The forests around the River House are inviting, hosting some of the most diverse flora and fauna in the world. A trek to the famous Boothathankettu Dam will take you through the dense evergreen riparian forests, past tiny caves believed to be used by the fabled Bhoota tribe and a giant tree with a hollow large enough to fit a human. The dam itself is gorgeous, with a view of giant boulders breaking the water – boulders that many people believe are remnants of a forgotten time when the Bhootas tried and failed to build their own dam. The trek is fairly short and relaxed, and anyone who’s taken an evening walk can easily manage it.
Set in the foot hills of the mighty Western Ghats, here you have low land evergreen and semi evergreen forests, teak plantations of the forest department, and rubber estates. All this by the side of the river Periyar offers a wide range of Flora & fauna to explore and mesmerizing beauty of nature.
For the more enthusiastic a trip to Thatekkad Eco tourism project about 18Kms away is an opportunity to walk through parts of the forest and around marshes and is a popular spot for birding. It is worth exploring the Boothathamkettu Eco tourism project about 35Kms away, a trail leading through the forest to get to the Periyar river. You would enjoy the walk through the evergreen riparian forests, with interesting sights as a huge hollow tree, caves, sights of the river, and a nice Machan (tents on stilts) to catch the views and rest for a bit.