How about an adventure holiday in the lap of nature? Think of gorgeous greens, streaking birds and ferocious animals adding spice to your life. Plan of being at the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary! The name of the wildlife sanctuary has been derived from the words ‘Vayad Nadu’, which signify the land of the paddy fields or swamps. The 345 sq. kms of Wayanad fall in two districts of Kerala namely Cannanore in the north and Calicut in the south. It is adjacent to the Bandipur National Park and it was in the year 1973 that Wayanad was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary. Wayanad happens to be a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and is renowned for its tigers and leopards.

The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is home to tigers, leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs, jackals, and Indian foxes besides the gaur, sambar, spotted dear, Indian muntjac, Bonnet macaque, black-naped hare, wild boar, and giant squirrel. Elephants can be spotted in the wildlife sanctuary during the dry season only as they migrate during the monsoons. The nature is at its best at Wayanad with the misty hills and the delightful dales. While at Wayanad do not miss out on the pulsating plantations of coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber that dot the hills. Wayanad is equally rich in the avi-fauna. You may spot peacocks, babblers, cuckoos, owls, woodpeckers, jungle fowls, coucals, fairy blue bird and Malabar hornbill easily. The entire area is covered with the moist deciduous forests and the evergreen forests. Teak and bamboos are extensive in the sanctuary.

While planning your trip to Wayanad keep in mind that the best time to visit the wildlife sanctuary is from August to May. During the rest of the year the monsoons, heat and cold affect the flora and fauna. In terms of accommodation the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary offers rest houses, tourist lodges and hotels. Though the accommodation options are comfortable they are not luxurious. The basic facilities are available in the most of them. The forest department maintains many of the lodges and the rest houses in the vicinity of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. In fact the towns of Kalpetta or Sulthan Bathery outside the sanctuary that offer better hotels and lodges to the tourists.

You may reach Wayanad through various means of transport. Kozhikode or Calicut is the nearest major airport that connects some Middle East cities and many Indian cities to Wayanad through regular flights. Kozhikode also happens to be the nearest railway station that links Wayanad with other major Indian cities by rail. Buses of the State Road Transport Corporations of Kerala and Karnataka connect the Wayanad wildlife sanctuary to Mysore, Coorg, Bandipur, Nagarhole, and Ooty et al.

On your adventure trip to Wayanad do visit the famous Jain temples of Kalpetta. The Ananthantha Jain temple is a major tourist attraction of the area. The followers of Jainism as well as the other tourists to Wayanad must visit the Glass temple of Kottamunda that is located around 22 km off Kalpetta. The temple is dedicated to Parsvanatha, the Jaina Tirthankara. On entering the temple the reflection of the icons on the mirrors of the walls present a splendid view. For more adventurous of you there is the Chembra Peak (2100 m) that lies around 14 km off Kalpetta and makes an excellent trekking destination. For those of you who would like it to get a deeper insight into the past of the region the Edakkal Caves that are situated around 12 km off Sulthan Bathery at a height of 1000 metres are a must visit. The New Stone Age pictorial writings of the walls of these caves are truly captivating.

The wildlife sanctuary of Wayanad beckons all you nature, animal and bird lovers for a wonderful holiday!