Congratulations to the team. In 2014 and 2015, you were awarded the Trip Advisors’ Certificate of Excellence.
In 2017, you were awarded Trip Advisors’ top accolade, the Travellers’ Choice Award.
And now, in 2018, you have again received this award – 2018 Travellers’ Choice.
Well done to the team. You deserve it.
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For the grizzled giant squirrel high trees are an ideal habitat.
The squirrels have taken up residence in a number of
neighbour’s gardens. From time to time, they are seen at the
Sadayandi Temple.
They are on the ‘near threatened’ list of the International Union
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
At the moment our mixed habitats aren’t so suited to it, although
Chris saw one sunning itself on the solar panel, by the pool.
The monsoon failed and the temperatures are rising, yet there are still plenty of birds around. Yesterday morning guests watched as a flock of around twenty painted stork wheeled around above the remnants of Kamarajar Lake.
Nearer to home, bee eaters have taken to diving into the pool.
Barking Deer are becoming regular visitors on the hillside behind Cardamom House, where there is good cover in the dense vegetation. Occasionally they appear in the clearings above the rocks. More often, we hear them but don’t spot them!
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Over the last few months giant squirrels have been spotted at Cardamom House and in the surrounding gardens and countryside. Their body is roughly the size of European domestic cat. with the tail the same length again.
This is evidence that, as the valley becomes more vegetated, the flourishing habitat is proving hospitable to a wider range of wild life.
Thanks, Polpandi, for taking these photographs.
]]>There are so many things to do at Cardamom House. You can spend the day locally, visit the nearby village of Athoor or go on half or full day trips.
Cardamom House is ideal for relaxation and contemplation.
Hours can be whittled away reading, writing, sketching, photographing and watching the world go by.
The swimming pool (11m x 6m x 1.5 m) has a separated children’s access area. There are sun loungers and a shaded area.
There is a sports area for volleyball and badminton.
You can walk around the lake or climb up to the Sadayandi Temple a cave, overlooking the lake.
Some guests practice yoga and meditation.
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At Cardamom House we have a wide range of visitors. Kumar and the rest of the staff team are always alert for new visitors .Here are some of the most recent visitors. We have so many bird books to check out the names of the birds. It is good to see that many of them have been attracted by a full Lake. The painted stork is an exotic visitor, which roosts in colonies on the far shore.
What do you do when you fancy a change of scene and a slightly cooler environment? You go on a picnic of course.
A group of us headed into the hills, returning via Padrimalai. It gave us a chance to look at the other side of our mountain.
As the grounds around Cardamom House evolve, a variety of habitats are developing, ranging from shrub, to flower gardens, to more established trees and to open grassland. In addition we have views across the lake and up onto the hillside. This means we have a richness of birdlife.
For a few nights a tailor bird rested at night beside our entrance driveway. A number of birds are currently nesting.
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If interested please contact a staff member.
The tour is conducted by an experienced guide, generally in the morning, as there is more to see and it’s cooler. Things to be seen change from day to day. For example, schools are closed on Sundays.
On the tour you might visit
- the goat herders’ village;
- the local primary school;
- Athoor Village Square;
- the Catholic Church;
- small temples.
Local industries include
- brick making and chamber kilns;
- sari making on hand looms;
- rope making from coconut fibre;
- the market;
- rice milling;
- charcoal making.
Guests normally have their own car and driver. If you do not have a vehicle, we can arrange to rent an auto rickshaw or taxi on your behalf from Athoor Village.
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