After breakfast at around 9 am we went to the front desk for the check out. There were a young couple. The lady was shouting and threatening the front desk manager for over ten minutes, on lack of service while her husband was silent for most of the time. Finally they managed to get around 25% discount on the bill. I do not know whether they had genuine complaint or it was just to extract the discount. Since we had booked the room over net and had paid the full amount we just had to hand over the room key. After that we started to Wayanad.
I preferred to take the Gonikoppal, Kutta, Tholpatty road. One passes through miles and miles of coffee plantations in Karnataka to reach Tholaetty forest on the Kerala side. Drive through the lush Tholpatty forest and you reach Sulthan Bathery. It took us nearly four hours to reach our hotel, Great Jubilee on the Kozhikode - Mysore highway. For a change I booked this business class hotel instead of a resort. The hotel is in the main town, on high way, clean and with efficient staff.
After refreshing ourselves we had a plate of well cooked Biryani. Had a short nap and then we were off to Muthanga wildlife sanctuary 13km from the Bathery town. The ride was good but except for deers we could not get any sightings of animals.
Evening we had our walking routine, dinner and early sleep after hectic day.
After refreshing ourselves we had a plate of well cooked Biryani. Had a short nap and then we were off to Muthanga wildlife sanctuary 13km from the Bathery town. The ride was good but except for deers we could not get any sightings of animals.
Evening we had our walking routine, dinner and early sleep after hectic day.
After a heavy breakfast we started off to our first spot the Edakkal caves. This is one of the important spots. The carvings (actually writings) on the rock wall is around 8000 years old. This is one of the oldest in the world. While parking the car, park at the last available parking lot. We parked at the first parking and we had to walk additional half a kilometer. The entrance is nearly a kilometer of climb but in a well paved path. But after the ticketing booth it is a very steep climb of 300 meters to the caves. After a hard climb up it was relatively easy walk back to the car park.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edakkal_Caves
Our next stop was Soochipara falls. The roads close to the falls were very bad. After a kilometer of walk through the stone paved road we were able to reach the falls. The falls was beautiful and one could take bath in the run off water without any fear.
It was 4 pm by the time we reached back hotel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edakkal_Caves
Our next stop was Soochipara falls. The roads close to the falls were very bad. After a kilometer of walk through the stone paved road we were able to reach the falls. The falls was beautiful and one could take bath in the run off water without any fear.
It was 4 pm by the time we reached back hotel.
Next day's agenda was to visit Pookhote lake and the Banasura sagar dam. First we were off to the Pookhote lake. Though the lake is set in rapturous surroundings it is quite small. There is provision for pedal boats and rowing.
After spending nearly an hour we stopped at the Karlad lake, once again it is a beautiful location but small lake. We were straight off to Banasura sagar dam. It is the second largest earthern dam in Asia and largest in India. Apart from that the scene is of such a beauty that one could spend hours just sitting there. There are motor boat rides. A must see spot for everyone to see this wonder. It was again Biryani for lunch in a hotel just a kilometer away from the dam. The food was tasty and good.
http://www.keralatourism.org/wayanad/banasura-sagar-dam.php
After spending nearly an hour we stopped at the Karlad lake, once again it is a beautiful location but small lake. We were straight off to Banasura sagar dam. It is the second largest earthern dam in Asia and largest in India. Apart from that the scene is of such a beauty that one could spend hours just sitting there. There are motor boat rides. A must see spot for everyone to see this wonder. It was again Biryani for lunch in a hotel just a kilometer away from the dam. The food was tasty and good.
http://www.keralatourism.org/wayanad/banasura-sagar-dam.php
With the Meenmutty falls and the Kuruva Islands closed due to the rainy season we decided to go to the Karapuzha Dam and end our Wayanad trip. The road via Ambalavayil is very bad after Ambalavayil main road so take the road between Meenangadi and Muttil. This is also a scenic spot, a big irrigation reservoir. Construction work is still underway to make it presentable to tourists. All the remaining works and the garden is expected to be completed by March 2015.