BEST OF WAYANAD WITH CHEMBRA PEAK (FROM KALPETTA)

Lake & Backwaters | Nature & Scenic | Historical & Heritage | Wildlife | Adventure / Trekking | Waterfall

Photo Credit: Flickr
This trip demands considerable trekking / walking

ITINERARY SUMMARY

Trip Starting Point: Kalpetta Bus Station

Mode of Travel: Car (or Cab)

Trip Duration: 3 Days

Ideal Start Time: 9 AM (Day 1), 8 AM (Day 2) & 8 AM (Day 3)

Total Places Visited: 9

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

DAY 1 : EDAKKAL CAVES - MUTHANGA SANCTUARY

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Historical & Heritage

At a distance of 6 km from Ambalavalayal, 14 km from Sulthan Bathery, and 28 km from Kalpetta, Edakkal Caves are two natural caves located on top of Ambukutty Mala near Ambalavalayal in Wayanad. It is one of the popular places of heritage in Kerala, and among the must-include places in Wayanad tour.

Situated at an altitude of 4000 feet, Edakkal Caves were discovered by Fred Fawcett, the then Superintendent of Police of the Malabar district in 1890, during his hunting trip to Wayanad. The name 'Edakkal' literally means 'a stone in between'. Here one can see a cave formed by a heavy boulder straddling a fissure in the rock. This heritage site is considered one of the prime Wayanad places to visit, especially for history buffs.

Many legends are there behind the formation of Edakkal caves. According to one, .....

Museum & Gallery

At a distance of 11 km from Sulthan Bathery & 5 km from Edakkal Caves, 22 km from Kalpetta, Wayanad Heritage Museum is located in Ambalavayal village.

This is one of the best heritage museums in Kerala. The museum houses fascinating items from tribal communities dating back to the second century AD. It has a rare collection of several ancient instruments & tribal artifacts like jewellery, hunting and fishing weapons, farming instruments, a fine collection of 14th - 16th century sculptures, etc. Ancient terra cottas, stone weapons and local art are also on display at the museum.

A series of pictorial rock edicts referred to as Hero Stones, memorialize a bygone age of warriors. There is a fine figure of the Goddess of fertility, Urvara, also displayed here. Most of the artifacts are collected from the Wayanad and surrounding regions.

The museum is spread in two levels with statues occupying lower level while the tribal artifacts are displayed in first level. The museum .....

Historical & Heritage | Pilgrimage

At a distance of 24 km from Kalpetta & 1 km from Sulthan Bathery Bus Station, Jain Temple is an ancient temple located in the heart of Sulthan Bathery town in Wayanad district. This is one of the most important amongst a series of ruins spread across Kerala that testify to a period of a strong Jain presence in this region and also one of the best heritage places to visit in Wayanad.

The Jain Temple at Sultan Bathery is believed to have been built in 13th century AD. The temple has an interesting history. It first served as a shrine, and then became an important center of commercial activity. Later in 18th century, it became a dumping ground of ammunitions by Tipu Sultan.

The town of Sulthan Bathery was earlier known as Ganapathi Vattam and had 12 traditional Jain streets in and around the town. After Tipu's vandalism, the temple was deserted for about 150 years. Later the Archaeological Survey of India .....

Wildlife

At a distance of 14 km from Sulthan Bathery and 39 km from Kalpetta, Muthunga Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, is a sanctuary and Elephant Reserve in the Wayanad district of Kerala. It is one of the top places of wildlife in Kerala, and among the best places to visit in Wayanad.

Established in 1973, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary was brought under the Project Elephant in the year 1991-92. The sanctuary is bordered with Nagarhole National Park, Bandipur WLS in Karnataka and Mudumalai WLS in Tamilnadu. Occupying an area of 345 sq. km, Wayanad WLS is the second-largest WLS in Kerala and is now an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The sanctuary was set up to conserve the biological heritage of the region with due consideration to the general lifestyle of tribes .....

Overnight Stay in Wayanad

DAY 2 : CHEMBRA PEAK

Resume Wayanad Sightseeing

Adventure / Trekking

At a distance of 17 km from Kalpetta, Chembra Peak is a mountain peak in the Western Ghats of Wayanad district. This is one of the top places of trekking in Kerala, and another popular attraction not to miss in a Wayanad tour packages.

Located at an elevation of 2100 m above sea level, Chembra is the highest peak in Wayanad & the third highest peak in South India. Chembra is located near the town of Meppadi, which is about 10 km south of Kalpetta. Trekking to Chembra Peak is one of the top things to do in Wayanad. Being nestled amidst the beautiful Wayanad hills and the adjoining Nilgiri hills, trek to the peak is certainly a rejuvenating affair. Chembra Peak is accessible by foot from Meppadi town.

Trekking to the Chembra Peak is a moderately difficult task and is recommended for trekkers with .....

Overnight Stay in Wayanad

DAY 3 : BANSURA DAM - LAKKIDI

Resume Wayanad Sightseeing

Lake & Backwaters

At a distance of 21 km from Mananthavady, 22 km from Kalpetta, 46 km from Sulthan Bathery, Banasura Sagar Dam is an earthen dam situated in the Wayanad district of Kerala. It is one of the most popular Wayanad tourist places.

Banasura Sagar Dam was built across the Karamanathodu River, a tributary of River Kabini. Ideally placed in the foothills of Banasura hills, it is the largest earthen dam in India and the second largest in Asia. The dam got its name from Banasura, the son of King Mahabali, the famous ruler of Kerala. It is said that Banasura undertook severe penance on the top of the hills. Banasura hill is the third largest peak in the Western Ghats.

The dam was built in 1979 under the Indian Banasura Sagar Project that was started to support the Kakkayam Hydro Electric Power Project. This project also aimed at contributing to the drinking water and irrigation requirements of the locals during .....

Lake & Backwaters


At a distance of 3 km from Vythiri, and 13 km from Kalpetta, Pookote Lake, also known as Pookode Lake is a natural freshwater lake situated close to the Kalpetta - Kozhikode main road in the Wayanad district of Kerala. It is one of the must-visit Wayanad sightseeing places.

At an altitude of about 2500 feet, this fascinating natural freshwater lake is surrounded by evergreen forests and rolling hills. The lake has the shape of India's map. The lake is spread across an area of 13 acres with a maximum depth of 6.5 m. The Panamaram stream, one of the main tributaries of the Kabani River, originates from Pookote Lake.

The lake has an abundance of blue lotus and freshwater fishes. Pethia pookodensis is a species of cyprinid fish known to occur only in Pookode Lake. The forests surrounding the lake hold many wild animals, birds, and flies. The view of this vast expanse of water in the picturesque backdrop .....

Nature & Scenic

At a distance of 16 km from Kalpetta & 4 km from Pookote Lake, Lakkidi is small hill station situated at the highest point in the Wayanad district. Located at an altitude of about 700 m, Lakkidi gets about 600 cm rainfall annually, making it one of the highest rainfall regions in Kerala and also one of the prime Wayanad tourist places to visit.

Often referred as 'the gateway of Wayanad', Lakkidi is located at the crest of the serpentine Thamarassery ghat pass, which features over 9 hairpin curves that start at Adivaram (downhill). The 12 km long ghat road from Adivaram to Lakkidi passing through thick forest leaves a wonderful experience. The lush green hills, gorges and streams on both sides of the passage up the hill are breathtaking sights to the visitors.

This beautiful hill town has a number of scenic locations and enchanting viewpoints. Lakkidi Viewpoint .....

Waterfall | Adventure / Trekking

At a distance of 6 km from Kodencheri, 32 km from Kalpetta, & 48 km from Kozhikode, Thusharagiri Falls is a scenic waterfall located in the Kozhikode district of Kerala, India. This is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Malabar region and among the most popular places of sightseeing in Wayanad.

Thusharagiri literally means 'snowcapped mountains'. Two streams originating from the Western Ghats meet here to form the Chalippuzha River. The river diverges into three waterfalls creating a snowy spray, which gives the name - Thusharagiri. The highest of the three falls is the Thenpara Fall dropping from a height of 75 meters. The first waterfall can be reached easily while the remaining two falls can be reached from the first one by trekking through thick forest. A 5 km upstream trek will take one to the origin of the stream.

Widely known as the 'trekker's paradise', the place offers challenging trekking .....

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END OF THE TOUR