Wayanad Tourism

Wayanad district stands on the southern top of the Deccan plateau and its chief glory is the majestic Western ghats with lofty ridges interspersed with dense forest, tangled jungles and deep valleys, the terrain is rugged. Quite a large area of the district is covered by forest but the continued and indiscriminate exploitation of the natural resources point towards an imminent environmental crisis.

There are various places of touristic, ecological, religious, and historic importance in the district. Thirunelli Temple is a very old temple on the foothills of Brahmagiri. Edakkal Caves, 32 km from Kalpetta near Ambalavayal, is famous for its pre-historic carvings and paintings. Muthanga is a wildlife sanctuary. It is on the way from Mysore to Sulthan Bathery. Wild animals such as bison, elephant, deer, and tiger has been spotted. There are also quite a few wild birds in the sanctuary. The Jain Temple near Koottamunda and the Ananthanatha Swami Temple.

Pallikunnu Church, 14 km from Kalpetta is a famous Pilgrim centre in north Kerala. Varambatta Mosque is one of the oldest mosque in wayanad and it's famous for varambata nercha. Mazhuvannur Siva Temple is an ancient Shiva temple near Tharuvana. Karat Siva Temple is a very old temple near Kommayad. Sulthan Bathery is famous for its fort, which was built by Tipu Sultan. The tomb of the chieftain Pazhassi Raja, who fought the British with the help of Kurichiya warriors, is in Mananthavady. Valliyoorkav is a temple of historic and social significance. Lakkidi, the entry-point to Wayanad on the road from Kozhikode, receives one of the highest rainfalls in India. Pookode lake is a famous tourist centre near Lakkidi. For the adventurous the Chembra peak and Banasura, both over 2000 m high, provide tough challenges. Kuruva Dweep is a unique and fragile delta system on the Kabini River.

An important and unusual pilgrim centre for sociologists and educationists is Kanavu a centre for alternative education which help the adivasis to adapt to the challenges without losing their cultural moorings. Ananthanatha Swami Temple, is a beautiful Jain temple located at Puliyarmala, 6 km from Kalpetta. Pakshipathalam is a very popular trekking spot on the Kerala-Karnataka border. Soochipara, Kanthapara, and Meenmutty are waterfalls in the Meppadi-Ambalavayal region.Chembra Peak, Banasura peak, Brahmagiri are some of the important mountains in the district. The Kabini River, one of the three east flowing rivers of Kerala, is an important tributary of the Kaveri River. Almost the entire Wayanad district is drained by Kabini and its three tributaries, the Panamaram, Mananthavady, and Kalindy rivers. The Banasura Sagar Dam is built on one of tributaries of the Kabini River.