Wayanad landscape is a mix of mountains, tea and coffee fields, ethereal lakes, and lush green forests. We are given full information about the best visiting places in Wayanad. If you’re a trekking enthusiast, a wildlife lover, or a tourist, the beauty of Wayanad won’t fail to captivate you. This North Kerala district is proving there’s more to stale than just backwaters, houseboats, and beaches.
Best Visiting Places in Wayanad
Below top best visiting places in Wayanad for you to go through and plan a trip to Wayanad.
- Thirunelli Temple
- Jain Temple
- Pallikkunnu Church
- Thrissur Temple
- Valliyurkavu Bhagavathy Temple
- Seeta Lava Kusha Temple
- Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
- Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary
- Edakkal Caves
- Sentinel Rock Waterfalls
- Meenmutty Waterfalls
- Kanthanpara Waterfalls
- Chethalayam Falls
- Banasura Meenmutty Water Falls
- Soochipara Falls
- Neelimala Viewpoint
- Pakshipathalam
- Sunrise Valley
- Phantom Rock
- Banasura Sagar
- Wayanad Heritage Museum
- Pazhassi Tomb and Museum
- Regional Agricultural Research Station
- Karapuzha Dam
- Kuruvadweep
- Rock adventure – Cheengeri
- Karalad Lake
- En Uru
- Lakkidi
- Krishnagiri Stadium
- Priyadarshini Tea Environs
- Pookot Lake
- Chain Tree
- Mudumalai National Park
- Bandipur National Park
- Pazhassi Park
- Uravu Thrikkaipetta Village
Also below are the best visiting places in Wayanad with details.
Edakkal Caves
You are sitting at the center of the conclave in Edakkal, Wayanad, on a moss-clad rock. The rocks huddled about you together. Their heads clash as if they were thinking about a mystery which is a sequence of petroglyphs engraved on the caves. Masked men holding jars, animals, stars, wheels, and other shapes are chiseled on the walls; and four transcripts from the Neolithic and Mesolithic ages are between these. One was loosely deciphered as “Here once lived a man who rescued us from the beasts: this has been engraved for his clan‘s glory.”
You think of the person who inscribed this note and the respect he deserves from his modern-day counterparts when you come across the drawings depicting a gallant caveman or an ace hunter pouncing on a tiger. If trekking and sweating is your idea of a holiday then the right choice is to climb the Edakkal Caves.
Vythiri
Vythiri is the perfect jaunt for the adventurous traveler, a small village nestled in a lush tropical rainforest. Filled with smart lakes, woods, and spectacular scenery, Vythiri begins to be explored through long treks and boat trips. Go boating in Lake Pookode in search of Pethia Pookodensis, a cyprinid trout, and take a walk through the hills of Lakkidi, Wayanad gateway. Get to know the Changala Maram (chain tree) that is supposed to have chained Karithinadan‘s spirit, a native tribal who helped construct the road from Calicut to Wayanad and was shot dead by a British engineer.
Mananthavady
Once ruled by Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, Kerala’s lion, Mananthavady has been instrumental in Kerala’s history and evolution. Today Mananthavady will be an ideal spot for a cycling expedition, owing to the diversity of the landscape. Start with Pazhassi Kudeeram, a museum and tomb that pays homage to one of the state‘s greatest rulers in history, and trudge along with the Thirunelli Temple, and the Latin Church designed in a Victorian architectural style that is reminiscent of Wayanad’s colonial past.
Take a pit stop at the 7000-year-old Ambukuthi caves adorned with pictorial writings from both new and old age. You get to dine in a cozy little cavern on the slopes of Ambukuthi Hill, where the Edakkal Caves are located. The trail finishes at the Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary. Assimilate jungle sounds that would greet you through the sanctuary on your Jeep safari. With Indian bison, Elephants, Panthers, Macaques, Bears, and Deers, come face-to-face here.
Muthanga Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary
Bordering the Karnataka Bandipur Reserve, the Muthanga forest range is a part of the Sulthan Bathery Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. This is also one of the best visiting places in Wayanad. A trip to the Muthanga forests provides a unique learning and leisure experience, with frequent sightings of herds of elephants and other wild species. Muthanga‘s indigenous tribal culture will remind you of the rustic life, away from the splendor of the town. In addition, as you take the bumpy motorway connecting Tholpetty and Thirunelly to explore Wayanad wild side, you‘re likely to see an elephant or a deer. Watch it leisurely cross your path with the comfort of being at home and quench their thirst at the nearby lake.
Sulthan Bathery
The epicenter of Sulthan Bathery is a dilapidated fort that gets its name from the arms battery of the former King of Mysore, Tipu Sultan. This is also one of the best visiting places in Wayanad. Religion and history clash at Sulthan Bathery Jain Temple. Built by the Jains who migrated from Mysore to Wayanad, Tipu Sultan conquered this shrine after which it served as the Tipu army’s ammunition store or battery. The nearby Ambalavayal Heritage Museum offers many such insights and is a storehouse of rare tribal archaeological finds. Sultan Bathery, formerly known as Ganapathivattam, is the largest town in the Wayanad district and is home to the Edakkal caves.
Banasura Sagar Dam
The Banasura Sagar Dam, located in Kalpetta and built in 1979 on behalf of the Banasura Dam project, is India’s largest earthen dam and Asia’s second-largest. This is also one of the best visiting places in Wayanad. A one-kilometer-long mud structure constructed with massive stone and rock stacks, it forces the waters of Karamanthodu, a tributary of the Kabini River. Banasura gets its name from King Mahabali‘s son Banasura. The Banasura Hills, Wayanad’s second-highest, is this dam’s backdrop, giving it a picturesque view. The placid, crystal clear waters along with the dam’s rustic nature and the hills in the background attract a number of shutterbugs, making it a paradise for photographers.
Chembra Peak
Rent your camping equipment from the office of the DTPC (District Tourism Promotion Council), and attempt the 4 km trek to the Chembra peak. This is also one of the best visiting places in Wayanad. Three hours into the trek, you will find a heart-shaped lake, called Hridayathadakam that never dries up. When you hit the highest point you pitch a tent. From here watch the whole district of Wayanad, as well as parts of Malappuram, Kozhikode, and the Nilgiris. Washed in the fragrance of woodland flowers, replete with wild sounds, and blanketed by a beautiful sky, Chembra peak is the antidote to the blues of your city life.
Best Visiting Places In Wayanad For Activities To Do
- Enjoy Jeep Safaris
- Trekking Elephant Ride
- Hiking
- Enjoy Bird Watching
- Go pedaling and row boating at Pookot Lake and the Karalad Lake
- River rafting on the Kabini river and exploring the many island routes.
- Trek to the Kolagappara hills and the Rock cave at Brahmagiri.
- Go Bamboo rafting on the Vythiri Pozhuthana River.
- Cycling at various points in Wayanad.
- Plantation walk, cultural activities, bird watching, angling, archery.
- Stock up on a variety of Exotica like pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, tea, coffee, honey, bamboo products, and native handicrafts.
Best Visiting Places in Wayanad for Shopping
As well as a forest area with hill stations and waterfalls, Wayanad is highly vegetated placed. Check out a wide range of products made out of two dozen varieties of Bamboo in the Uravu Eco Shop. Also, they sell pickles, spices, and honey. We can shop for most rare things we can’t get elsewhere in the country such as Ivory and coconut shell craft, Aranmula mirrors, and Chinese ceramics. Many shopping charms: Embroidered mats. Coffee with Wayanad spices. Stock up on a variety of fresh spices like pepper, cardamom, and nutmeg from any of the local shops.
Best Visiting Places in Wayanad for Food
Wayanad is in the heart of Kerala, here the South Indian fare is as good as it is getting. Have authentic Rasam, Dosa, and Sambhar set at the local joints right here. Many Wayanad restaurants and hotels also serve Italian and Chinese cuisine so you won’t have a dearth of good food options.
How to Reach Wayanad?
Option 1: By Train
The nearest railway station to Wayanad is the Nilambur railway station in Kerala if you travel from the country’s upper region. It is located 90 Km away from Wayanad. The largest railway station is at Kozhikode.
Option 2: By Air
Calicut International Airport (Kozhikode Airport) is the closest airport to Wayanad, 93 km away from Wayanad.
Option 3: By Road
Wayanad is well connected to nearby cities such as Bangalore in southern India. Coimbatore to Kozhikode.
Best Time to Visit Wayanad
From September to April the best time to visit Wayanad is. The southwestern monsoon stops, and the North West monsoon begins and lasts until November. After November, the weather is cooler, as winter is set in full bloom with the surrounding natural beauty. The temperature remains between 25 C ° maximum and 15 C ° minimum. August-May is the best time to visit Wayanad.
