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Karikaiyur – Porivarai Rock Paintings
Moderate

Karikaiyur – Porivarai Rock Paintings

கரிக்கையூர் – பொறிவரை பாறை ஓவியங்கள்

The Nilgiris · Nilgiris

Difficulty
Moderate
Distance
6 km
Out and back
Duration
3 h
Highest point
1,500 m
Group size
up to 15

பாதை

About this trail

Porivarai, reached from the trekking shed at Karikaiyur in the eastern Nilgiris, is a rock shelter whose walls carry hundreds of prehistoric paintings, including animals, archers and abstract spiral motifs. Getting there is a 3 km walk each way through moist deciduous forest, and your guide can also tell you about the hill communities' tradition of harvesting honey from sheer cliffs. The trek takes about 3 hours and is graded moderate. Elephants, Indian gaur, wild boar, sloth bears, hares, tigers and leopards live in this forest, along with many birds. A must for anyone interested in history and archaeology.

Out and back: 3 km each way

When to go: Best from October to May. The south-west monsoon (June to September) brings heavy rain, leeches and occasional closures, and winter mornings on the high grasslands can be close to freezing.

காடு

Forest and wildlife

Forest type: Moist deciduous forest

Wildlife you may see

  • Tiger
  • Leopard
  • Indian gaur
  • Wild boar
  • Asian elephant
  • Sloth bear
  • Hare
  • Birds

Sightings are never guaranteed — that is the forest's charm.

Also nearby

  • Upper Bhavani Lake
  • Lake boat house
  • Doddabetta Peak
  • Tea Museum
  • Dolphin's Nose

தயாரிப்பு

What to pack

Tick these off in the Payanam app: your checklist is saved on your phone.

  • At least 2 litres of water in a refillable bottle
  • Broken-in trail shoes with good grip
  • A light warm layer for windy ridges and early starts
  • Rain shell or poncho, and a dry bag for your phone
  • Original photo ID (checked at the reception point)
  • Energy snacks in reusable boxes, not wrappers
  • Your own medicines and a small first-aid pouch
  • Cap or hat, sunscreen and sunglasses
  • Insect repellent; leech socks in the wet months
  • A small bag to carry every scrap of waste back out
  • Clothes in muted earth or forest colours

விதிகள்

Rules and safety

  1. Trek only with a booking made on Trek Tamil Nadu; entering forest areas without a permit is not allowed.
  2. Reach the reception point a little early with the ID you booked with.
  3. Walk with the Forest Department guide, keep to the path and stay with the group; no short cuts.
  4. Give animals space: never approach, follow or feed them, and step back quietly if one blocks the path.
  5. Keep voices low and phones silent; no music or drones. Skip strong perfume.
  6. No single-use plastic. Whatever you carry in, you carry out.
  7. No smoking, fires, alcohol or other intoxicants anywhere in the forest.
  8. Leave flowers, seeds, rocks and feathers where they are.
  9. Admire streams and falls from the bank; do not wade, swim or bathe.
  10. Treks can be cancelled at short notice for heavy rain, fire risk or animal movement; follow the guide's call.

Leave no trace

Carry out every scrap of waste, stay on the trail and leave the forest exactly as you found it — the heart of the Responsible Traveller pledge.

Take the Responsible Traveller pledge →

திட்டமிடுங்கள்

Plan around it

Payanam stays and experiences near the trailhead, for the nights before and after.

Stays nearby

Experiences nearby

Heritage nearby

More treks in this region