Kerala is a narrow land tucked between the great Western Ghats and the sprawling wavy expanse of the Arabian Sea. She is over 550 Kms long and 130 Kilometers at her widest. She is blessed by forty four perennial rivers, forty one of them flowing west in to the sea and three flowing down the mountains in to the neighbouring states. Her geography divides her in to three distinct zones – the highlands, the midlands and the low lands.

A thick cover of Evergreen rain forest occupies the Highlands. The highest peak in south India – The Anamudi is located in these ranges. Small cataracts flow these slopes like necklaces of shining pearls. The Silent Valley – the oldest surviving rainforest in the world (estimated to be 50 millions years old, enriched with rarest of rarest species facing extinction with far-reaching ecological impact across the glob) is located here. The much lower hills are covered with the rolling green carpet of tea and spice plantations. Perched atop these hills are the magnificent and yet unexplored hill stations.

The monsoon is the most distinctive season in Kerala. The tropical climate is divided in to two main seasons – the rainy and the summer. The southwest monsoon gives her regular showers from the months of June to October.

The monsoon paints the state with a fresh coat of green every year. It also feeds the thirsty mountains and the draining rivers. It has kept Kerala away from the droughts. In Kerala, a natural source of fresh water is never more than a few feet away.

The monsoon is also the most important season for traditional medicines and Ayurveda – the oldest known integrated medical science still in practice to day. In its entirety, it’s the world’s only known holistic system of healing. The practise of surgery has long stopped and has been replaced by the western system. The compendium had references to plastic surgeries being conducted during the years before the Christian era. Today, the system provides highly effective detoxification and rejuvenation therapies.

The Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary: The Aralam Sanctuary is spread over 55 sq kms of undulating forested highlands on the slopes of the Western Ghats. The highest peak here - Katti Betta - rises to a majestic 1145 m above sea level. Covered with tropical and semi evergreen forests, the Aralam Sanctuary is home to a vast variety of flora and fauna endemic to the Western Ghats. Herds of deer, elephant, boar and bison are common sights. Leopards, jungle cats and various types of squirrels are also seen here.

The Begur Wildlife Sanctuary: Wayanad lies on an elevated picturesque mountainous plateau in the Western Ghats. In this virgin land, which has not seen much human habitation later, is the Begur Wildlife Sanctuary. The forests here are amongst the most beautiful locales of Kerala. The region has a wealth of diverse species of plants and animals and is of great interest to nature lovers.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary: A unique thorny scrub forest with xerophyte species, Chinnar is the habitat for the endangered Giant Grizzled Squirrel of India. The last world count of these squirrels was less than 200. Located in the rain shadow area of the Western Ghats, unlike other sanctuaries in Kerala, Chinnar gets only 48 days of rain every year. Rich in wildlife, the mixed deciduous forests here are ideal for trekking. An extensive Sandalwood forest nearby is an added attraction. This is also an ideal place to watch herds of Bisons march past. Dry deciduous forests, high sholas and wet grasslands add to the diversity of the sanctuary. As one travels to Chinnar, Elephants, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Hanuman monkey and even Peacocks can be spotted on either sides of the road.