Blog Post: S. Fazal Daoud Firdausi
Wayanad is a district located in the northeastern part of Kerala, India. It is a famous hill station of Kerala with mesmerising natural beauty. The hilly terrain of Wayanad is covered with dense forests, wildlife and plantations. Wayanad is located at the southern tip of the Deccan plateau. It is a part of the majestic Western Ghats. Due to its location, picturesque landscape and diversity in flora and fauna, a lot of nature based tourism and ecotourism opportunities are available. Following are some of the well-known nature-based tourism destinations:
What is ecotourism?
- Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
- Banasura Earthen Dam
- Soochipara Falls
- Lakkidi View Point
- Karalad Lake
- Meenmutty Falls
- Kanthanpara Falls
What is ecotourism?
Cherry Picked Ecotourism Opportunities in Wayanad
Brahmagiri Hill Trek: Brahmagiri hill is situated on the border between Wayanad, Kerala and Kodagu, Karnataka. It is a very popular trek which involves hiking as well as raising awareness about the local environment.
Muthanga & Tholpetty: They are part of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. Here, the tourists can have an amazing experience of wilderness. Moreover, the trip involves learning about flora and fauna and medicinal plants. It also includes an elephant camp to raise awareness about the same. The visit also provides interesting insights into the life of the tribal population of Wayanad.
Muthanga & Tholpetty: They are part of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. Here, the tourists can have an amazing experience of wilderness. Moreover, the trip involves learning about flora and fauna and medicinal plants. It also includes an elephant camp to raise awareness about the same. The visit also provides interesting insights into the life of the tribal population of Wayanad.
Rising Discontent due to Irresponsible Tourism
In Wayanad, ecotourism practices are followed by only a few operators and community based organisations such as Ecotourism Society of Wayanad. It has resulted in excessive tourism activities and unsustainable practices. As a result, Kerala High Court on 21st March, 2019 closed down several tourist sites in the district. According to The Hindu, two important ecotourism sites i.e. Kuruva Island and Sentinel rock waterfall were re-opened in April, 2021. After the authorities committed to restricting the number of visitors and conducting carrying capacity study of the sites. It is expected that authorities will now be able to adhere to the principles of ecotourism while resuming the tourism activities in the area.