I’ve visited Kerala five times, but this was my first trip to the tea plantations region of Kerala. We were visiting Wayanad in the summer to escape the city heat. Wayanad had great weather, cool and pleasant, to soak in the beauty of the tea gardens. But that’s not all – there was more we did! Bookmark this 4-day Wayanad itinerary on how we spent our time there.
Day 1 Wayanad itinerary: Sprawling tea plantations in Vythiri
On our first day, after checking in, we kept it light and easy with a short hike around our homestay at the foothills of Chembra Peak, the highest peak in Wayanad. We walked past banana, guava and wild coffee plantations and followed the marks left by an elephant wandering on this side of the jungle the previous night.
After lunch, we took a Thar jeep ride to venture deeper into the rural land and discovered endless tea plantations that stretched as far as our eyes could see. The lush green carpets of tea leaves were a breath-taking sight, and we couldn’t resist prancing around the tea gardens, spending hours here. A little ahead, we stumbled upon an abandoned British planter’s bungalow, its weathered walls whispering tales of a bygone era. As the day drew to a close, we returned to our homestay to a lovely homecooked meal of Prawns stew with appam.
Day 2 Wayanad itinerary: An Adventure-day at 900 Kandi
From Vythiri, we checked out, towards Sulthan Bathery in the South Wayanad district. Along the way, we made a stop at 900 Kandi. The plan was to take the rugged jeep ride to reach the glass bridge or skywalk at the top of the hill. While the jeep ride was thrilling (and neck-breaking), the glass skywalk was underwhelming, overcrowded and worth skipping.
From there, we checked into our hotel in Sulthan Bathery after a two hour drive and rested the night.
Day 3 Wayanad itinerary: Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary and Edakkal Caves
On this day, there was a mix of history and wildlife. We booked ourselves on the morning jeep safari inside the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (also Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary). This region shares the forest with Tamil Nadu’s Mudumalai and Karnataka’s Bandipur Sanctuary, making it an ideal place to spot Asian Elephants in the wild.
Next, we headed to Edakkal caves. Perched on Ambukuthi Hills, these caves offer a fascinating glimpse into a Neolithic settlement. It reminded me of Yana Caves in North Karnataka. Edakkal can be crowded on weekends, which may not be a great experience to immerse yourself in the history of this place. Also, prepare to climb some stairs to reach the caves.
Day 4 Wayanad itinerary: Ziplining through tea plantations, Banasura Dam and Karlad Lake
On the last day, after checking out from our hotel, we utilized our time to do a few more activities as we had the rental car to carry our luggage.
We started with Karlad Lake, which was okay. Instead, you should check out Pookode Lake, which is larger and better. There is no need to visit both lakes.
Next, we visited the Banasura Dam – the largest earth dam in India and the second largest in Asia. The dam offers a great view of the Karamanathodu tributary of the Kabini River with the Banasura hills in the background.
The best, however, was yet to come! Our last stop was Meppadi, where we signed up for ziplining in Wayanad’s tea gardens. It was a great way to witness this stunning landscape from a different perspective and appreciate Wayanad’s natural beauty.
With a touch of sadness, we finally bid farewell to Wayanad, as we headed back to Kozhikode. Since we were continuing towards Gokarna, we drove to the Kozhikode railway station for our overnight train (Gandhidham Express) to Kumta.
Where to stay in Wayanad?
You’ll find some excellent hotels in Wayanad, although they might seem slightly expensive compared to other locations because it is a popular tourist destination, especially during summer.
We stayed at Club Mahindra’s affiliate, Vythiri Village Resort in Wayanad in the north district. You can check out Club Mahindra reviews online before booking!
Another good homestay is Wild Courtyard Vythiri. It offers some great views of the Chembra Peak and home-cooked local food.
We also stayed at Thejas Resorts in the Sulthan Bathery area, south of Wayanad district. This area is closer to the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and Edakkal Caves. Thejas was a beautiful boutique hotel with olden Kerala-style architecture and a buffet breakfast fit for a king. It is centrally located in the heart of the city and yet away from the bustle.
Local food to try in Wayanad
We enjoyed the food in Wayanad – from puttu and kadala curry to appam and prawn stew, idli and dosas. We also ate Meen (fish) biryani and beef parotta at a local restaurant in Kalpetta.
I also highly recommend trying Chatti Choru – a Wayanad-style rice pot with fish and meat gravies, and pappadum.
You should also definitely visit Wilton Restaurant in Sulthan Bathery or Lakkidi – we ate some excellent rabbit pepper fry with parotta. This place is quite popular as personalities like Mamooty and Rahul Gandhi have visited here.
Lastly, don’t forget to buy some hot tapioca chips to take home.
Top travel tips for Wayanad
- We took a flight from Mumbai to Kozhikode after comparing prices on Skyscanner. You can also check cheaper flight options to Kannur, equidistant from Wayanad – 3 hours drive.
- We took a car rental for the entire duration of our Wayanad trip. It is the best recommended option for travellers since public transport in Wayanad is not easy to navigate, and places to visit are far and scattered. Uber and Ola are not available.
- If you want to keep one location as your base for your stay in Wayanad, I suggest Vythiri because the tea plantations and most activities are in that area, whereas Sulthan Bathery is more developed as a city.
- If you have time on hand, also visit the Honey Museum. We stopped here on our last day – it was very informative. Of course, you can also buy some local honey to take home. Along the way, there’s a tea factory and museum for a quick stop for tea.
- If you have an extra day, visit Kuruvadweep island – a cluster of islets in the Kabini River – it is known for its untouched landscape. Kuruvadweep Island will take an entire day, so account for that time in your itinerary.
- To save money, you can club some sightseeing like Banasura Dam, Karlad Lake and the Honey Museum on your last day before leaving Wayanad, as they are along the same route, instead of making a separate visit.
- Carry comfortable shoes for the small hikes and prancing around the tea gardens.
That’s it! Hope this 4-day Wayanad itinerary is helpful in your planning. Have a great trip to Wayanad.
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