[vrvarier]

Hi Guys,

We are planning to visit wayanad during the coming week-end. Searched the forum and got quite a lot of help. Would greatly appreciate the latest updates. My plan is as below:

Day-1: Start from Bangalore by 5am. Reach kalpetta before 12. Visit Pookot lake and Soochippara/kanthanpara falls.

Day-2: Visit Thirunelly temple, Kuruva Island, Pazhassi resort, in and around mananthawady.

Day-3: Banasura Dam, and any other adhoc place... need your suggns

Day-4 (reserv day): Any other place...need your suggns . Start back to bangalore by 2 pm.

1. It is raining heavily in Kerala, how is it in Wayanad?

2. Can someone suggest 2 decent places for Breakfast, before Gundlupet? One I got from this forum is Tiger Pug marks. Exact location please? Anything on the way before Mysore?

3. ANy updates on route? Normally this is a good route with only small bad stretch near the border.

4. For a change, how'bt the route Kanakapura-Malavalli-chamarajnagar-Gundlupet? I can tolerate bad roads to a certain extent.

5. Suggestions for leisurely family outing? No adventures, please !!

6. We are staying at WoodLands, kalpetta. Any feedback?

Thanks, folks,
VV

[Torqy]

Pookot lake on a weekend might be a bad idea. Last time we were there on Oct 2nd and the entire Kerala had landed there (literally). We couldn't do any boating and we hung around for 20 minutes and left.

We took the Mysore - Gundelpet route and it was good.

[ak916]

Hey there - I did a trip to wayanad recently. My third one. General suggestion is to avoid the waterfalls in wayanad. All of them AFAIK involve a trek through the jungle and the path is not very forgiving. I mean it is not dangerous but will be difficult for older people and children.

Edakkal caves can be done the first day before you check into the hotel. However, this again requires a trek after a small drive up the hill on a 4x4. I would suggest do Edakkal if possible and by the time u reach the hotel, you will be tired and can call it a day.

Woodland is an "ok" hotel. It doesnt at all look like the pictures in the website. That said, it is not that bad either.

Foodwise, I stick to the small hotels on the roadside for good mallu food. The hotels like woodland, greengates, haritagiri can only give you their version of north indian food. Their kerala food was below par. Visit Vythiri resort for a dinner or lunch.. it is beautiful place but expensive.

Chembra peak again is good one day trek and less treacherous than Meenmutty/Soochipara. It is beautiful with a heart shaped lake mid way up the mountain. But again, avoid if going with elderly family members or kids.


My vote is for Gundulpet road since it has less traffic. I stop in the city of mysore for breakfast since there are plenty of options.

[harrysan]

Hi VV

I last travelled over there in March '08.

As per Yahoo local weather, Kalpetta is expected to remain sunny over the weekend. Let lady luck ride with you.

You can have breakfast at Mysore (if you prefer early bfast) or at Nanjangudu. Yes, you should better take the Mysore - Gundlupet road.

If you can still change your place of stay, suggest you move over to some other resort. I had stayed at Wynberg resorts and it was good, and they can arrange tribal visits etc.

Not sure if you would get any wildlife sighting around this time of the year.

If possible stay at Edakkal caves resort for a night, and dine at their cave restaurant. They do not allow not residents to have food there, so i missed it.

Have a nice trip!

[vrvarier]

Hi,
Thanks for all the suggestions and help. can some one tell me a good stop over before mysore. good toilets are a must. Starting at 5 am, reaching pug marks in G.pet will be a lil late for BF/refreshment. I donot want to enter mysore city. Something along the highway, would be ideal.
rgds,
Venu.

[Sks_Biker]

I had been on that route a couple of weeks back the roads are in good condition. You can stop for breakfast at the ever crowded Kamat (just after ramanagara, approx 50kms from blr) or Shivalli MTR/Indraprastha (about 80kms). If you prefer Coffee Day kinda place there are a couple around that. And there is a McDonalds couple of kms after Shivalli MTR.

If you dont want to enter Mysore city for food I can understand that, but the shortest route to Guldlupet is through Mysore. The so called bypass will actually take you longer to pass through. Just keep left while exiting thge highway (into mysore city) and ask the way to the palace. Once you get close enough, you'll find roads to Nanjangudu/Gundlupet.

Have a nice trip

[vrvarier]

Any updates on the rains in wayanad? What I could gather is, it is raining quite a bit there. Are the roads affected?

[kaushik_s]

Few things,
1. Pug Mark is actually detour (of 10km or lil' more) from the Gudlupet Wayanad road. It's on the road towards Ooty. Road is bad almost till pugmark unless they've relaid in last month.
2. Don't take the bypass on Mysore, instead go through Mysore,(basically you need to keep to ur left and then one right to reach the Nanjangud Ooty road exit) there won't be much traffic in Mysore. And you'll save lots of time if you go via Mysore.
3. Just after you reach the exit for Nanjangud there is a Kamat Upavan on your left side. Ample parking space and clean toilets.
4. Although I didn't stayed in Woodland but what I've seen that the Hotel is a OK one. I actually liked the food there.
5. Go to Banasura Sagar, Pookote Lake, Lakkidi, Soochipara falls(you'll need to climb down on steps and climb up after seeing the falls, may be tiring but doable. Avoid if raining). If you are bit more adventourous then only go to Meenmuthy.
You can also try Kuruva Island, but keep in mind that they don;t allow any more entry after 4.30pm.
I didn't liked Edekkal Caves, Avoid it. Too much of rush, high climb and nothing much to see unless you are very much interested in stone age probably.
The best part of Wayand is the drive, awesome long winding roads through the Tea gardens on the slopes of the mountains. It's just lovely.

Have a great time...
Regards,
Kaushik

PS: We used to have breakfast on a place called Mylari hotel where you get Mysore Mylari Dosa. For me this Dosa is one of the best tasting dosa. There is one hotel in Mysore, on Old Nazarabad road(a small place, difficult to find unless you know mysore). And one on the Mysore road, I think it's much after Kamat and all, on the right hand side.

[vrvarier]

Hi Kaushik...those were good inputs. 10km is a considerable detour. I guess I need to miss that. Upavan looks ideal. Thanks for the other inputs as well. we are going ahead anyway, planning this for quite some time, and cannot miss it after so much anticipation. You are right, drive is the main driver behind our drives !
Thanks again, --Venu.

[vrvarier]

Hi All,
I came back from this trip today evening and we had a wonderful time there. we were blessed with weather gods, for, it did'nt rain at all. Thanks for all the help & suggns. Travel details to follow...
regards,
Venu.