Wayanad

Wayanad

3 daysBest: Sep–MarNatural Landscapes#waterfalls#caves#wildlife
3 days Sep–Mar

Caves, waterfalls and spice plantations

Season alert: October–February is the Wayanad trek-and-safari season; the Chembra cap means same-day walk-ins fail — book the night before. Monsoon is lush and beautiful but the Muthanga roads turn to chocolate.

Why this weekend?

Edakkal cavesSoochipara fallsChembra trek
Some links below are affiliate links — booking through them may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The day-by-day plan

Day 1Day 1 · The caves
  1. Edakkal caves
  2. View points
  3. Reserve deck

Geography & terrain

Wayanad lies in the Wayanad district of Kerala at about 800 m, 270 km from Kochi and 75 km from Kozhikode — the hill district of the region, its caves, the falls and the reserve set on the Western Ghats.

History & culture

The district's story runs with the 1984 park era — the hill district of the 1984-era park and the 19th-century-era coffee life of the British planters, with the district's modern role as the nature stop of the Kerala circuit and the home of the Edakkal caves and the falls and the 2000s-era resorts; the district's history of the 2018-era flood works and the forest paths, gives Wayanad its hill character.

Where to stay

Hillside resort with valley view

resort · ₹5,500/night

Check on MakeMyTrip

Homestay near Vythiri

homestay · ₹2,800/night

Check on Goibibo

Things to do

🌟

Edakkal Caves + guide

₹900 · half-day

ticket
🏖️

Soochipara Falls swim trip

₹600 · transport + permit

ticket

Fees & timings

Chembra Peak trek (per group)
₹4,000
Edakkal Caves (Indians)
₹50
Soochipara Falls (Indians)
₹150
Muthanga safari bus (Indians)
₹350
Entry total
₹4,550

Eat & drink

  • Resort kitchens — The Kerala plates
  • Town boards — The estate meals
  • Route stops — The chai corners

Getting there

Fly
Kannur/Calicut (1 h) + 2–2.5 h drive
Train
Kozhikode (5.5 h) + 2 h cab
By car
6 h via Mysuru–Bandipur (280 km)

Practical info

  • Connectivity: Good at resorts, patchy in forest stretches

Practical tips

  • Bandipur forest section is closed to traffic 9 pm–6 am — time the drive
  • Edakkal closes at 4 pm; start before 1 pm
  • Monsoon makes the falls epic but the caves' steps slippery

Frequently asked questions

The hill district of the Kerala.

Was this helpful?

The caves, the falls and the reserve.

Was this helpful?

Three days.

Was this helpful?

Wayanad is green on a scale that makes other green places seem modest — the hills roll on in every shade, studded with pepper vines, areca palms and waterfalls that thunder through the afternoon mists. At Edakkal, you climb the boulder cleft and find yourself looking at carvings made by people who lived before writing; there is a strange intimacy in that. The evenings smell of cardamom and rain, and the tribal hamlets around Sulthan Bathery keep the pace of a slower century. It's a weekend for long drives with no destination, and for the moment the mist opens on Chembra's heart lake, you will feel very far from any office.

Take the break. We'll take the planning.

Tell us your dates, budget and travel style — we'll build your Wayanad plan with day-by-day routing, stays, food and bookings.

Free Planning 2 Free Iterations ~24hr Delivery
Get My Free Plan

Contents