The southernmost of India’s tiger reserves and a key wildlife attraction, Periyar National Park sprawls for miles around a vast manmade lake. It’s a scenic wonderland of tangled jungle, evergreen forests and lush grasslands – surrounded by mountains and interspersed with lakes and river systems – that supports a wealth of animal and plant life. Best known for its sizeable population of wild elephants and endangered (and often elusive) Bengal tigers, Periyar also encompasses myriad other mammals, reptiles and botanical varieties, as well as approximately 265 avian species.