KUMAAR HOLIDAYS

No. 42, Chowdary Nagar Main Road,

Valasaravakkam, Chennai-600 087.
Cell: 78109 86933 / 78108 96933 / 93810 61000
E-mail: kumaarholidays1@gmail.com
www.kumaarholidays.com

Thenmala is a first planned Eco tourism spot in India. In

Thenmala there are 3 zones namely Leisure Zone, Adventure
Zone and Culture Zone. Adventure Zone offers various
adventurous activities namely rock climbing, mountain biking,
river crossing, Burmese bridge walk, boating in the forest
pond, rapelling etc.
The major tourist attractions here in Adventure zone of
Thenmala are, Forest Canopy Elevated walkway bridge, Nature
trails through the forested hills. You shouldn't miss this
adventure spot of Thenmala ecotours, even if you are not
much adventurous. Being adventurous helps you to get the
most out of this eco tourism location of southern Kerala. For a
Nature tourist the canopy walkway and Nature trails will be an
experience with chances to watch the nature, birds and the
mighty forest trees closer walking towards them.

After verifying the tickets you will be entering right into a

museum here. A descriptive display of all the types of rope
knots used during rock climbing like adventure sports and also
by Surgeons, Fishermen, rescue professionals, sailors etc.
From the knot museum you will move on to the Canopy
Walkway or Elevated bridge of the adventure zone, a must visit
here.
From canopy bridge you can either walk to the top of the hill
and traverse through the nature trails or select a more
adventurous way to go down to the forest pond through a rope
(valley crossing), exactly the same way you have to cross the
river using ropes. The information board says, "Resemble
Canopy Walkway. The canopy bridge hangs suspended over the
forest floor". Specifications of the bridge is gives as, Length of
the Bridge: 120 meter, Number of Steps: 109, Number of tree
canopies: 11 big trees. The platform of the bridge is done with
of wooden planks paved over steel structure,very similar to
the old hanging bridge of Punalur.

The view of the bridge that winds up between the trees,

snapped from some what, a quarter length up. What you can
get is a close encounter with the forest trees and the flying
and jumping tree top wild life.Canopy walkways were used for
studying the flora and fauna by watching them closer by
researchers. Present days are time of canopy cranes for the
same purpose. Wonder if they using tree houses too for living
in
the
forest
canopy
while
research.
Huge canopy hanging bridges are still existing through rain
and tropical forests, mostly intended for tourism and
recreation. Some of the famous eco tourism canopy walkways
are the Canopy walk bridge of Amazons, Dhilinza forests, and
some of them seen in South African forests. The longest and
highest canopy walkway is in Taman Negara, a hanging canopy
walk which may swing as you walk.
The canopy bridge here in Thenmala winds through the big
forest trees to the top of the hill and connects you to the
pathway that extends through the hill there.You can continue
your nature walk through the trails of nature winding through
the hilltop after getting there through this bridge.You can
access the rock climbing spot from there. And to the nervous
ones, don't be afraid as the bridge won't swing as you walk for
it's a fixed steel structure over pillars. The canopy bridge has
resting platforms and viewing points in between. Being with a

group you have amazing chances for taking memorable photos

here posing in between the green lush of dense forest trees.

The calm and quiet small forest pond seen at the valley below
the canopy walking bridge. In the manual a lotus pond is listed
here in the adventure zone which is said to have many water
plants.
Adventure Attractions like Burmese bridge, bow and arrow
target practice, photo point rock, river crossing, valley
crossing etc are concentrated around this pond. A spider net
for tourist adventures was present. Some pedal and row boats
are seen in the pond and a lady is there to manage the boating
activities here. some of the boats resembling the shape of
basket boats of Hogenekkal river journey.

The rope bridge model of Burma, which is meant for the

adventure tourists coming to this adventure zone.
The tourist information board near to the bridge says:- the
bridge is of 30 meters long and what it 's written there about
the bridge is, "Burma bridge is a body balancing activity of
ropes on the obstacle course that link two ground structures.
Burma bridge usually has a large thick rope to support feet
and two smaller ropes on either sides for holding hands. We
organize these adventure sport activities keeping in mind all
the safety measures".
Eventhough the real Burma bridge has only a rope to walk,
here they have provided sticks to support the feet.. Hmm may
be giving an opportunity even for grannies to have some
adventures here.
The whole place is drenched in the beauty and calmness of the
forest around and if you a nature tourist you will be preferring
to excavate the nature trails through forests more than any
other activities here. The sign boards in nature trails are

interesting, ceramic arrows fixed in walking trail side rocks or

on the nature trails itself.
The eco tourism points coming under the Thenmala eco
tourism project is scattered throughout the forests here in the
southern part of Western ghats. So many waterfalls are there
deep inside and also in the outer circles of the forests around
Thenmala, like the famous waterfalls of Palaruvi. You should
visit Thenmala if you a tourist or traveller who loves
adventure, trekking, nature, mountain biking or someone who
want to disappear into the forests and relax with nature from
the daily busy life. Along with natural attractions many tourist
activities are planned here for the needed tourists everyday
like forest camping, trekking by the ecotour authorities.

LIFE IS EITHER A
DARING ADVENTURE
OR NOTHING

KUMAAR HOLIDAYS
No. 42, Chowdary Nagar Main Road,
Valasaravakkam, Chennai-600 087.

Cell: 78109 86933 / 78108 96933 / 93810

61000
E-mail: kumaarholidays1@gmail.com
www.kumaarholidays.com