Wayanad district is situated in the north east part of Kerala. The name – Wayanad – is a combination of Vayal (paddy field) and naadu(Land) making it the ‘Land of Paddy fields’. Streams, waterfalls, dense forests, amazing variety of flora and fauna… are the specialties of this land. There are many tribal groups living in this area. A large area of the district is covered by Wayanad forests filled with enchanting beauty of nature everywhere. Tourists arrive here everyday to explore Wayanad’s attractions hidden in the forests.
Kuruva island, Haritagiri, Vythiri village, Chembra peak, Pookot lake, Edakkal cave and Lakkidi ranks high in the list of most beautiful Wayanad places. Thirunelli Temple and Ananthanatha Swamy Temple are the two very famous pilgrimage centers in Wayanad. Wayanad churam is a much famed mountain pass in the district. The amazing curves of the ‘churam’ are worth a watch! Wayanad weather is very healthy through out the year. Wayanad tourism has a variety of options for travelers to spend their valuable time in the rich forests of Wayanad. For accommodation, there are lots of resorts and hotels over there and Wayanad home stays are also available. Kalpetta is a major hub to all the tourist destinations in Wayanad. This place, which is the headquarters of Wayanad district, offers opportunities to enjoy cool highlands, adventure, wildlife and farm tour.
Chembara Peak
At 2100 metre above sea level, Chembra Peak is the highest peak in Wayanad. It is part of the Wayanad hill ranges in Western Ghats.
The peak is a favourite spot1 for adventure tourism, with enough facilities for trekking and mountaineering. Climbing the peak will take almost a day. The peak can be accessed by foot from Meppady. Prior permission of the forest office there is required for climbing the hill.
The district tourism promotion council provides all the necessary equipments on rent for the trekkers. One could stay a day or two at the mountain top in makeshift camps.
The peak is 15 km away from Kalpetta
Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary
Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary is a very crucial part of the Nilgiri biosphere. The sanctuary is spread over an area of 345 sq. km and is on the border with Karnataka. And this is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the Malabar region.
The forest department of the state government is providing facilities for elephant rides in the forest. On the way one could see elephant herds, deer, Indian bison, cheetah and bear could be spot1ted. Birds like peacock and peafowl are common presence.
The sanctuary is linked to Nagarhole and Bandipur sanctuaries of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamil Nadu.
Muthanga is located 39 km away from Kalpetta.
Soochippara Water Falls
The waterfall at Soochippara near Meppadi has a magical attraction. The cascades have heights ranging between 100 and 300 feet and collects into a pool below. This provides the opportunity for water sports like rafting, swimming and bathing.
Another attraction here is the tree houses. From these tree top huts one could see the sprawling valleys around.
Also known as ‘Sentinel Rock Waterfall’, this spot1 located 22 km from Kalpetta.
Vythri
An absolutely stunning location amidst the dense forests in Wayanad’s high ranges, Vythri is renowned for its refreshing, pollution free environment. Expedition to Vythri is more than just wonderful
Meenmutty Waterfalls
Located in reserve forest, Meenmutty waterfalls can only be reached by trekking through some inhospitable grounds. However, the end result of this adventurous trail is very much rewarding, making Meenmutty a haven of adventurists.
Edakkal Cave
The Edakkal cave is really a cleft in the rock about 96ft. long and 22ft wide in the Ambukuthy mountain. But it looks like a cave for the casual looker.
What make this massive rock special are the carvings of the pre historic age. The carvings represent human and animal figures and objects of human use and symbols. They indicate the presence of a civilized human population in that time.
The caves can be approached by 1km trekking trail starting from Edakkal.
Edakkal cave is 27 km away from Kalpetta town.
Lakkidi
One of the highest locations in Wayanad, Lakkidi gets the highest average rainfall in Kerala. Lakkidi is the gateway of Wayanad and lies atop the Thamarassery pass.
Mountains, streams, thick forest and the panoramic view of the valley are exciting images. It is one of the vantage locations to experience the magic and mood of the monsoon in the woods.
The chain tree is a popular halt near here. The large Ficus tree bound by a chain has a legend behind it. It is believed that the chain harnesses the spirit of a tribal youth, which used to torment travelers along this route. It was this youth who guided a British engineer instrumental in building the Wayanad pass. The youth was later killed by the engineer as he wanted the full credit of the discovery, the saying goes.
Lakkidi is about 58 km away from Kozhikode.
Kuruva Island
Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary
The main attraction of Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary is the night camping in deep woods. The sanctuary is rich in animal life, which could be spot1ted on a jeep safari. There is lake inside the sanctuary and it is the main water source for the animals and birds.
The watch-tower near the lake is a vantage point to watch the animals coming to the lake to drink water. Bison, deer, langur, wild squirrel, jungle cat, elephant and numerous birds are common sight. If you are lucky, you could spot1 an Indian tiger too.
Tholpetty is 52 km from Kalpetta.
Pookot Lake
A perennial fresh water lake in green mountains, Pookot Lake is a much favoured spot1 for travelers who wish to be one with nature.
Apart from natural beauty, the place has a freshwater aquarium, children’s park and boating facility. Visitors can go for some travel memorabilia at the handicrafts emporium. The shop also has quality Kerala spices for sale.
The lake is 13 km away from Kalpetta.
Banasura Dam
Banasura Dam is the largest earth dam in India and the second largest in Asia. Located amidst big mountains and thick forests, the dam site is a scenic beauty.
When the dam is full, many small islands will be formed in the upstream region. Largely undisturbed, the dam and its premises are good picnic spot1s.
It is located around 25km away from Kalpetta.