Places to visit in Wayanad
Wayanad is a rural district in Kerala state, southwest India. In the east, the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is a lush, forested region with areas of high altitude, home to animals including Asiatic elephants, tigers, leopards and egrets. In the Ambukuthi Hills to the south, Edakkal Caves contain ancient petroglyphs, some dating back to the Neolithic age.
Following places are a must visit in Wayanad.
Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary or Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is a beautiful destination located 20 km east of Mananthavady on the Kodagu Road. The jeep ride here offers brilliant opportunities to view various animal and bird species in their natural habitat. One gets to see herds of elephants, guars, deer, monkeys, tigers, leopards, bears and many species of reptiles, fishes, butterflies and birds including vultures. Visitors are restricted to the outer tourist zone. It gives one an excellent perspective on how we must strive to conserve these natural wonders.
Visiting hours: 06:00 – 08:00 hrs & 15:00 – 17:30 hrs
Coordinates – Latitude: 11.951649, Longitude: 76.059937
More info: https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/tholpetty-wildlife-sanctuary/381
Banasura Sagar Dam, which impounds the Karamanathodu tributary of the Kabini River, is part of the Indian Banasurasagar Project consisting of a dam and a canal project started in 1979. The goal of the project is to support the Kakkayam Hydro electric power project and satisfy the demand for irrigation and drinking water in a region known to have water shortages in seasonal dry periods.
In this place you get to see dam and Small Island inside the dam.
Coordinates – 11°40′12″N 75°57′28″E
Edakkal Caves are two natural caves at a remote location at Edakkal, 25 km (15.5 mi) from Kalpetta in the Wayanad district of Kerala in India’s Western Ghats. They lie 1,200 m (3,900 ft) above sea level on Ambukutty Mala, near an ancient trade route connecting the high mountains of Mysore to the ports of the Malabar Coast. Inside the caves are pictorial writings believed to date to at least 6,000 BCE, from the Neolithic man, indicating the presence of a prehistoric civilization or settlement in this region. The Stone Age carvings of Edakkal are rare and are the only known examples from South India.
Its 1.5 kms steep climb (tiring) towards the top, where you get to see caves with prehistoric engravings and beautiful scenery of surrounding nature.
Please avoid taking pictures of engravings on your mobile phone as the radiations emitted by these phones are gradually destroying these engravings. Instead we encourage you to take photograph on your still or video camera.
Coordinates – 11°37′28.81″N 76°14′8.88″E
More info – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edakkal_Caves
Nearby places to visit:
If you are traveling from Bangalore/Mysuru then you can check these places as they are bordering waynad.
The Irupu Falls is located in the Brahmagiri Range in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, India, bordering the Wayanad district of Kerala. It is a fresh water cascade and is situated at a distance of 48 km from Virajpet on the highway to Nagarhole. The Falls are also known as the Lakshmana Tirtha Falls, derived from the name of the tributary of Cauvery which starts from these falls, the Lakshmana Tirtha River.
Need to walk a little to get to the falls from the main entrance but when you get there it’s really worth it. The falls is very scenic surrounded by thick vegetation.
Coordinates – 11°58′2.22″N 75°59′1.56″E
More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irupu_Falls
Nagarhole National Park (also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park), is a national park located in Kodagu district and Mysore district in Karnataka state in South India. The park has rich forest cover, small streams, hills, valleys and waterfalls. The park has a healthy predator-prey ratio, with many tigers, Indian bison and elephants.
At this Park you can ride on safari by paying Rs.300/person. They take you inside jungle where you can find few animals but unlucky for us that we could only find Dears, monkeys and elephants.
Coordinates – Latitude 12°15’37.69″N, longitudes 76°17’34.4″E.
More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagarhole_National_Park
Recommendations:
I recommend this place for your accommodation if you planning to visit Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary, as distance between this home stay and wildlife are just within a kilometer. Good, clean rooms priced average. The food offered is delicious traditional Kerala style cuisine.
Please note: This is honest recommendation based on our visit and stay; we are not sponsored by them in any wise.
Name of Home stay: wayanadorangevilla
Please visit: http://www.wayanadorangevilla.com/aboutus.html
