Wayanad City Guide
Travel to famous hillstation of Wayanad in the state of Kerala, the city that entices its travelers through its spectacular tourist's attractions. Wayanad mountains houses some of the famous tourist attractions like Chethalayam Waterfall, famous Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary which are a must travel during your holiday trip to Wayanad.
Nestled among the mountains of the western ghats, Wayanad is one of the most beautiful hill stations of Kerala. This green paradise, located at a distance of about 76 kms at an altitude of 700-2100 m above sea level. The name Wayanad is believed to have been derived from the word, Vayalnadu, meaning the land of paddy fields. Wynad is known for its spice and tea plantations.
Wayanad has a history of its own. You can spot numerous evidences of the New Stone Age civilization on the hills of Wayanad. The two caves of Ampukuthimala located between Sultan Bathery and Ambalavayal, have wonderful paintings and pictorial writings on their walls, explaining to you the richness of the past civilization of the region. It's also the one of the important tribal areas of Kerala. The native Adivasis mainly consist of various sects like Paniyas, Kurumas, Adiyars, Kurichyas, Ooralis and Kattunaikkans.
Chief Tourist Attractions
There are plenty of tourist spots in Wayanad. The most famous among them are:
Banasura Dam : This is regarded as the largest earth dam of India. Many islands type of landscape emerges here during the monsoons, when the dam is full of water. These islands with the background of the Banasura hill can surely provide a mesmeric sight to tourists.
Chembra Peak : Located about 2000 meters above the sea level, Chembra is the highest peak in Wayanad hills and provide ideal conditions for trekking. You can enjoy the scenic beauty of Wayanad, from the top of Chembra. Trekking to the Chembra peak is a risky mountaineering endeavor. Tourists can camp for one or two days at the top of the peak.
Edakkal Cave : Edakkal caves are situated on Ambukuthi Hills about 10 kms from Sultan Bathery, in Wayanad district of Kerala. It has been formed due to a large split in a huge rock, and the resulting landscape represent the world's richest pictographic gallery of its kind. On the rock walls you can spot some interesting carvings, which represent human, animal figures and objects commonly used by people at that time. These carvings speak of a highly civilized people of pre-historic age and inspire the archeologists and historians to rewrite the history of Wayanad and Kerala as a whole.
Kuruva Island : The Kuruva Island having green lush cover of evergreen forests is situated on bank of river Kabani and it is an ideal picnic spot. You can spot rare species of birds, orchids and herbs here.
Muthanga Wild Life Sanctuary : Muthanga wildlife sanctuary is situated about 16km east of Sultan Bathery. It is regarded as the biggest abode of wildlife in Malabar region of Kerala. Main wildlife here includes elephant, spotted deer, tiger, and panthers etc. you can enjoy elephant safari in this sanctuary.
Pookat Lake : It is a natural fresh water lake surrounded by evergreen forest and sloppy hills. A fresh water aquarium with large variety of fish is an added attraction here. Tourists here can enjoy boating. The weather here is lustrous and rich in the scenic beauty. Spices and handicraft items are also arranged for sale at Pookat. The lake is situated 3 km east of Vythiri.
Sentinel Rock Waterfalls : Located at 22 km south of Kalpetta and locally known as Soochippara is a very popular leisure destination. It is famous as a picnic spot as well as a trekking center. It is about 200m high and ideal for rock climbing.
Places Around Wayanad
The uninhabited Kuruvadweep Island is an excellent excursion option from Wayanad. The birds, orchids and herbs at the island catch everyone's interest.
On the banks of the Papanasini river is the Thirunelly Temple. The Thirunelly Temple reveals the temple architecture and is worth more than a visit.
For the adventure seekers there is the Chembra Peak situated at an altitude of 2100 m. Trekking in the Chembra Peak of Wayanad is a popular adventure sport activity.
Then there is Pakshipathalam situated in the Bramha Giri hills. Pakshipathalam is a tourist spot that you may reach after trekking. Pakshipathalam is renowned for the bird sanctuary that is home to several rare species of birds.
Further ahead from Wayanad you may travel to the other hill resorts in close proximity like Ooty, Mysore, Coorg, Kozhikode and Connor. The Begur Wildlife Sanctuary and the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary are other excursion options from Wayanad for the animal lovers.
Best Time To Visit
Wayanad experiences tropical monsoons and rather hot summer. Thus the best time to visit Wayanad is between the months of August and May
Where to Stay
Accommodation is easily available at Wayanad. There are several hotels, resorts and tourist lodges that cater to the needs of the tourists to Wayanad.
Things to see
