6N / 7D
4N / 5D
Hills, Wildlife & Nature
Kerala
Wayanad Hills
Package ID: TG-CITY-001454
Wayanad · Edakkal · Banasura — Kerala's green, uncrowded highland — a plateau of spice and coffee plantations, waterfalls, ancient petroglyph caves and a wildlife sanctuary on the edge of the Nilgiri Biosphere. Wayanad is the antidote to the tourist-trail south: misty, unhurried and genuinely wild in places, reached up a series of famous hairpin bends from the Malabar coast. We pace it slowly — plantation walks, a dawn safari where sightings of elephant and deer are good but never promised, and the extraordinary Edakkal caves with carvings thousands of years old. A restful nature retreat.
Package IDTG-CITY-001454
Duration4N / 5D
StartsKozhikode (Calicut)
EndsKozhikode
Best seasonSeptember to May
Ideal forNature & wildlife lovers · families · couples · slow travellers
- Duration
- 4N / 5D
- Cities
- Wayanad (Kalpetta / Vythiri)
- States
- Kerala
- Distance
- ~250 km hill roads
- Start → End
- Kozhikode (Calicut) → Kozhikode
- Transport
- Private air-conditioned car (hill-driven)
- Hotels
- 3★ / 4★ resorts & plantation stays
- Meals
- Breakfast & dinner (MAP)
- Best season
- September to May
- Ideal for
- Nature & wildlife lovers · families · couples · slow travellers
Day by day
Complete itinerary
Tap any day to expand. Drive distances and times are realistic approximations, stated up front and traffic-dependent — never hidden.
Day 1 Kozhikode → WayanadCalicut → Wayanad
- Route
- Kozhikode (Calicut) → Wayanad
- Distance
- ~85 km
- Travel time
- ~2h30m (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car up the ghat hairpins
- Depart
- On arrival
- Arrive
- Afternoon
- Alternative
- Thamarassery / Lakkidi ghat viewpoints
- Drive up the ghat to Wayanad & check-in
- Lakkidi viewpoint & Pookode Lake
- Plantation-resort evening
Up the famous Thamarassery ghat — nine hairpins climbing out of the Malabar coast into the hills — to the Wayanad plateau. The Lakkidi viewpoint and the pretty forest-ringed Pookode Lake are the gentle introduction before settling into a plantation resort for the first evening.
✓ Ghat hairpins✓ Lakkidi viewpoint✓ Pookode Lake
🛏 Overnight: Wayanad
Day 2 Edakkal & BanasuraCaves → dam
- Edakkal Caves — Neolithic petroglyphs (a steep climb)
- Wayanad Heritage Museum
- Banasura Sagar Dam — the largest earth dam in India
- Boating & sunset at the reservoir
A day of the plateau's highlights. The Edakkal caves hold rock carvings thousands of years old, reached by a genuinely steep climb we're honest about; the Banasura Sagar Dam, India's largest earth dam, backs up a reservoir dotted with islands, lovely at sunset with an optional boat ride. A rich, active day.
✓ Edakkal petroglyphs✓ Banasura Dam✓ Reservoir boating
🛏 Overnight: Wayanad
Day 3 Muthanga safari & fallsSanctuary → Meenmutty
- Muthanga / Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary jeep safari
- Breakfast
- Soochipara (Sentinel Rock) or Meenmutty Falls
- Spice-plantation walk & tasting
An early safari into the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, part of the Nilgiri Biosphere corridor — elephant, gaur, spotted deer and rich birdlife are regularly seen, though as always nothing is guaranteed and safari slots are permit-limited. The rest of the day is waterfalls and a guided spice-plantation walk, explaining the cardamom, pepper and coffee the hills live on.
✓ Wildlife safari✓ Soochipara Falls✓ Spice plantation
🛏 Overnight: Wayanad
Day 4 Wayanad at leisureChembra / plantations
- Optional Chembra Peak / heart-shaped lake trek (permit)
- Thirunelli temple or plantation leisure
- Farewell dinner at the resort
A deliberately open day. The keen can trek toward Chembra Peak and its famous heart-shaped lake (permit-controlled and weather-dependent); others visit the ancient forest temple of Thirunelli or simply enjoy the plantation resort. An unhurried close to a restful hill retreat.
✓ Chembra trek (optional)✓ Thirunelli temple✓ Plantation leisure
🛏 Overnight: Wayanad
Day 5 DepartureWayanad → Kozhikode
- Route
- Wayanad → Kozhikode Airport (CCJ)
- Distance
- ~100 km
- Travel time
- ~3 hrs (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car
- Depart
- As per flight
- Arrive
- —
- Alternative
- Kannur airport also possible
- At the resort
- Descend the ghat and transfer to Kozhikode airport
Down the ghat and back to the coast for your flight from Kozhikode (or Kannur). We plan the descent and transfer around your departure after a genuinely restorative few days.
✓ Ghat descent✓ Airport transfer
Where you stay
Hotels
| Destination | Nights | Category | Meal plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayanad | 4 | 3★ / 4★ / plantation resort | Breakfast + dinner |
Specific hotels are confirmed against your dates and budget at quotation — we never claim a named property is included unless your package explicitly specifies it.
Meals
What's included, day by day
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 · Kozhikode → Wayanad | — | Optional | Optional |
| Day 2 · Edakkal & Banasura | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 3 · Muthanga safari & falls | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 4 · Wayanad at leisure | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 5 · Departure | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
✓ Included · Optional add-on · — not included. Meal plan (CP / MAP / AP) is configurable per booking.
Inclusions
What's in the price
- ✓Accommodation on twin sharing
- ✓Breakfast & dinner (MAP)
- ✓All transfers & sightseeing by private hill-driven car
- ✓Plantation-walk coordination
- ✓Applicable taxes (GST)
Exclusions
Not included
- ✕Flights
- ✕Wildlife-safari permits, trek permits & entry fees
- ✕Boating & activity charges
- ✕Lunches & personal expenses
- ✕Travel insurance
- ✕Anything not listed under inclusions
Good to know
Important information
- •Wildlife-sanctuary safaris (Muthanga/Tholpetty) are permit-limited and run in fixed morning/afternoon windows; sightings are good but never guaranteed, and the sanctuary has occasional seasonal closures.
- •Edakkal caves involve a steep climb, and Chembra Peak needs a permit and reasonable fitness (and can close in fire/dry season) — we set honest expectations.
- •The Thamarassery ghat is a winding hairpin climb — travellers prone to motion sickness should plan for it.
- •September–May is the pleasant window; the monsoon (Jun–Aug) is lush and dramatic but very wet, with leeches on trails.
- •Wayanad is a quiet nature destination — nightlife and big-resort infrastructure are limited, which is the appeal.
Who is this for
Ideal travellers
👨👩👧Family
💑Honeymoon
👴Seniors
👥Friends
🏢Corporate
🧳Solo
Make it yours
Customize this trip
Change hotel category · add or remove nights · extend the route · upgrade transport · add flights, activities, meals or travel insurance. This is the default; almost everything is configurable.
Pricing
Starting from
Figures on enquiry · priced for your dates
On enquiry / per person · twin sharing
We price the real configuration — your exact party, dates, hotel category and inclusions — rather than publish an average that changes the moment you ask.
| Occupancy | Price / person |
|---|---|
| Single occupancy | — |
| Double / twin sharing (per person) | — |
| Triple sharing (per person) | — |
| Child with bed | — |
| Child without bed | — |
Price varies with travel dates, hotel availability, season, number of travellers and selected inclusions. The occupancy grid above is the live structure; figures populate from configurable pricing fields — never hard-coded.
Questions
Package FAQs
Will we see wildlife on the safari?
Wayanad's sanctuary regularly shows elephant, gaur and deer, with a chance of much more — but it is wild, so nothing is guaranteed, and safari slots are permit-limited in fixed windows. We book ahead and set honest expectations.
Is Wayanad good for families?
Very — the caves, dam boating, waterfalls and plantations engage children, and the plantation resorts are relaxing. Only Chembra Peak and the steep Edakkal climb need real effort.
How does it compare with Munnar?
Greener, wilder and much quieter than Munnar, with a stronger wildlife and caves angle rather than tea-tourism polish. It suits travellers who want nature over crowds.
When should we avoid?
The heavy monsoon (June–August) means daily rain and leeches on trails, though it is beautifully green. September–May is the reliable window.
How do I get a price?
Use Enquire Now or Get Best Quote. A consultant prices your dates, party and resort category and replies within one working day. No payment to get a quote.
Ready to plan?
Enquire, get a quote or customise
Every button opens one short form — a consultant replies within one working day and your enquiry lands directly in our travel-desk CRM. No payment required.