The hill station of Wayanad in the north of Kerala is breathtakingly beautiful without being at all overrun by tourism. The winding road up the Southern Ghats to Wayanad from Calicut, 70km away, is particularly remarkable with its astounding views all the way to the sea over the Deccan Plateau.
Wayanad’s altitudes of 750-2100m are covered with spice plantations, paddy fields and jungle. Villages are mainly populated by Adivasi tribal peoples whose traditional identities are still sustained. Wayanad’s plantations are reputed to produce the best pepper in the world. The dramatic landscape of Wayanad offers ample opportunities for forest and mountain trekking: through forests, to waterfalls and climbs up the hills and mountains. One such trek is the 10 hour climb to the top of the 2100m Chembra Peak which is the highest point in Wayanad. The peak allows an incredible view over the surrounding landscape all the way to the far off coast.
Wayanad’s main visitor attraction is the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary where it is possible to see deer, bears, macaques, elephants and even tigers! The park is split into two portions where you can take a guided trek or do a jeep safari. Other attractions include the ancient Sree Thirunelli and Valliyurkava Bhagavathi temples and the 5000 year old prehistoric rock-art in the Edakkal Caves. Visits to the Meenmuthy and Kanthampara waterfalls are also well worth doing; the short trek to the monumental Meenmuthy waterfall involves a beautiful walk through plantations and down a steep jungle path.
Wayanad’s cool climate makes it a relieving retreat from the hot planes and the region’s star attraction is its spectacular landscape. Almost every turn in the road offers views of verdant mountains sharply outlined against a clear blue sky, often shrouded in an atmospheric low mist.
Practical Information
- Select a Wayanad Homestay using the links in the top right.
- Wayanad is 70km from Calicut and can be reached by bus or taxi,
- The district’s capital is Kalpetta, which has bus connections from its centre and has connections to Calicut and Mananthavady
- The Kerala Tourist Office is in Kalpetta north, 1km from the bus station
- The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is split into a northern and a southern portion: Tholpetty and Muthanga. Both Tholpetty and Muthanga offer guided trekking and jeep safaris in the morning.
- Muthanga is open daily 6-10am and 3-5pm, Tholpetty is open daily 7-9am and 3-5pm.
- The two parts of the sanctuary can be reached by bus or taxi; the bus to Mysore from Kalpetta passes by the entrance to Muthanga and there are frequent buses from Mananthavady to Tholpetty
- Temperatures in Wayanad generally range between 29´C and 18´C and the mean average rain fall in the district is 2322 mm. The cold weather is between December-February, the hotter weather is in Match-May and the monsoon season is June-September. There is a second Monsoon in October-November.