Edakkal Caves is around 10KM from Sultan Battery. The
shortest route is via the single-lane road starting at the Manichira turn-off
near Sultan Battery on the Kalpetta to Sultan Battery state highway. The far
better option is to take the Kalpetta State Highway (212) route and take the
turn-off (at ~5KM from Sultan Battery) to
the Left for Edakkal Caves/Ambalavayal at Kolagapaara Junction. It is an additional
3KM, but the newly constructed rubberized two-lane scenic road from Kolagapaara
makes it very worthwhile - it is around 9KM from the turn-off to Edakkal Caves
- there is a sharp v-turn up the hill after around 7KM.
There are several parking spaces near the Edakkal Caves
entrance - some are paid-parking areas while others are free. It is best to
drive up the steep hillock to the entrance gate and look for parking on the way
down as otherwise you will end up walking the distance to the entrance gate
(curio shops line the area till the entrance on either side of the road - they
mostly sell Wayanad spices and such - very reasonable pricing although quality
for some items such as home-made chocolates are below par).
The Edakkal Caves
ticket counter is around 1KM up a steep walk-way from the entrance gate - this
pathway also has several shops lining both sides selling everything from
curios, spices, and drinks - honey amla (gooseberry marinated in raw honey -
both from the forest) and Bamboo Rice Payasam are the popular items here. They
sometimes have Jeeps taking people up to the ticket counter for a Rs 100 fee.
Tickets are Rs 20 pp (camera Rs 30) and are open from 9AM to 4PM (Monday
holiday). From the ticket counter, there is a short pathway followed by winding
steel stairs (300-odd steps) till the cave. It takes upward of two hours for
the hike and back.
There was a trek further up from the caves to a viewpoint
but that is now closed to the public. The cave itself is a marvelous natural
wonder. There are a couple of huge granite rocks and between them is another
rock stuck in the middle, thus forming the giant cave structure (depth about
30-feet) - the site got its name from this precarious rock formation -
‘Edakkal’ literally means rock-in-between. The historical significance of the
cave is the presence of several sets of petroglyphs: the youngest are believed
to be over 2000-years old and may have a connection to the Indus Valley
Civilization while the oldest date back to over 8000-years - the pre-historic
stoneage carvings are very rare and are the only ones in South India. The site
is maintained by the Wayanad District Tourist Promotion Council (DTPC) and
their personnel man the site during visiting hours.
Less than 5KM from Edakkal Caves is Ambalavayal Heritage
Museum (aka Wayanad Heritage Museum, Open 10AM to 5PM).
To get there from
Edakkal Caves, at the sharp V-turn to Kolagappara on the
Vaduvanchal-Kolagappara Road, take a Left instead and go about 3.5KM to the
Museum turn-off on the Left (Government Hospital Road). It has one of the
largest collections of archealogical relics and artefacts from the neolothic
period to around the 17th century AD (presented in three types: Gothrasmruthi,
the Devasmruthi, and the Jeevanasmruthi). Memorial grave stones and stone age
hunting equipment are the highlights.
Meenmutty Falls is ~13KM on the same road
(Vaduvanchal-Kolagappara), around 3KM after the Meppadi route turn-off (SH29).
The
final stretch (about a kilometer) is very bumpy and it is best to park your
vehicle on the muddy pathway and hike down the rest of the way - the way back
up is strenuous and no services. There is another Meenmutty Falls near Banasura
Dam and that is more popular and has more services as well (tickets are Rs 50)
- it also requires a good kilometer or so of hiking. The Trail and the Falls
are very beautiful in both these locations. Soochipara Falls is around 16KM
from Meenmutty Falls (the one near Vaduvanchal) - from Vaduvanchal-Meppadi Road
(SH29), take a Left turn at Meppadi to Chooralmala/Soochipara, and it is about
3KM from the turn-off to the Right. Parking lot is 2KM from this point and
there is another 1KM hike to the Falls. Tickets are Rs 50 (open 8AM to 5PM).
Here again, the trek down is easy and picturesque while coming back up can be
strenuous. There are several other Falls in Wayanad district and many are
largely unexplored. One thing to be aware of is that the terrain is slippery
and dangerous especially during the monsoon - the ones with facilities are
closed during monsoons.
Related Posts:
- Wayanad - Edakkal Caves, Ambalavayal Heritage Museum, and Soochipara & Meenmutty Falls - Review (this post).
- Wayanad - Lakkidi Viewpoint, Pookode Lake, & Sultan Battery Jain Temple - Review.
- Wayanad - Muthanga Wild Life Sanctuary Safari & Chembra Peak - Review.
- Wayanad - Banasura Sagar Dam, Kuruva Island, & Pazhassi Tomb - Review.
Last Updated: 08/2016.
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