Edakkal Caves in Wayanad
· Summer: March-May (20°C - 36°C)
· Winter: December-February (10°C - 31°C)
· Monsoon: June-September
Best time to visit:
October-May
Opening Time: 09:00 a.m.
Closing Time: 05:00 p.m. (entry closes at 04:00 p.m.)
Weekly Holiday: Monday
Entry Fees for Indians
Adults: INR 15
Children:
N/A
Cameras: INR 25
Video Camera: INR 100
Entry Fees for Foreign Nationals
Adults:
INR 15
Children:
N/A
Cameras:
INR 25
Video Camera:
INR 100
With interesting pictorial writings and petroglyphs dating back to Stone Age and Neolithic Age (about 8,000 years old) to their credit, Edakkal Caves promise thrilling expeditions to the initial stage of human evolution. Located on Ambukuthi Mala Mountain in the Western Ghats, these are more appropriately described as fissures with huge boulders roofing the clefts. Discovered at the end of the 19th century, they are believed to have been inhabited a number of times. Many interesting mythological tales and folklores are associated with these one-of-their-kind caves in South India.
Apart from all kinds of motifs, shapes and symbols like triangles, stars, squares, tridents, crosses and wheels, the walls of the cleft also showcase human and animal figures, along with the images of a variety of weapons and tools. Some of the pictures are believed to have mysterious resemblance with Indus Valley Civilization.
It is an unbelievable experience to explore these iconic open galleries surrounded by lavish greenery of the region. Tourists also get to enjoy the magnificent views of the natural vistas using a telescope installed nearby.
Connectivites
Road:
Close to the towns of Sultan Bathery (about 12 km. away) and Kalpetta (about 31 km. away), the climbing base of the caves is connected by hill roads offering pleasurable journey in jeeps and taxis. At the point where road ends, one needs to cover the distance to the caves on foot.
Railway:
The nearest railway station is at Kozhikode, which is about 100 km. away. Prefer to hire a taxi (mostly jeeps are available) to reach the starting point of the hike.
Airway:
The international airport at Karipur near Kozhikode is the nearest airport about 107 km. from the caves. Again, the best way to reach the caves from here is in taxis.