Trip to Wayanad

Trip No.4 after joining Aricent !

Trip team -> Karthik, Santha, Selva, Viswa, Logesh, Arun Prabhu, Vickram and Dhanasekar.

Trip route -> Chennai - Kozhikode - Wayanad - Kozhikode - Chennai.

Trip dates -> 3 days -> 02nd April 2010 04th April 2010.

Cottage booked at Kalpetta -> Diamond cottage and cab was a tempo traveller from Kozhikode (Calicut).

Preview: Reached Calicut from Chennai by Mangalore express. This reached at 04:00AM. We went for a trip for the sake of going irrelevant of climate ! The climate in Wayand during this month was really unpleasant :-(Day 1: Calicut to Wayand - a ride of 74 kms. We preferred not to spend time on the way and directly went to cottage. After typical Kerala breakfast of Aapam, Puutu and Kadali curry, we proceeded to Kuruva Islands . This is a set of natural Island-like creation by Kabini river. At places, we had knee-height of water and we were already perfectly ready because all were in shorts ! (Some R/D by me during planning ;-)). We did have some good time and due to the unpleasant weather, it turned out to be not so good experience. Then, returned back to cottage.Day 2 : Planned for Chembra peak trekking. It is a 3.5km trek uphill until 1st hill and there is a small pond in heart-shape at the top of the first hill. We had to pay Rs.500 for the trek accompanied by a boy. As the climate again was not so worthy, we had to sweat our way up and down. Then, had a lunch at Meppadi and proceeded to Meenmutty falls ! On the way, we stopped at Kanthanpara falls , where water was very less. If there would have been good flow of water, this also would have been a heavenly place for bathing. MEENMUTTY FALLS , is THE place to visit in Wayanad. Not suggested for older people, as it involves a 1.9km trek downhill, aided by tree trunks and roots, rocks and military ropes !! Beware.. it is not a free walk. It is worth the effort and risks taken to see this place. It looks like milk oozing on a mountain from a height of 60-70 m. One shall surely forget all the pains on seeing this falls view ! Again, the uphil walk too is little tiresome and alas ! get back to cottage after 2 awesome treks in the day !

Note :: Trek-expert Vickram simply rubbed salt on everyone saying these 2 cannot be considered as trekking ... :-(

Day 3 : Edakkal caves -> Again a small interesting climb on rocks and caves. Good time killer ! Then, we did purchase of tea, coffee, small momentos and spices ! Back to Calicut ...Calicut sunset is a worth watch and then took the Mangalore express back to Chennai .... Wayanad - not a place to visit in summer, but could be a heaven in other seasons !!