When to visit›Kerala›Thekkady (Periyar)›December
Thekkady (Periyar) in December: a fine time to go
December: comfortable 25°C days — and inside the recommended window.
December is the middle of Thekkady (Periyar)'s season — the recommended window is October – June. Warm days around 25°C, nights near 17°C, occasional rain. Stays run about 30% above the usual rate this month.
January is in season too. The season runs to the end of June, 6 months away. The rains usually arrive in April, 4 months away.
3 days in Thekkady (Periyar) in December · from ₹9,411 for two
Stay, food & local travel — getting there extra
Day-by-day plan with the journey from your city, priced for December — ready in seconds, no sign-up.
What the weather actually does
10-year average · Thekkady (Periyar)Warm days around 25°C, nights near 17°C, occasional rain.
What a day in Thekkady (Periyar) looks like
The things most people actually do here, by time of day.
Morning
- Periyar Lake boat safari — elephant & bird watching2h 30m · easy
- Periyar Tiger Reserve jungle walk with guide3h · moderate
- Bamboo rafting on Periyar River4h · moderate
- Guided nature walk in Periyar Tiger Reserve3h · moderate
Afternoon
- Spice plantation guided tour & lunch3h · easy
- Kumily spice market & cardamom tea tasting1h 30m · easy
Evening
- Kathakali classical dance performance2h · easy
- Kalaripayattu martial arts show1h 30m · easy
About 20h 30m of activity in total — the planner spreads this across your days and fits travel time around it.
What a December trip costs · 3 days, total for two
Budget
₹9,411 for two
- Stay · 2n₹2,730
- Food₹3,510
- Local + entry₹2,540
- Buffer₹631
Mid-range
₹21,574 for two
- Stay · 2n₹6,552
- Food₹8,100
- Local + entry₹5,390
- Buffer₹1,532
Luxury
₹56,866 for two
- Stay · 2n₹23,930
- Food₹18,900
- Local + entry₹9,890
- Buffer₹4,146
December multiplier already applied (1.30× on stays). Covers stay with GST, food, local transport, entry & activities, 8% buffer for two people sharing one room — the same figures the planner opens on. Excludes travel to Thekkady (Periyar). How we price this
Add the journey from your city — see the full priceBook Thekkady (Periyar) for December
Opens with December dates for two — change them on the booking site.
Tourisma may earn a small commission if you book — it never changes your price.
A December plan, day by day
3 days in Thekkady (Periyar) for December, at this month's stay rates.
- 1🌿 Nature Day3h out
- Spice plantation guided tour & lunch · afternoon, 3h
Safari timings are strict — arriving today means you're ready for the early morning tomorrow.
- 2🏔️ Adventure Day7.5h out
- Bamboo rafting on Periyar River · morning, 4h
- Kumily spice market & cardamom tea tasting · afternoon, 1.5h
- Kathakali classical dance performance · evening, 2h
Adventure activities are clustered here to maximise energy and minimise repeated transit. Start early — conditions are best before noon.
- 3🌿 Nature Day2.5h out
- Periyar Lake boat safari — elephant & bird watching · morning, 2.5h
Final day in Thekkady (Periyar) — these natural sites are best experienced in sequence — morning freshness for the trails, afternoon for the valleys.
Swap places, change the pace, set your own dates.
Plan my Thekkady (Periyar) tripGetting to Thekkady (Periyar)
Usually the biggest line in the budget — and the one the estimate above leaves out.
Kochi → Thekkady
bus · 4.5h
₹250
1 way / person
Alleppey → Thekkady
cab · 3h
₹2,200
1 way / person
Cheapest listed route is Kochi → Thekkady by bus. Return for two works out to about ₹1,000 — so a whole trip lands near ₹10,411 for two, travel included.
Fares are typical one-way estimates per person from Thekkady (Periyar)'s common gateways, not live prices — book early and expect festival months to run higher.
Every month, scored
What you’ll actually do in Thekkady (Periyar)
All of these are open in December.
- Periyar Lake bamboo rafting
- Elephant sighting at lake shore
- Tiger Trail jungle walk (3 nights)
- Cardamom plantation guided walk
- Pepper plantation
- Kumily spice market
- Kalaripayattu martial arts show
- Murikkady spice gardens
- Chellarkovil waterfalls
- Mangaladevi Temple (permit required)
- Border Hiking Trail
- Boating at Periyar Lake
Within reach: Periyar Lake boat safari · Spice plantation tours · Bamboo rafting · Cardamom Hills trek · Mangaladevi Temple.
Packing for December
- Light layers and a jacket for the evenings.
- Sunscreen and a cap for long days outdoors.
- Neutral-coloured clothes, binoculars and a warm layer for open-jeep safaris at dawn.
December questions, answered
Is December a good time to visit Thekkady (Periyar)?
Yes — December is one of Thekkady (Periyar)'s best months: it sits in the middle of the recommended season (October – June), and warm days around 25°C, nights near 17°C, occasional rain. Tourisma's fit score for December is 89/100.
See a December plan for Thekkady (Periyar)How much does a trip to Thekkady (Periyar) cost in December?
A typical 3-day trip for two costs from ₹9,411 (budget) to ₹56,866 (luxury), excluding travel to Thekkady (Periyar). Seasonally adjusted for December.
Price it for your group and cityWhen is the best time to visit Thekkady (Periyar)?
The best months are February, January, December. From December: January is in season too. The season runs to the end of June, 6 months away. The rains usually arrive in April, 4 months away.
What is there to do in Thekkady (Periyar)?
Periyar Lake bamboo rafting. Elephant sighting at lake shore. Tiger Trail jungle walk (3 nights). Cardamom plantation guided walk. Pepper plantation. Kumily spice market. Kottayam is the nearest railhead, 115 km away.
Part of a longer route
Most people visit Thekkady (Periyar) as one stop of several.
Nearby, same trip
Elsewhere in India in December
Also in season this month, from Tourisma's ranking of all 238 destinations for December.
- North Goa Beaches · Goa · from ₹16,618 for two, 4 days
- Rann of Kutch · Gujarat · from ₹5,335 for two, 2 days
- Konark Sun Temple · Odisha · from ₹4,708 for two, 2 days
- Kohima · Nagaland · from ₹5,530 for two, 2 days
- South Goa Beaches · Goa · from ₹11,734 for two, 4 days
- Pelling · Sikkim · from ₹4,514 for two, 2 days
- Gangtok · Sikkim · from ₹9,916 for two, 3 days
- Kisama (Hornbill Festival) · Nagaland · from ₹7,593 for two, 2 days
Want this as a real plan?
Thekkady (Periyar) in December, priced for your group, dawn-starts built in — about 40 seconds.
From ₹9,411 for two · stay, food & local travel — getting there extra
Plan Thekkady (Periyar) in December