Landscapes as diverse as savannahs, wooded hills and evergreen forests, all rolled into one place – Wayanad, make it a truly special destination. The district also has a history as interesting as its landscape. It is believed that human life existed here from as early as 4000 BC. The rock carvings and caves of Ambukuthimala substantiate this belief. Large plantations of tea, coffee and spices can be seen here. Lush green paddy fields, from which Wayanad has derived its name (Vayal meaning paddy fields and Naad meaning village) add to its magnificence.
Located at a distance of about 76 kms from Kozhikode, Wayanad is a district that lies at a height of 700m to 2100m above sea level, on the northeastern part of the state. Wayanad is perhaps one of the biggest foreign exchange earners of the state, thanks to its cash crops such as pepper, cardamom, coffee, tea, spices and other condiments.
A large percentage of the population in this region is tribal. The native Adivasis mainly consist of various sects like Paniyas, Kurumas, Adiyars, Kurichyas, Ooralis, Kattunaikkans, etc. Dominated by the Western Ghats, one of the world’s last surviving tracts of tropical biodiversity, Wayanad’s terrain is characterized by stretches of backwoods. Being more or less isolated from the rest of Kerala, the region has a distinctive character, all of its own.