Kunthipuzha River and Sairandhri Watchtower.
Sairandhri (named after Sairandhri = Draupadi in disguise; the Pandavas reputedly spent exile here) is the only viewpoint accessible inside Silent Valley National Park — and even then only via the KFD-operated jeep safari from Mukkali. The Kunthipuzha River, the park's lifeline that flows the full length of the valley, is visible only from this watchtower; entry to the riverbank below is forbidden.WHY NOBODY KNOWS
The Kunthipuzha is a tributary of the Bharathapuzha; Silent Valley NP exists almost entirely to protect its rainforest catchment from the proposed (1973-83) hydro-electric dam, abandoned after one of India's first environmental campaigns. The 18m KFD watchtower at Sairandhri overlooks 100m of the river bed; binoculars-rentable at the tower for ₹50. The jeep safari is the ONLY way in (₹3,000-3,500 for full 6-seater jeep, KFD-operated); 4 trips/day, advance booking via Mukkali range office (0492-4253225) or KFD eco-tourism site. Lion-tailed macaque sightings 60-70% probability.
