Tamil Nadu Tourism - Anamalai

Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary is about 90 kms from Coimbatore and is situated at an altitude of 1,400 meters in the Western Ghats near Pollachi. The area of the sanctuary is 958 km². An ecological paradise, this sanctuary encompasses a National Park. It has recently been renamed as Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park. Recently, it was converted into an integrated Anamalai Tiger Reserve. Vettaikaranpudur is enroute to Topslip from Pollachi.

¤ Tourist Attractions of Anamalai

* Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary (Anaimalai Sanctuary)
Named after the famous prime minister Indira Gandhi, this sanctuary is also referred to as the Anaimalai Sanctuary at times. It is at the core of the Nilgiri Biosphere Preserve. A wide variety of exotic animals can be seen here. Such animals include panthers, tigers, elephants, spotted deer, civet cats, and wild boars. Numerous birds can also been seen here The black headed oriole, rocket-tailed drongo, tree pie, spotted dove, and red whiskered bulbul are all birds that you could very well spot while in the sanctuary. It is possible to see all of the sites in the park by trekking or by riding in a safari van.

* Kolikamuthi Elephant Camp
The Kolikamuthi Elephant Camp is a rather exclusive place that elephants are kept trained and housed. There are 50 Malisar tribe families that live at this particular camp. The Malisar tribe belongs to the elephant handler's caste, so these families are especially skilled in working with these Asian elephants. The only way to travel into this remote elephant camp is by forest jeep. You must also receive special permission from the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary Rangers to even travel into this elephant camp. These requirements make this elephant camp an especially intriguing experience since relatively few people actually get to visit there.

* Mt Stuart Block
Mt Stuart Block is located a short three kilometers from Top Slip and is home to an ancient forest department bungalow. The grave of Hugo Wood can be found there. Hugo Wood was a British officer that made sure that teak wood saplings were planted to replace any teak timber that was harvested. His tombstone is inscribed with a Latin phrase that translates to mean “If you want to see me, look around". This area has many bears there, so sighting one is definitely a possibility. Be cautious where you step though, because so many bears mean a large amount of droppings and pug marks.

* Parambikkulam
Parambikkulam is a beautiful wildlife sanctuary that is adjacent to the Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary. It is especially known for the Parambikkulam Dam that is located there. This tourist stop offers a wide variety of jungle safaris, dam visits, and lake cruises. The only way to get to this remote location is to hire a jungle jeep. This area is a great place to visit, but the lake should not be swum in since there are many crocodiles that inhabit the area. Great care should even be taken when exploring Parambikkulam. Such animals as otters, crocodiles, elephants, wild boars, and spotted deer can be seen in this area.

* Thoonakkadavu
Thoonakkadavu is the lake that is formed by the Parambikkulam Dam. It is a beautiful water feature with amazing green forests surrounding it. It is common to be able to see otters playing on the surface of the water. Be careful when you are exploring the lake, because many crocodiles live near the water's edge. Because of those crocodiles, this lake is not a safe place to swim. It is possible, though, to take a cruise on the lake in order to better explore the area. A jungle jeep must be hired to travel to this remote lake.

* Top Slip (Topslip)
Top Slip is one of the main locations within the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. The name top slip comes from the practice carried out in 19th century, of sliding logs of teak timber down the hills that took place in this area. It is at the Top Slip Recreation area that you park your personal vehicle within the sanctuary. Your vehicle will remain there for your entire stay since personal vehicles are prohibited throughout the sanctuary. It is also here that reservation check-ins occur, forest rangers can be found, and forest jeeps are rented. The beautiful evergreen forests that surround this area are full of spotted deer, wild boar, barking deer, the Nilgiri langur, and the lion-tailed macaque.

* Trekking
Annamalai Hills is said to be the ecstasy of nature lovers! This place is greatly known for its scenic nature and it is also a right place for any visitor who desires to give an initial kick-off in trekking. Trekking in this hill will be the best start for a novice! You can follow quite different trekking routes and each trekking route will differ from simple to difficult trek! Quite few simple treks that could be taken are Pandaravara is merely 8 km, Kozhikamuthu is 12 km. These places are merely easy to trek whereas the difficult places of trekking include the Perunkundru, which is 32 km. To start your trek, you must have to get permits from the respective Range authorities at the Topslip.

* Varagaliar Elephant Camp
The Varagaliar Elephant Camp is in as remote of an area as is possible. It is located right on the fringe of the core forest. 21 domesticated elephants claim this camp as home. These elephants have not been trained to be used with tourists. Instead, these elephants are primarily used to assist with any conflicts that occur between wild elephants and man in the nearby Valparai Plateau. At this location it is becoming more and more common for elephants to intrude on tea gardens. It is very rare for someone to receive permission to visit this particular elephant camp. If permission is to be obtained, you must talk with the Deputy Conservator of Forests. Only a forest jeep can get you into this remote location.