjoying it all, you may
come across several endangered ones.
Treks are a big deal in any Chimmony visit. Taking it into account, different types of treks are organised.
Children’s
nature walks are designed to boost youngsters’ awareness about eco
systems. Treks for adults are designed to accommodate varying levels of
adventure, excitement and exertion. So we find treks categorized as
light, moderate and heavy.
_________________________________________________________________
Accommodation
Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary can be
visited for a day or for a few days. Hands on exploration which include
treks and camping may require you to hang around here for some days.
Inspection Bungalow
The Inspection Bungalow (IB) near Chimmony dam provides accommodation. Booking need to be done in advance. The contact details are-
The Wildlife Warden, Peechi Wildlife Division Office, Peechi 680653
Ph: 91 487 2699017
Assistant Wild Life Warden, Office of the Asst: Wild Life Warden,
Chimmony Wild Life Sanctuary, Chimmony Dam P.O
Ph: 91 480 3209234
Thottupara Eco Lodge
Eco
Lodge has 5 conventional huts and 2 tree top living spaces (Machans).
They come with Kitchen and dining space. Naturalist residing at the Eco
Lodge can help in better experiencing the Butterfly garden and
Orchidarium in the vicinity.
Anaporu Eco Retreat
It
is located in an area frequented by animals. The outdoor settings of 5
thatched roof Swiss style tents are protected by trenches for protection
from elephants. Basic facilities are available.
Mulapara Eco Retreat
Here,
adventure seekers can settle into one of the three alpine tents near
Chimmony Reservoir. Camps are limited to six guests and usually for a
day or two. Camping here comes in conjunction with some serious
trekking.
Virakuthodu Camps
Facility here is limited to catering for Nature Camps. Some companies also rent here for staff training.
_________________________________________________________________
How to reach Chimmony wildlife sanctuary
Chimmony
wildlife sanctuary a.k.a Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary) is about 35 Kms
from Thrissur Town. Echippara, nearly 40 kms from Thrissur town, is the
Sanctuary head quarter.
By traveling through Thrissur – Cochin highway, Amballoor can be reached.
From there take the deviation.
After
passing through Varandarappilly and Palappilly, the journey ends at
Chimmony dam, which is about 24 Kms from Amballoor.
Also, there are buses from Thrissur North Bus stand (locally called - Vadakke stand), servicing near to Chimmony Dam.
_________________________________________________________________
Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary - Facts at a glance
Location : Central Kerala
District : Thrissur
Nearest towns : Amballur at 24 kms and Thrissur at 35 kms.
Bus Station : Thrissur Bus Station (North stand – Vadakke Stand) at 35 Kms.
Taxi/ Auto-rikshaw Hire : Thrissur Town at 35 Kms.
Railway Station : Thrissur Railway Station at 35 Kms.
Air port : Cochin Int’l Airport (COK) at 60 Kms
Food Options : No restaurants near the Sanctuary. IB provides food to staying guests. Restaurants at Thrissur, a few at Amballoor.
Accommodation Options : IB near Chimmony dam. Huts and tents at Thottupara, Anaporu and Mulapara. All of them need booking in advance.
Best time to visit : September till March.
Nearby Attractions : Thrissur
Town (food & shopping), Guruvayoor Temple, Anakkotta (Elephant
Park), Athirapally and Vazhachal Waterfalls and Peechi -Vazhani
Sanctuary.
Return from Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary to Kerala Wildlife Sanctuaries page
Return to Keralatravelpal home page
