Silent Valley National Park

The Silent Valley National Park, with its lush green forests and beautiful views of the rich flora and fauna, is a popular destination for nature as well as wildlife lovers all across the globe. Spread across an area of 89 square kilometers, the Silent Valley National Park is located in the Kundali Hills of the Western Ghats in Kerala in southern India.

With its long, detailed history and the unique status of a rainforest, this national park is indeed a sight to visit. The well-planned Safari and the beautiful stop-overs around the park only make a trip to this part of Kerala more worthwhile.

A visit to this national park holds prominent significance for travelers and nature enthusiasts as this site is the last representative virgin tract of tropical evergreen forests in India. Though smaller in size when compared to the other national parks in India, what sets the Silent Valley National Park apart from all other similar sites is the Sylvan environment that the region boasts of, along with its lofty and majestic peaks and the several rivers that run through its length.

The numerous plant and animal species that can be found here are indeed worth mentioning. The park has a strong faunal and floral population, with many of the endangered species residing here blissfully, unharmed by the outer environment. The ones who are most commonly seen here are the elephant, tiger, lion-tailed macaque, gaur, wild pig, panther, and sambar.

The vegetation of this park is tropical, moist evergreen kind. It is also almost next to possible to ignore the presence of the river Kunthi, which descends from the Nilgiri Hills and then passes through this region, enchanting visitors with its crystal clear water, devoid of any impurities.

Safari at Silent Valley National Park

A safari at the national park is an exhilarating experience, and one must enjoy a safari here to explore the entire area. The safari rounds commence at 8:00 AM. This is done to ensure that an early morning entry into the area does not disturb the peaceful slumber of the animals. All of the allotted vehicles move slowly during the entire 23-kilometer ride and stop a few times on the way for five-minute photo sessions.

Even though animal sightings are quite rare, the view from the Watch Tower located at the end is quite spectacular and compensates for the former loss. This tower is located 1,050 meters above sea level. One can also trek down to the Kunthi River to see the hanging bridge.

The safari trip might disappoint you if you are not a huge tree bum since the thick vegetation of the Silent Valley evergreen forests is the only attraction. The road is unpaved, and the terrain is very bumpy. Locals of the area recommend that if you are carrying a bottle of commercial mineral water, you empty the water here and fill it to the brim with the pristine water that is found near the Watch Tower.