Wayanad
Misty Western Ghats plateau of wildlife and spice gardens
Best time to visit Wayanad
- Jan, peak season
- Feb, peak season
- Mar, shoulder season
- Apr, best avoided
- May, best avoided
- Jun, best avoided
- Jul, best avoided
- Aug, best avoided
- Sep, shoulder season
- Oct, peak season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, peak season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: October to February
- Shoulder: March and September, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: April to August
Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryOctoberNovemberDecember
Wayanad season by season
Winter December to February Prime time
Peak season - clear misty mornings, wildlife sanctuary safaris in full swing, cool campfire nights
Summer March to May Shoulder
Hot and dry by May; forest cover helps, but trails get dusty and some streams run low
Monsoon June to September Shoulder
Landslide-prone Ghat roads and closed treks (Chembra Peak shuts entirely); jungle is at its greenest though
Autumn October to November Prime time
October is excellent - monsoon just ended, everything lush, waterfalls full, sanctuary reopens for safaris
What Wayanad is actually like
Plantation homestays and a few hostels bring trekkers; scooters help you meet people
Getting to Wayanad
Fly to Calicut, 2.5h taxi/bus up Thamarassery Ghat into Wayanad
Practical ways in: flightroad
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 3 days
- Budget
- Mid-range
- How busy
- Steady at its peak
- Solo travel
- Fine solo
- Altitude
- 780 m
- State
- Kerala
- Coordinates
- 11.6081, 76.0833
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Wayanad?
October to February is peak season in Wayanad. March and September is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to August. October is excellent - monsoon just ended, everything lush, waterfalls full, sanctuary reopens for safaris.
How many days do you need in Wayanad?
3 days is the usual stay. Plantation homestays and a few hostels bring trekkers; scooters help you meet people.
How do you get to Wayanad?
Fly to Calicut, 2.5h taxi/bus up Thamarassery Ghat into Wayanad. Practical ways in: flight and road.
Is Wayanad expensive, and does it get crowded?
Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Kakkayam
Kerala
Mist-locked dam valley and waterfalls above Kozhikode
20 km from Wayanad, roughly under an hour by road
-
Nilambur
Kerala
World's oldest teak plantation and the Nedumkayam rainforest
50 km from Wayanad, roughly under an hour by road
-
Kabini
Karnataka
Backwater safari base beside Nagarhole National Park
70 km from Wayanad, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Bandipur National Park
Karnataka
Deccan teak and elephant country on the Mysuru-Ooty road
90 km from Wayanad, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Masinagudi (Mudumalai)
Tamil Nadu
Sigur plateau elephant country below Ooty's 36 hairpin bends
90 km from Wayanad, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Thalassery (Tellicherry)
Kerala
Biryani, a British fort and Kerala's only drive-in beach
90 km from Wayanad, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Ooty (Udhagamandalam)
Tamil Nadu
Nilgiris' colonial hill capital, toy train and tea gardens
110 km from Wayanad, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Silent Valley National Park (Mukkali)
Kerala
Untouched rainforest saved from a dam, entered only by permit
100 km from Wayanad, roughly about 2 h by road
More places to visit in Kerala
- Alleppey (Alappuzha) Backwaters Kerala
- Aranmula Kerala
- Athirappilly Falls Kerala
- Bekal Kerala
- Fort Kochi Kerala
- Gavi Kerala
- Guruvayur Kerala
- Kakkayam Kerala
- Kannur Kerala
- Kanthalloor Kerala
- Kovalam Kerala
- Kumarakom Kerala
- Marari Beach (Mararikulam) Kerala
- Munnar Kerala
- Munroe Island (Munroe Thuruthu) Kerala
- Muziris Heritage (Kodungallur) Kerala
- Nelliyampathy Kerala
- Nilambur Kerala
- Paithalmala Kerala
- Parambikulam Tiger Reserve Kerala
- Ponmudi Kerala
- Silent Valley National Park (Mukkali) Kerala
- Thalassery (Tellicherry) Kerala
- Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary) Kerala
- Thekkady (Periyar) Kerala
- Thenmala Kerala
- Thrissur Kerala
- Vagamon Kerala
- Valiyaparamba (Nileshwar backwaters) Kerala
- Varkala Kerala