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.

      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.

      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 task and would take a full day.

      You can reach these 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 are still worth a visit.

      An interesting 2 km jungle trek off the main Ooty Road, Meenmutty is the largest and most spectacular waterfalls in Wayanad. One unique feature is that the water drops about 300 metres over three stages. Another is that this waterfall is the meeting place of three districts…..Wayanad, Nilambur forest in Malapuram district & the Nilgiris district in Tamilnadu.

      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 cremated.

      Located close to Ambalavayal town, Phantom Rock, named so because of its skull head shape, is locally called Cheengery Mala. The immediate surroundings offer excellent photo opportunities

      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, Pakshipathalam is a formation of large boulders, some as tall as two storeyed 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 to a period of strong Jain presence in this region. Believed to have been built in the 13th century, it served as a Hindu shrine and eventually as an ammunition store for Tippu Sultan's marching armies.

      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 Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamilnadu.

      Known as the southern Kashi. A ritual dip here is believed to wash away one’s worldly 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 archaeologists and historians worldwide. It is assumed that 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.