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Nestled among the Western Ghats,
Wayanad has a unique landscape. Land to a thousand
lores and legends, Wayand is truely blessed
by nature. The place has many picnic and trekking
spots, ideal for both adventurous and not so
adventurous tourists.
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Edakkal Caves
An interesting trek up the Ambukuthy hill near
Ambalavayal town takes you to the fascinating
neolithic cave site of Edakkal. Etchings found
on the walls of these caves have drawn the serious
attention of archaeologists and historians worldwide.
With at least three distinct sets of petroglyphs,
the earliest, thought to date back over 3000
years (between BC 3000 - BC 5000), it is assumed
that the Edakkal caves have been inhabited at
various stages in history.
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Chain Tree
Legend has it that an Adivasi
youth named Karinthandan was instrumental in
guiding a British Engineer through the difficult
mountain terrain into Wayanad. Eager to take
credit for the discovery, the engineer conveniently
killed his guide, whose soul, according to the
legend, constantly haunted subsequent travellers.
It is believed that a priest chained the troublesome
spirit onto this tree and hence the name the
Chain Tree.
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Pookote Lake
Set in a beautiful valley
and surrounded by evergreen forests and wooded
hills, Pookote is one of Wayanad's top crowd
puller. This natural lake near Lakkidi is just
a short distance off the National Highway 212.
It has been developed as a recreational center
having boating facilities, children's park,
shop for souveniers and spices, and a fresh
water aquarium. Replete with a cafe and restaurant,
this is a good spot for day outings with family.
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Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary
Situated along the northern
ridge of Wayanad (bordering Coorg district of
Karnataka) Tholpetty is much similar to Muthanga
in terms of flora and fauna. The best season
to visit is November and May.
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Wayanad Wildlife
Sanctuary – Muthanga
Spread over a vast area,
Muthanga is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere
region. It is a rain forest reserve connected
to two major sanctuaries - Bandipur National
Park and Mudumalai Sanctuary in Tamilnadu. Muthanga
has a large population of pachyderms, and has
been declared a Project Elephant Site. The reserve
is also home to a small population of tigers.
In addition there is also a profusion of birds,
butterflies and insects.
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Meenmutti Waterfalls
An interesting 2 km jungle trek off the main
Ooty Road, Meenmutty is the largest and most
spectacular waterfall in Wayanad. A unique feature
is that water drops about 300 metres over three
stages.
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Neelimala view-point
Neelimala Mountains is an excellent venue for
trekking with lots of stimulating trails. The
summit of this hill affords a great view of
cascading Meenmutty falls and the beautiful
valley in its foreground.
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Chembra Peak
At 2100 meters, the spectacular Chembra peak
located towards the southern part of Wayanad
is the tallest summit in the region. Climbing
this peak is a challenging mountaineering endeavour
and would take a full day. The surrounding areas
offer exceptional photo opportunities. Camping
on the peak is an unforgettable experience.
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Pazhassi Raja's tomb
One of the earliest to strike the banner of
revolt against the British overlordship in this
part of India, Pazhassi Raja took refuge in
the Wayanad hills, and resorted to classic techniques
of guerrilla warfare against the superior British
forces. He was downed in a ferocious encounter
that took place at Mavilanthode in 1805. Pazhassi's
tomb marks the point where he was cremeated.
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Phantom Rock
Located close to Ambalavayal town, Phantom Rock,
named so because of its skull head shape, is
locally called Cheengery Mala. The immediate
surroundings offer excellent photo opportunities.
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Soochipara Waterfalls
Locally known as Soochipara, this is a very
popular leisure destination. While younger visitors
love to romp in the pool formed at the foot
of the fall, the more restrained can have equally
good fun just taking in the scenery.
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Kanthanpara Waterfalls
A beautiful waterfall about
30 mtrs in height. Relatively smaller than Sentinel
Rock Falls, and rather less frequented Kanthanpara
and its surroundings offer a very pleasant site.
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