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Hill Stations in Southern India |
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Best time to Visit |
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Throughout the
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The
name Wayanad is said to have been derived
from the word vayalnadu, which means
the land of paddy fields. The hill resort
of Wayanad is situated in the northeastern
part of Kerala, nestled among the mountains
of the Western Ghats. Wayanad, One of
the fourteen districts in Kerala (India)
is situated in an elevated picturesque
mountainous plateau in Western Ghats.
It lies between north latitude 11degree
26'28'' and 11degree 48'22'' and east
longitude 75 degree 46'38'' and 76 degree
26'11''. It is at the height of 700
to 210 m above the sea level. It shares
the borders with Coorg district of Karnataka
on the north, on the south with Malappuram
district and on the west with Calicut
and Cannanore districts. The natural
scenic beauty of Wayanad and its rich
natural resources offer several opportunities
for adventure tourism.
Located at the northeastern tip of Kerala,
Wayanad was earlier a part of Kannur
district. Panorama, Manathavady and
Kabini, the fast flowing rivers lend
a unique beauty to the whole region.
|
| Prime
Attractions of Wayanad |
| Today,
the Wayanad is very rich in tourist
spots. A nature lover's paradise, the
famous hill resort of Wayanad offers
a lot of sites to visit. Few of them
are – |
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary,
Established in 1973, the Wayanad Wildlife
Sanctuary is contiguous to the protected
area network of Nagarhole and Bandipore
of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamilnadu.
Banasura Dam,
15 kms north west of Kalpetta, Banasura
Dam is the largest earth dam in India.
A vast expanse of crystal clear water
bounded by blue hills on all sides,
except one. Its an ideal picnic spot.
Kalpetta, this
is where the headquarters of the Wayanad
District are located. A stronghold of
the Jains in the past, the famous Ananthanathaswamy
Jain Temple is situated at Puliyarmala
near Kalpetta.
Lakkidi,
the gateway of Wayanad, is situated
700 m above mean sea level, at the crest
of the Thamaraserri ghat pass. Lofty
peaks, gurgling streams and luxuriant
forests add magic to the journey up
the winding roads to this hill station.
Sentinel Rockfall,
near Chooralmala, about 22 kms south
of Kalpetta, it is a rivetting waterfall
tumbling down a height of 20 m from
a hilltop. The spot is ideal for rock
climbing.
Thirunelli
Festival, is a two-day festival
celebrated on Vishu day and its eve,
in the Malayalam month of Medam (April)
is the annual festival of Sree Thirunelli
Devaswom at Thirunelli in Wayanad.
Thusharagiri Waterfalls,
snuggled cosily in the Western Ghats,
are the gurgling waterfalls of Thusharagiri.
Meaning the snow capped mountains; Thushargiri
exhibits a unique kinship between the
land and water.
If you are looking for some spectacular
sights of the beautiful nature, hills
of Grampi or Parunthupara
at peermade is the answer of
that. |
| And
the other, excursions from Wayanad are
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Edakkal
Caves, situated on Ambukuthi
Hills, Edakkal caves are 10 kilometers
from Sultanbathery, in Wayanad district.
Ambalavayal Heritage Museum,
12-km south of Sulthan Bathery, it is
one of the best heritage museums in
Kerala. The exhibits here include rare
2nd century artefacts such as clay sculptures,
ancient hunting equipments like bows
and arrows, stone weapons and other
curios.
Chembra Peak,
located amidst panoramic surroundings,
the peak is at an altitude of 2,100m
above sea level. An ideal spot for trekking,
Chembra Peak is a very beautiful spot
close to the Western Ghats. The Chembra
Hills and the adjacent Meppadi hills
are accessible from Kalpetta.
Chethalayam Waterfalls,
12 kms from Sulthan Bathery on the Pulpalli
Main Road, is located this astounding
waterfall. For a glimpse of this lovely
waterfall, one has to trek a distance
of around 4 kms from Chethalayam.
Kuruva Island,
17 kms east of Mananthavadi, it stretches
over 950 acres of evergreen forests
on the banks of Themkabani River. The
island is a repository of rare species
of birds, animals, orchids and herbs.
Meenmutty Waterfalls,
12 kms east of Meppadi, it is a bewitching
waterfall cascading in three tiers,
down a spectacular height of 500m.
Pakshipathalam,
7 kms north east of Thirunelli, this
picturesque bird watching centre is
located at a formidable height of 1740
m above sea level. With its steep hills,
virgin forests and rivulets, it is the
habitat of a number of rare species
of birds.It also offers challenging
avenues for those interested in trekking.
Soochipara Waterfalls,
Soochipara Waterfalls is located 22
kms from Hotel Green Gates. On alighting
the vehicle, one can reach the waterfalls
after a 2-km walk into the dense equatorial
forest of Wayanad.
Thirunelli
Temple, located 30 kms north
west of Mananthavadi in the Wayanad
district, Thirunelli Temple is known
as the "Kashi of South". Tucked away
in the Brahmagiri Hills, Thirunelli
Temple is encircled by the gurgling
River Papanasini.
Tusharagiri,
famous for its trekking tracks, Tusharagiri
is located near Vythiri in Wayanad.
Tusharagiri also abounds in rubber,
arecanut, pepper, ginger and spice plantations.
Valliyoorkkavu Temple,
3 kms east of Mananthavadi, this temple,
dedicated to Goddess Durga is very popular
among the tribal communities of the
district. The ten-day annual festival,
which falls in April, is celebration
time for the tribals.
Varambetta
Moque, 15 kms south east of
Kalpetta, this 300-year-old mosque is
the oldest in Wayanad. |
| How
to reach |
| Wayanad
can easily access through air, train
and bus. |
By
Air: The nearest airport is
Calicut.
By Rail:
The district is well connected by a
railway network.
By Road:
Wayanad's Headquarters, Kalpetta is
linked by road to other towns in Kerala
and there are frequent buses to Calicut. |
| So,
what are you waiting for...!!Just
pack your bags and Get going for the
most adventurous vacation of your lifetime
in Peermade with us. |
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