Kerala Info: western ghats

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Wayanad

Wayanad - A beautiful hill station lies on Western Ghats mountain ranges at a height of 700 to 2100 m above sea level. Wayanad is an amazing tourist place located at the north eastern part of Kerala, attracts millions of people yearly from all over the world.

This green paradise fascinates nature lovers and adventure tourists. A large area of Wayanad is covered by dense forests.

Kalpetta is the headquarters of Wayanad district.Wayanad is the district with highest share in the Tribal population (about 36%) of Kerala mainly consists of Paniyas, Kurichiyans, Kattunayakan and Adiyas. A larger percentage of people here are migrants from other parts of Kerala and the neighbor states.

Most of the people here are depending agriculture for livelihood. Cash crops like Coffee, tea, cocoa, plantain, pepper, vanilla etc. and rice are the main crops.

There are various places of ecological, touristic, religious and historic importance in Wayanad.

Edakkal Cave

Edakkal Cave is an important tourist attraction, three kilometres away from Ambalavayal which is 25 kilometres from Kalpetta. Edakkal cave is in the Ambukuthy mountain.It is only a cleft about 96ft. long and 22ft wide in the rock. It is a fissure made by a corner of rock splitting off from the main body due to some natural causes. The rock wall contains some interesting carvings, which represent human and animal figures and objects of human use and symbols. These carvings speak of a highly civilized people of pre-historic age.

Edakkal cave

Edakkal Cave Rock Carvings

Muthanga Wild Life Sanctuary

Muthanga is 16 kms. east of Sulthan Bathery, is located near to Karnadaka border. Wild forests covering an area of 345 sq kms form the Muthanga wild life sanctuary, the biggest abode of wild animals in Malabar. Elephant, tiger, cheeta, spotted deer, bison wild bear, etc. are found in this sanctuary. The forest Department has facilities for providing elephant rides to tourists.

Lakkidi

The entry-point to Wayanad, about 58 kms away from Kozhikode, receives one of the highest rainfalls in India. One of the highest locations in Wayanad, Lakkidi also commands a picturesque scenery. The 12 kms.long journey from Adivaram to Lakkidi through ghat road with nine hairpin bends through thick forests is a fascinating experience.

Pookot Lake

Pookode Lake is a famous tourist centre near Lakkidi. It is a natural fresh water lake, has an area of 8.5ha and the maximum water depth is 6.5m located at three kms.south of Vythiri. There is an aquarium and a green house here. Boating facilities are also available here. Spices and handicraft items are arranged here for sale. The lake has an area of 8.5ha and the maximum water depth is 6.5mtrs.

Pookode Lake

Chembra Peak

Chembra peak, the highest hill in Wayanad near Meppady town. Trekking to the top of this hill takes almost a day. Tourists can also stay one or two days at the top of the peak in temporary camps. District Tourism Promotion Council provides guides, sleeping bags, canvases, huts and trekking implements on hire. The scenic beauty of Wayanad, which is visible from the top of Chambra Peak is very exhilarating.

Banasura sagar Dam

This is the largest earth dam in India. The geography here is that many islands will be formed in the upstream of the dam when the dam is full. These islands with the background of the Banasura hill will provide a hypnotizing sight to the tourists.

Banasura Dam

Kuruva Island

The Kuruva island, 950 acres of ever green forest on the tributaries of Kabani River, is an ideal picnic spot, far away from the disturbances of city life. The island is uninhabited. Rare species of birds, orchids and herbs are the sovereigns of this supernal kingdom. It is 10 Kms. away from Mananthavady.

Pakshipathalam

Pakshipathalam is a challenging place for any adventure seeking tourist on the Kerala Karnataka border. To reach Pakshipathalam seventeen kilometres have to be covered through wild forest. Special permission has to be obtained from Forest Department to go to Pakshipathalam. The deep rock caves, formed among the thick blocks of rocks at the northern top end of the Brahmagiri, are the abode of various birds and wild beasts. District Tourism Promotion Council arranges vehicle, guides, camping equipments, etc. for the tourists on hire.

Soochippara waterfalls, Kanthanpara waterfalls and Sentinel Rock waterfalls are waterfalls in the Meppadi - Ambalavayal region. This water falls and its surroundings are spectacular and tranquillising.

Sulthan Bathery is famous for its fort built by Tipu Sultan. The tomb of Pazhassi Raja, who fought the British with the help of Kurichiya warriors, is in Mananthavady.

Soochippara waterfalls

Nearest railway station at Kozhikode is 75km away from Kalpatta.

Nearest airport is at Kozhikode.

Tourist Places Near to Wayanad

Malampuzha

Malampuzha is one of the important tourist places in Kerala, located in Palakkad district just 12kms away from Palakkad town. Malampuzha is situated on the lower hills of Western ghats. Major tourist attractions are Malampuzha Garden, Malampuzha Dam, Fresh water aquarium, Children park, Snake park, Telescopic tower, Rock garden,Passenger ropeway etc.

Malampuzha Mini Hydro electric project built across Malampuzha river (A branch of Bharathapuzha River) is also the biggest irrigation project in Kerala with a large network of canal systems. Malampuzha Dam reservoir is ideal for boating and fishing. Rowboats, Pedalboats, water scooters and motorboats are available here.

Malampuzha Dam

Main attraction of malampuzha is the lush green garden near the Dam. Well laid out flower beds, pools, fountains, fresh water aquarium and the childern park with a toy train here gives extreme pleasure for the visitors. There is a road train for amusement ride on wheels and the
Telescope tower in the garden providing a terrestrial view upto 40 miles.

Malampuzha Garden

Fountain

The Passenger ropeway, the first of its kind in South India, offers a delightful air journey of 20 minutes across the gardens, giving an amazing view of the garden and Dam. The ropway equipped with 64 chairs, each can carry 2 persons and it is specially designed for the safe ride of the passengers.

Passenger Ropeway

Another tourist attraction in the garden is the Sculpture of "Yakshi" created by the renowned sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman. The first rock garden of South India, sculpted by the famous Padmashree Nek Chand Saini of Chandigarh is also at Malampuzha. The most interesting feature in the making of this garden is that, the whole place is made of unwanted things like broken pieces of bangles, tiles, used plastic cans, tins and other waste materials.

Sculpture of Yakshi

It is quite thrilling, crossing the river through the hanging bridge across the river, connecting two sides of the garden.

Hanging Bridge

The Snake Park located close to Malampuzha Bustand, Started in 1984, is a major attraction for tourists and Snake lovers. The park consists of several rare species of snakes like King cobra, Forsten Cat snake and Brown vine Snake. Other species of snakes in the park are Indian Rock Python, Trinket snake, Kraits, Monocled Cobra, Common Cobra, Spectacled Cobra, Rock pit Viper, Wolf snake and a variety of Vipers like Saw scaled viper, Humb nosed pit viper, Rock pit Viper and Russel viper. Some varieties of water snakes, American Green Iguana (Only one in Kerala) and crocodiles are also housed here.

The first amusement park of Kerala, named FANTASY PARK is at Malampuzha. Established in an 8 acre site on the main road and very close to the Malampuzha Gardens.

Nearest railway station is Palakkad and Airport near is Coimbatore Airport about 55km away.

Munnar

Munnar is one of the most popular tourist places in Kerala, a mesmerising Hill station, located 1600m above sea level in southern “Western Ghats” (A mountain range in the west of India).

Munnar is situated at the confluence of Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala rivers. The speciality of Munnar is its cool climate and greenery. A vast area of Munnar is occupied by tea plantations and evergreen jungles.

The Whole hill area is known as "High range" and rarely “Kannan Devan Hills”. In the age of British empire they developed this area to cultivate tea plants. The Bungalows built by them are still there in use.

Several Protected Wildlife areas in Munnar attract many tourists. You can see several threatened and native species like Nilgiri Tahr (Hemitragus hylocrius), Grizzled Giant Squirrel, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Gaur, Sambar and Neelakurinji here.

Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) is a rare kind of plant blooms once in 12 years. Eravikulam National park is known for Neelakurinji, Nilgiri Tahr and a few other protected species. Neelakurinji last bloomed in 2006. A vast area of mountain covered with Neelakurinji, giving the whole area a blue shade is an amazing spectacle for the visitors…

Many residents of here are employed in Tourism business. In Munnar there are above 3000 small and big resorts and several small hotels and restaurants.