Idukki District · 900m

Taxi Service in Thekkady

Thekkady is the gateway to Periyar Tiger Reserve, sitting just inside the Kerala border above Kumily town. Most guests arrive from Munnar or Kochi and stay two nights — one for the lake boat ride, one for a plantation walk or a bamboo rafting slot that starts before dawn.

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Getting around Thekkady

Kumily town and the sanctuary gate are 4km apart, and the hotels are scattered along that stretch and up the Amaravathy road. Early boat tickets at Periyar sell out by 8am, so a car standing by at 5:30am is not luxury here — it is how you get on the first boat.

What to see in Thekkady

Periyar Lake boat cruise90 minutes on the reservoir. First and last boats give the best animal sightings.
Spice plantationsCardamom, pepper, vanilla and coffee. Most estates around Kumily take walk-in tours.
Bamboo raftingFull-day guided trek and raft inside the reserve. Booking opens early and fills fast.
Kumily townSpice shops and the Tamil Nadu border crossing towards Cumbum and Madurai.
Mangala Devi TempleOpens only on Chithra Pournami. Forest permission required.

Thekkady taxi fares

Rates below are our standard outstation rates. Hill routes, night halts and interstate permits are quoted on top — we tell you the full number before you book, not after the trip.

Vehicle	Seats	Per km	Driver bata / day
Swift Dzire / Etios Sedan	4	₹13	₹400
Maruti Ertiga MPV	6	₹16	₹400
Toyota Innova Crysta SUV	6	₹19	₹500
Tempo Traveller 12+1 Tempo	12	₹24	₹600
Tempo Traveller 17+1 Tempo	17	₹28	₹600
Force Urbania Luxury Van	13	₹38	₹800

Minimum 250 km per day on outstation hire. Night allowance applies for driving between 10pm and 6am.

Best time to visit

September to March. The reserve is open year-round but animal sightings peak in the dry months, December to April.

Nearest airport. Cochin International Airport (COK) — 145km, about 4 hours. Madurai (IXM) is 140km on the Tamil Nadu side.

Popular routes to and from Thekkady

Thekkady taxi — questions we get asked

How far is Thekkady from Munnar?

110km through Nedumkandam, about 3.5 hours. It is a pretty drive but slow — hairpins most of the way down.

Can you take us to the 5:30am boat?

Yes. Tell us the night before and the car is outside at the time you ask.

Is Thekkady worth two nights?

One night lets you do the lake boat only. Two lets you add a plantation tour or rafting without rushing.

Can we cross to Madurai from Thekkady?

Yes, via Cumbum. It is a 4-hour drive. We run interstate with the relevant permits.

Planning a Kerala trip?

We run full itineraries — hills, backwaters and beach — with one car and one driver the whole way.

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