Wayanad – Nature’s paradise nestled in Western Ghats

The name ‘Wayanad’ is derived from ‘Vayal Naadu’ (Malayalam) which translates to ‘the land of paddy fields’ in English. This green paradise stands on the southern tip of the Deccan plateau and nestled in the Western Ghats. Around 75% of the district is covered by green forest. Mighty mountains, dense woods, and gushing rivers makes Wayanad a hub for trekking, hiking, mountaineering, rock climbing, rappelling, camping, and many more adventurous activities. There are a lot of trekking trails in this district. Chembra Peak (2,100m) is the highest peak in the Wayanad district & Banasura Hill (2,079m) is the second highest peak.

The district is blessed with rich water resources. There are east flowing and west flowing rivers in the region. One of the major rivers in the district is Kabini River, a tributary of River Kaveri; it is also one of the only three east flowing rivers in Kerala. Kabani has many tributaries including Thirunelli River, Panamaram River and Mananthavady River. All these rivulets help form a rich water resource as well as a distinct landscape for the district. There is a perennial lake called Pookot Lake which also forms the origin for the rivulet, Panamaram. Various streams flow into the Panamaram rivulet while it passes through the mountain gorges and finally the river falls down into Panamaram Valley. After flowing through the district for a certain distance, River Panamaram joins Mananthavady River, which originates from the lower regions of the peak called ‘Thondarmudi’.

The chief agricultural crops in the district are Coffee, tea, cocoa, pepper, plantain, vanilla, rice, coconut, cardamom, tea, ginger, etc. Wayanad wildlife sanctuary houses a huge variety of flora and fauna. The weather remains pleasant throughout the year.

Getting there:

Nearest railway station: Calicut Railway Station is 62 km away

Nearest airport: Calicut International Airport is about 65 km away