Wayanad - The Trekkers Heaven …

Kerala is beautiful and versatile, it provides the wanderer with many opportunities to travel, trek, discover and stand in awe of all its beauty and nature. There are many places in Kerala that is worth more than one visit and Wayanad sure is one of the most sought after. For people living Bangalore this is easy to reach and the place is full of things to do and places to see and treks to climb. 

Wayanad can be called as a trekkers paradise, because there are so many different climbs one can do there. Some of the easy ones are Soochipara falls and a climb upto Edakkal caves. Eddakkal caves is a must for not only the avid traveler but a history enthusiast, the engravings in the caves are believed to date back to atleast 5000 BC. And the view from Edakkal caves is beautiful. Edakkal is approximately 25 Kilometers from Kalpetta in Wayanad District.

Engravings at Edakkal caves

The next place to visit is the Soochipara waterfalls also called as Sentinel Rock waterfalls. Soochi means needle and para means rock. It is located in Vellarimala very close to Kalpetta. The route to Soochipara is very scenic while crossing through some of the best tea estates in Wayanad. 

Meenmutty waterfalls is one more must visit to any trekker or nature lover. A few years back one could actually trek down the route of the waterfalls and see it from a very close range, doing a medium difficulty trek. But now that route is closed due to Govnt orders as it is known to be tricky and risky. So one can do the trek to the view point from where it can be seen in all its glory and also a brilliant view of the valley is in front of you. It is better to take a guide along as it is easy to get lost , as there many trails one can take and the one to the awesome view point is not obvious. 

Meenmutty Waterfalls

The next and the most important trek in Wayanad is to Chembra peak. It is a green and treacherous climb up to the peak gives you an awesome experience with nature, while you traverse the route you come across a heart shaped lake, one can stop there for the view and also to catch a breath and proceed on to the peak. It is advisable to carry some snacks and loads of water. Permission from the Forest Office in Meppady is required to climb Chembra.

It is better to plan a trip to Wayanad on a long weekend so the first two days are spent doing all these climbs, and the third day can be devoted to lounging and shopping for spices. While heading back one can go to Banasura dam, which is beautiful, and makes for a lovely walk. 

Things to Keep in mind :

1. Choose two climbs to do on one day, one difficult and one easy , like you can pair Eddakal with Meenmutty.

2. When doing the tough climbs wear proper clothing and footwear, as it is slippery ground and the earth is moist in almost all weather conditions.

3. When Permission from forest officials is required make sure you take it, and give valid and proper details at the office.

Best Time To Go : 

Though one can go there in all seasons, it is in its splendor during the monsoon, and as monsoon treks can be more treacherous than when dry, you can opt to go post monsoons, when its lush green and is without too much of a downpour.

How to Reach :

You can take a bus upto Wayanad and arrange for transportation to the various locations, or better to book a vehicle from Bangalore and head out, as most of the trekking spots do not have local transportation.

Parinitha Konanur