Wayanad – A Trip To God’s Own Country!

I, along with four of my friends, planned a two-day trip to Wayanad and when the day arrived we were more than excited! We had booked an Innova and started off from Bangalore by 4 pm. We couldn’t take the shorter Bandipur route as it was almost time for closing. So, by the time we reached our homestay in Wayanad, it was almost 1 am, including the time we lost taking wrong roads. But, we hardly realised it as we were deeply involved in enjoying the exhilarating views of the winding roads through out the journey. We even spotted elephants on the sides of the road!

Homestay:

The homestay ‘Marsim Holiday Homes’ was in Vythiri and the care-taker Ismail gave us a warm welcome even during those late hours. He took us to the cottage we had booked, which was a 2BHK that costs around 3500/day. The rooms were neatly maintained, cozy and gave us the warmth of staying at home. We woke up early next day to check out the views around the homestay and were astound to find lush greenery and a river flowing its way beside the homestay! The fog, the green environment and the chillness reminded us that there was a reason for calling the place as God’s own country! There is also a hotel managed by Marsim Holiday Homes, which is very close to the stay with reasonable pricing.

We spent few minutes to capture memories of the place and finally got ready by 9 am to start our adventurous trip to Chembra Peak!

Day 1:

Chembra Peak:

It was approximately 27kms away from our stay and it took around one hour to reach the car parking. It costs Rs.750 for a group to trek and they also send a guide with us. Trekkers are not allowed after 2 pm. It takes almost two hours to reach the peak which is a 2.5km trek. We are initially welcomed by a trek through forest and the path becomes steeper as we go. And, at the end we were almost climbing our way through the rocks in the mountain. Everything, from the short fresh water stream that crossed our way to the astounding views from every direction, helped us get back our lost stamina. Yet, water bottles and glucose are a must! There is a heart- shaped lake which is a picturesque spot and once we climb a little more we reach the peak and we are presented with a breath-taking view, that gives instant peace to our mind and helps us forget the rough trek! We spent half an hour completely immersed in the view and finally started our trek back down to the place we started, which took around 1.5 hours. This was equally challenging considering the steep paths we had taken while climbing! On the whole it was one of the best trekking experience we had ever had!

We had our lunch in a hotel at the entrance of the peak and started our travel towards our next destination – Soochipara falls!

Soochipara falls:

It took an hour for us to reach Soochipara from Chembra Peak (approx. 13 km). We have to take a really steep and a km long path from the parking and through out the way we hardly get a glimpse of the falls. Once we reach the end of the tiresome walk we are gifted with the appealing view of the beautiful falls. We can spend hours by just watching the falls. As it falls with a great force, girls are not allowed to get close to it and were allowed to spend time in the pools created by the flow of the water. The water is super-chill and the rocks inside the pools are  too much slippery. One cannot come out without falling even once. It also has sharp rocks, so one should be very cautious while walking their way across the water, especially towards the falls. We spent an hour in the falls until the closing time. It was yet another wonderful experience for the day! There is a room for changing clothes but it is nowhere near to the falls. We need to walk back to the entrance for it and is also poorly maintained. So, we had to reach back our homestay with shivers.

Day 2:

Pookode lake:

The next day we planned to visit Pookode lake which was very close to our stay (approx 3 km). It was a pleasant place to spend time. It took around twenty minutes to get an entry and wait for our turn for the boat. They give us thirty minutes of a memorable experience around the approximately 40-feet lake. The greenery, water lilies, water birds and the stunning view of the lake takes our mind off from everything else. Few other attractions include an aquarium, magic mirrors, children’s park and a fish spa.

After spending an hour over there, we started our journey towards our final stop in Wayanad – The Edakkal caves!

Edakkal Caves:

It was an hour’s travel from Vythiri (approx. 40 km). It was another trekking experience, except that this had steps after a particular point. The path was overall quite steep, but even aged people were walking enthusiastically. After a 20-minutes walk over the steep path, it takes another twenty minutes to take the stairs and reach the caves above. It is quite a big cave with pre-historic carvings nearly all over the walls. We can spend a maximum of 15 to 20 minutes. It takes around twenty minutes to reach all the way down to the entrance. The main attraction was the cave, the trek experience and the historical importance of the place.

And, with that we made our way back to Bangalore, took Bandipur route and reached around 10 pm. We were lucky enough to spot bisons, deers and elephant enroute, which gave us an experience of a safari ride!

Important points to note:

1) Try starting early in the morning and finish the trek before afternoon to avoid a sunny trek.
2) Don’t carry too many luggages
3) Carry water bottles, glucose and snacks
4) Have your caps and sunscreens
5) Carry a first aid kit, though may not be necessary all the time.
6) Wear shoes

Marsim Holiday Homes:

1 km-Pozhuthana Road (Banasura Sagar Dam Road)
Vythiri, Wayanad.
Contact: Ismail N.P. (091-9744584240)

Happy Travelling! 😀