30 PLACES TO VISIT & THINGS TO DO IN KALPETTA (WAYANAD)

At a distance of 17 Kms from Kalpetta, Chembra Peak is the highest peak in Wayanad & third highest peak in South India at an altitude of 2100 metres. This place is a trekker's paradise. Chembra Peak is part of the Wayanad hill ranges in the Western Ghats.

Trekking to the Chembra Peak is a challenging task and recommended for experienced trekkers. Prior permission is required from the forest office in Meppady to the peak. A heart shaped lake on the way to top of the peak is a major attraction. The actual trek starts from the watchtower at the foot hill of Chembra Peak which is about 7.....

At a distance of 17 Kms from Kalpetta, Karappuzha Dam located near Vazhavatta (3 Kms) is the second biggest earth dam in India.

The reservoir with partially submerged hills forms several green islands which makes it an ideal place for birds. The water with the backdrop of mountains makes this place extremely beautiful.

Vazhavatta is connected by few buses with Kalpetta. But Meenangadi town (7 kms from Dam) on Kalpetta - Sulthan Bathery road has frequent bus facility. Private transportation can be availed from Meenangadi to reach the Karappuzha Dam.

The road to Karapuzha.....

At a distance of 20 Kms from Kalpetta, Manikavu Temple is located in Choothupara near Meenangadi. The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Shiva.

The Shiva Linga at this temple is believed to be Swayambu. The special feature of this temple is that that water is poured continuously over Shiva Linga through a stream. The amount of water remains the same even in monsoon.....

At a distance of 26 km from Kalpetta, 99 km from Kozhikode, 95 km from Ooty and 116 km from Mysore, Sulthan Bathery, previously known as Sulthans Battery, is a town and municipality in Wayanad district of Kerala. Situated at an altitude of 930 m it is a cute hill station in Kerala and also a transportation hub.

Earlier, Sulthan Bathery was known as Ganapativattom. It was also known as Kidanganadu, because the Kidangans lived here. It derives its present name from Tipu Sultan of Mysore who captured the Jain temple here and used it as his battery in the 18th century, hence the name.....

At a distance of 21 Kms from Kalpetta, Maha Ganapathi Temple is located in Sulthan Bathery town. Dedicated to Lord Ganesh, this temple is believed to have been built eight centuries ago. Before the conquest by Tipu Sulthan, Sulthan Bathery was known as Ganapathivattam.

The annual festival is celebrated for 8 days in the month of Jan/Feb. This grand festival hosts several cultural programs like Chakyarkoothu and Ottanthullal. Kalampattu is performed during the third and the fourth days. On the concluding day, the image of the deity is taken out in a big procession accompanied by.....

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......

At a distance of 24 km from Kalpetta & 1 km from Sulthan Bathery Bus Station, Jain Temple located in the heart of Sulthan Bathery is a famous landmark in the town.

This temple is believed to be constructed in 14th century. The town of Sulthan Bathery was earlier known as Ganapathi Vattam and had 12 traditional Jain streets in and around the town.

The temple is known for its wonderful architecture and sculptures. It was built with large granite pillars that are extensively carved. The temple is mostly plain from outside with few nice carvings in the inner section. There is a.....

At a distance of 24 kms from Kalpetta & 3 Kms from Mananthavady, Valliyoor Temple dedicated to Goddess Durga is a famous temple in the region. Goddess Durga is worshipped in three different forms in this temple - Vana Durga, Jala Durga and Bhadra Kali.

The major festival of the temple is celebrated for two weeks in February / March which attracts thousands of devotees. The dance performed by the local tribal with the music of native instruments is a major attraction of this festival. The traditional ritual art of Kalamezhuthu and different folk art forms are also performed.

This.....

At a distance of 26 Kms from Kalpetta, 35 kms from Irupu Falls & 32 Kms from Sulthan Bathery, Kuruva Island (also known as Kuruva Dweep) is a 950 acre protected river delta system on the Kabini River. At a distance of 13 Kms from Mananthavady, this is a popular tourist destination.

The island is uninhabited. Rare species of birds, orchids and herbs are the main attraction of the island apart from it's breathtaking natural beauty. Several migratory birds are also seen on the island. The main island contains two small fresh water lakes. Kuruva is being developed as eco tourism.....

At a distance of 30 Kms from Kalpetta, Pazhassi Raja's Tomb is located in Mananthavady. This tomb is the memorial of the 'Lion of Kerala' Veera Pazhassi Raja, a descendent of Kottayam Royal family.

Pazhassi Raja organized guerilla warfare against the British around the year of 1800 AD and he is remembered for his bravery. Pulpally Cave near by is the place where the Pazhassi Raja took refuge until he was captured by the British in 1805. The tomb marks the point where he was cremated after being shot by the British.

Pazhassi museum located nearby has a sword which is believed.....

At a distance of 32 Kms from Kalpetta and 25 Kms from Sulthan Bathery, Seetha Lava Kusha Temple is located in Pulpally. This is the only known temple dedicated to Lava and Kusha, the sons of Lord Rama.

The primary deity of the Pulpalli temple is Sita Devi. It is believed that Sita was staying here during her exile at Valmiki Ashrama. The Sita Devi idol here is known as -Jadayatha Amma-. It is believed that Lava and Kusha grew up in this place. The original name of this place was Sisumala and later changed to Sasimala.

Many devotees consider Sasimala as a sacred place because.....

At a distance of 37 Kms from Kalpetta, 51 Kms from Kozhikode & 11 Kms from Kodencheri, Arippara Waterfalls on Eruvanhippuzha River is located near Nellipoyil (1 Km) and Pathankayam Waterfalls (3 Kms), in Thiruvambadi panchayat of Kozhikode district.

This place is surrounded by great natural beauty, with water flowing through huge flat rocks and dropping at different places (usually 10-20 feet high). Thick green forest on both shores of the river enhances the beauty of the place. A pool is formed at bottom layer of this long cascading falls which is a good place for swimming. Visitors.....

At a distance of 37 Kms from Kalpetta, Thrissilery Shiva Temple is located at a distance of 8 Kms from Mananthavady, about 3 Kms from SH17D towards Tholpatti.

The architecture of this temple is similar to the Vishnu Temple at Thirunelly. It is believed that the performance of ancestral rites at Thirunelly remain unfinished unless followed by offerings at this temple. There is a shrine for Jala Durga in the temple premises, which is believed to have been installed by Parasurama. The temple tank here never dries.....

At a distance of 37 kms from Kalpetta & 12 kms from Sulthan Bathery, Chethalayam Waterfalls are located near Kidangand, towards Pulpalli from Sulthan Bathery. This is also an exciting trekking route.

This is one of the smallest water falls in this region, but popular among trekkers. It is less known waterfall due to its accessibility. One has to trek for about 4 Kms from Kidangand to reach the falls. The falls is located near Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and bird watching is also an interesting activity here. The falls may completely get dried in summer, so the post monsoon season is the.....

At a distance of 39 kms from Kalpetta, 12 kms from Irupu Falls and 12 kms from Nagarhole National Park, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1973 and brought under the Project Elephant in the year 1991-92. The sanctuary is bordered with Nagarhole WLS & 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 with an objective of conserving the biological heritage of the region with due consideration to the general.....

At a distance of 45 Kms from Kalpetta, 28 kms from Irupu Falls & 22 kms from Mananthavady, Thirunelly Temple is located in a beautiful valley beneath Brahmagiri hill range close to Kerala - Karnataka boarder (near Kutta, close to Nagarhole National Park).

This 300 years old temple is surrounded by Kambamala, Karimala and Varadiga hills. Lord Vishnu is the main deity at this temple. This temple is a fine specimen of classical Kerala temple architecture. Around 30 granite columns and granite paved floor makes the temple an architectural wonder. Lord Ganapathy, Hanuman, Lord Shiva,.....

At a distance of 46 Kms from Kalpetta & 23 kms from Mananthavady, Papanasini is a holy mountain stream located near Thirunelly Temple (1 Km). It is believed that a ritual dip in the sacred water of the stream would wash off all the sins.

There is an interesting tale behind the stream attaining the power of Papanasini. When Garuda (the eagle vehicle of Lord Vishnu) was flying with Amrita Kumba, Brahma was in the process of consecrating Vishnu's idol at Thirunelly Temple. Garuda noticed it and circled over the ceremony and dropped few drops of Amrita into the stream and the stream.....

At a distance of 52 Kms from Kalpetta, 35 kms from Irupu Falls, 29 kms from Mananthavady & 7 Kms from Thirunelly Temple, Pakshipathalam is located atop the Brahmagiri Hills at an altitude of 1740 meters. It is also a challenging trekking path and a place of great natural beauty.

Pakshipathalam is the abode of large population of several species of birds. Rare species of birds can be sighted from the watch tower here. There is also a cave called Munikal Cave, where birds take shelter during night and early morning. There is a small eagle shaped projection where the Garuda was believed.....

At a distance of 248 km from Bangalore, 110 km from Mysore, 75 km from Madikeri, 48 km from Virajpet, 32 km from Gonikoppal, 20 km from Nagarhole National Park, 10 km from Kutta & 10 km from Srimangala, Iruppu Falls is a magnificent waterfalls situated in Brahmagiri Hills between Srimangala & Kutta in Coorg district of Karnataka State, bordering the Wayanad district of Kerala. It is one of the best waterfalls in Karnataka and a popular tourist attraction of Coorg region.

The Irupu Falls or Iruppu Falls are also known as Lakshmana Tirtha Falls locally. It is formed by Lakshmana Teertha,.....

Distance (From Kalpetta (wayanad)): 60 Kms
Trip Duration (From Kalpetta (wayanad) - Including Travel): 3-4 Hours
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At a distance of 10 km from Kutta, 20 km from Iruppu Falls, 62 km from Kalpetta, 88 km from Mysore, 88 km from Madikeri and 218 km from Bangalore, Nagarhole National Park is one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in South India. Also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park, it is spread across Mysore and Kodagu districts in Karnataka. It was converted into a sanctuary in the year 1955 covering an area of 258 sq. km and subsequently enlarged to include the adjoining areas of Mysore district and now extends over an area of 643 sq. km.

Nagarhole got National Park status in 1988 and declared as.....

Distance (From Kalpetta (wayanad)): 62 Kms
Trip Duration (From Kalpetta (wayanad) - Including Travel): 4 Hours/Half Day
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