Thenmala: Explore The Unexplored

The local people from Thenmala formed the Thenmala Tourism Development Co-operative Society Ltd in 1998, which falls under the Kerala Government's Co-Operative Act. Thomas K George, secretary of this society says that the Society was formed with a vision to give the local people employment. Currently this society has 310 members. According to Thomas, "The aim of this society is to change the standard of living of the local people with the help of tourism." Some of the facilities arranged by them include, well trained guides, food and accommodation, hill/tree top accommodation, traditional food supply, tented accommodation, environmental study/research facility, bird watching, trekking facility, hill climbing, adventure activities, pleasure boating, ayurveda treatment, conveyance, camp fire, pilgrim tourism, plantation tourism, environmental study for school and college students, conduct classes and seminars etc.

Further according to Thomas, presently they have 10 guides. The department of tourism, Kerala, trains all these guides under the self-employment scheme. All these guides residing in and around the area and are on service within short notice also. The Eco Development Committee undertakes trekking and members of this committee stay in the sanctuary itself. This development committee is for the economical, employment, cultural benefits of the local people. The aim of these trekking packages is to prevent destruction of forest, to discover the lives of the people living in these habitat and encourage protection of forest, to plant new trees with the help of tourists.

There are four trekking packages for you to choose from, these include, Ambanadu - Middle Achencovil - Irulankadu - Hill Forest (MSL 1100 ft.) 18km. by road. Tea, Clove and Orange plantations apart from the evergreen forests that can be seen during the treks. The other package includes Palaruvi waterfalls - Umayar - Pallivasal - Rosemala - Shenturuny wildlife sanctuary - Dharbhakulam-Pallivasal. Dense forest, rubber and tea plantation and a dam site cover Thenmala, which is also an eco-tourism destination. It is divided into eco-friendly general tourism and eco-tourism. Eco-friendly general tourism is again classified to a cultural zone, leisure zone, adventure zone, boating in the wildlife sanctuary and the Deer Rehabilitation Centre.

(Courtesy - Osaka Leisure Tours, Angamaly)