Wynad@Keralatourismonline

Wynad

Wynad, the greenish hill station, lies in sylvan surroundings with mist clad mountains and valleys. The name Wyanad is derived from the expression 'Vayal Nadu' which means the land of paddy fields. The panorama of undulating hills and dales that it offers makes it ideal for the cultivation of coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber. Wayanad, in addition to having the highest concentration of tribal population in Kerala, also has a small Jain community. There is luxuriant growth of vegetation all around, which makes Wyanad clothed in uniform greenery. The Kabini river system of Wyanad is the perennial source of water to Cauvery. Kalpatta is the district headquarter.

With the vast expanse of greenery, spice scented breeze, mist capped mountains, salubrious climate, hypnotising scenic beauty, Wynad stands as one of the loveliest hill stations of Kerala, best elective for adventurous tourists..

PROFILE
Area	2,132 sq. km.
Climate	Cool climate. Monsoons from June to October
Location	It is bounded on the east by the Nilgiris and Mysore districts of Tamilnadu and Karnataka respectively, on the north by Coorg district of Karnataka, on the south by Malappuram district and on the west by Calicut and Kannur districts of Kerala.
Religion	Hindus and Muslim form the major comrnunity, with a minority of Christians.
Language	Malayalam is the official language. English is also used among the business class.
Altitude	700-2100 mts. above sea level.
Time Zone	(Indian standard Time + 5.30 hours GMT).

TOURIST SPOTS
Lakkidy- the Gateway of Wynad	Situated at an elevation of 750m in the Western Ghats. You have to negotiate at least eight nine hair pin curves on the ghat road, passing through brsath-taking deep valleys and forests on either sides.Welcoming you a large Banyan tree with an iron chain.
Bepur Wildlife Sanctuary	20 kms. east of Mananthavady, popular for its wide varieties of animals.
Kuruva Island	16 kms. from Mananthavady, on the banks of the river Kabini, it is tiny delta, which is abundant in herbal plants, orchids, rare species of flowers etc.
Pakshipathalam	A bird-watching centre, 10 kms. away from Tirunelli. Trekking is the only mode to reach the place.
Edakkal Caves	There are two caves on the Ambukuthi Hills. The walls of the caves are decorated with pictorial writings of Stone Age. One can reach the caves by trekking from Ambalavayal.
Chethalayam Waterfalls	12 kms. from Sultan Bathery on the Pulpally main road, its a beautiful waterfall.
Wynad Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary	Elephants, bear, deer, wild-pig etc. can be seen here.
Panamaram	The Palace of Pazhassiraja. 29 Kms from Sulthan Bathery.
Soochippara Waterfalls	15kms from Kalpatta, A three tiered powerful waterfalls of more than 200m in height with fantastic scenery near chooralmala, in the dense equatorial forest of Wynad.
Pookot Lake	A natural fresh water lake surrounded by evergreen forests and wooded hills. Boating facilities, children's park, a handicrafts and spices emporium and a fresh water auarium are among the tourist attractions here.
Chembra Peak	2100m above the sea level, the peak is an exhilarating 4 hours treak from the base of the mountain. At about 1500m height is a crystal clear lake hardly touched by human hands.
Nagarhaule	A wildlife sanctuary, just about 40kms from Mananthavady, spread among the border of Kerala and Karnataka states.