Area- 2131 sq.km.
District Population- 6,72,128
Temperature- Mean min. 20 deg.c
Mean max. 35 deg.c
Climate- Tropical
Altitude- 700-2100 m. above sea level
Rainfall- 250 cms. (annual)

Conveyance to
Air : The nearest airport is Calicut. 109 km from Kalpetta, district headquarters.
Rail : N H 212 (Kozhikode-Mysore) passes via Kalpetta and Sulthan Bathery. KSRTC Bus Station in Sulthan Bathery operates round-the-clock services to Kozhikode sector. Buses to Bangalore and Mysore are from Sulthan Bathery and Kalpetta. Interiors of the district are connected to Kalpetta and Sulthan Bathery. Mananthavady is also connected to Kalpetta, Sulthan Bathery and Kozhikode.

The name Wayanad derived from 'Wayalnadu' means land of paddy fields. The picturesque plateau, having the largest concentration of tribal population in the state, was once known as Africa in Kerala. Kalpetta, the only municipal town in the district, is district headquarters.
Tourists were late to find this unsung paradise which is Kerala's answer to Tamilnadu's Ootty or Karnataka's Madikeri. In many fronts, the hilly-district stands unique. In monsoon days Wayanad is soaking wet. Colonial presence in the district in the second half of the 19 the century has transformed the district, then a vast reserve forest, into plantations of coffee and tea. Even then, the district is credited with 78787 hector reserve forest, the largest forest tract in a Kerala district. Wayanad is in fact cordoned off by six districts of Kerala, Tamilnadu and Karnataka. Several microscopic communities such as Jains and Kurichiyars are housed in the district. The district offers much for anthropologists and archeologists. The Kurichiyars, now a decadent group, have a great martial tradition. They constituted the army of Pazhassi Rajah who fought against the British forces in this part of the country. They still excel in archery. The district is the largest producer of pepper in the country. Wayanad, One of the fourteen districts in Kerala (India) is situated in an elevated picturesque mountainous plateau in Western Ghats. It lies between north latitude 11degree 26'28" and 11degree 48'22" and east longitude 75 degree 46'38" and 76 degree 26'11". There is a land not far from Calicut, the city of Zamorins, yet a world apart from Kerala's agricultural and industrial epicentres. It is a quiet place where scenic beauty wild life and traditional matter, simplicity is a virtue and beauty still blossoms from the mountainous horizon and from the green glaze of alluring vegetation. This is Wayanad - the green paradise - the border world of greener part of Kerala. Clean and pristine, enchanting and hypnotising this land has a history and mystery, culture and social epistemology yet to be discovered. Located at a distance about 76 km. from the sea shores of Calicut in the Western Ghats, this station is full of plantations, forests and wildlife. Wayanad hills are contiguous to Mudumala in Tamil Nadu and Bandhipur in Karnataka, thus forming a vast land mass for the wild life to move about in its most natural abode. The name Wayanad has been derived from the expression 'Vayal nadu' - the village of paddy fields.
In the ancient times this land was ruled by the Rajas of the Veda tribe. In later times, Wayanad came under the rule of Pazhassi Rajahs of Kottayam royal dynasty. When Hyder Ali became the ruler of Mysore, he invaded Wayanad and brought it under his way. In the days of Tipu, Wayanad was restored to the Kottayam royal dynasty. But Tipu handled entire Malabar to the British after the Sreerandapattam truce that he made with them. This was followed by fierce encounters between the British and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Rajah of Kottayam. Even when the Rajah was driven to the wilderness of Wayanad he waged several battles with his Nair and Kurichia-Kuruma tribal soliders against the British troops and defeated the latter several times through guerilla type encounters. The British could get only the dead body of the Rajah who killed himself somewhere in the interior forest. Thus Wayanad fell into the hands of British, and with it began a new turn in the history of this area. The Britishers opened up the Plateau for cultivation of tea and other cash crops. Roads were laid across the dangerous slopes of Wayanad from Calicut and Telicherry. These roads were extended to the city of Mysore and to Ooty through Gudalur. Roads facilities provided opportunities for the people of outside Wayanad to flow and settle to these jungle regions.

The fresh water lake nested above wooded hills, is the only one of its kind in Kerala. It is one of Wayanad's top visitor draws.

Spread over a vast area, Muthanga is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Region. It's a rain forest reserve connected to two major sanctuaries-Bandipur National Park in Karnataka and Mudhumalai Sanctuary in Tamilnadu.

Known as the southern Kashi. A ritual dip here is believed to wash one away of worldy sins. The Thirunelly Temple is a fine specimen of classical Kerala temple architecture. The crystal clear waters of the Papanasini river running downhill add to the enchantment of the place.

Etchings found on the walls of these caves have drawn the serious attention of archeologists and historians worldwide. It is assumed that the Edakkal had been inhabited at various stages in history. A telescope installed by the DTPC that offers a panoramic view of the surrounding country is another attraction.

Legend has it that an Adivasi youth named Karinthandan was instrumental in guiding the British Engineer through the difficult mountain terrain into Wayanad. Eager to take credit for the discovery, the engineer conveniently killed his guide, whose soul, according to the legend, constantly haunted subsequent travellers. It is believed that a priest chained the troublesome spirit onto this tree and hence the name the Chain Tree.

At 2100 metres, the spectacular Chembra Peak located towards the southern part of Wayanad is the tallest summit in the region. Climbing this peak is a challenging endeavour and would take a full day.

The Kuruva Island with 950 acres of evergreen forest lies on one of the tributaries of the River Kabini. This calm and peaceful island is home to a variety of birds, butterflies and orchids.

One of the earliest to strike the banner of revolt against the British overlordship in this part of India, Pazhassi Raja took refuge in the Wayanad hills, and resorted to classic techniques of guerrilla warfare against the superior British forces. He was downed in a ferocious encounter that took place at Mavilanthode in 1805. Pazhassi's tomb marks the point where he was cremeated.

Situated along the northern ridge of Wayanad (bordering Coorg district of Karnataka) Tholpetty is much similar to Muthanga in terms of flora and fauna. The best season to visit is November and May.

Located deep within the forest in the Brahmagiri hills at an altitude of more than 1700 mts, Pakshipatalam is a formation of large boulders, some as tall as two storey buildings. The deep caves found here are home to a wide variety of birds, animals and distinctive species of plants.

This temple is one of the most important amongst a series of ruins spread across the state of Kerala that testify a period of strong Jain presence in this region. Believed to have built in the 13th century, it served as a Hindu shrine and eventually as an ammunition store for Tipu Sultan's marching armies.

You can reach this breathtaking waterfalls only after a 2-km walk into the dense equatorial forest.

A beautiful waterfall about 30 mtrs in height. Relatively smaller than Sentinel Rock Falls, and rather less frequented Kanthanpara and its surroundings offer a very pleasant site.

An interesting 2 km jungle trek off the main Ooty Road, Meenmutty is the largest and most spectacular waterfall in Wayanad. A unique feature is that water drops about 300 metres over three stages.