VYTHIRI TREE HOUSES, KERALA Location : Wayanad District, Kerala Altitude : 700m above sea level Known For : Pictursque landscapes, Tree houses What To Do : Rock Climbing, Trekking, Boating, Relaxing

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Enjoy a cup of hot tea filled with the aroma of freshly crushed cardamom, perching on the deep dense treetops of Wayanad. See the sinister greens sprawling under your feet, trying to shield the saffron ground underneath. Look at the ficus tree that stands sentinel with a troubled spirit wreathed around its girth by a chain. Chase the giant Malabar squirrel leaping intrepidly on the upper branches of the tree cover. Probably, there can't be more reasons to pack your bags and start exploring what lay ahead on the road to Vythiri. No doubt, you will wonder what more to expect from Vythiri and Wayanad, tucked into the valleys of Western Ghats - hills of the same brotherhood, the gorges and ravines that look so alike, the mist that wraps itself around every traveller, the colourful bunch of wild flowers and bouquets of thorns that will invariably woo your urban skin. What else could one find, beside this, in Vythiri?

Well, you might find enough for a perfect holiday vacation. Tree houses perched high up in the rain forest, rolling hills below with cardamom plantations and tea estates, high peaks and gushing waterfalls, serene lakes reflecting the cobalt blue sky above, all under your feet...you might think the world has turned upside down! Tourists often have experienced answers to life's great truths, whispered into their years as they sat before a waterfall or under the shade of a tall teak tree, gazing at the sylvan landscape in front. Vythiri in Wayanad, Kerala surely makes for a holiday with a difference.

Take Your Spirits To A High

There are very few places in the world that offer a connate experience of hedonism and education, together with the comfort of a modern holiday at the same time. Vythiri is a crossroad where the needs of the body, mind and soul are met, save you approach the holiday pad in the spirit of adventure and with an open mind. You can always explore more shades of the same green by staying in one of those unique alcoves that takes its guests high into the upper reaches of the tall trees of the rainforest. Tree houses in ethnic styles, festooned with comfortable bedrooms, attached bathrooms and a sit-out (calling it verandah would be a parody), surely take you back to a native "tribal village" experience where simplicity and harmony reigned supreme. The canopy of thick tree cover, palm and bamboo thatch hideaways tucked into the branches and the gently swaying rope-ways that connect these woods to one another, never impinge upon the serenity of nature.

Here one can stay in complete harmony with nature. Untouched, unexplored and raw. Enjoy the cllimate. Relaxing, just fine - neither too cold, nor warm. Perfect. All the time, it's like putting your AC on to a comfortable cool! Let the birds make their hub amongst the melody of leaves, let the squirrel climb the ladders to your roof, let the black cat create a spark with the flick in its eyes. Enjoy a cuckoo call in the morning, walk over to your verandah and see the play of light and shade. What a memorable experience! Enjoy a mug of hot herbal tea with some black pepper added to it along with a few drops of lemon. You can also stay in one of those wooden mansions, standing at a distance. Furnished with 3-4 rooms they surely entertain larger tourist groups. They will provide you with every modern faciities one can think of during a travel sans the pleasure of having the world under your feet. However, where ever you stay, Vythiri will surely make a holiday with a difference.

Make A Memorable 'n' Magical Holiday

Vythiri TreeHouses- Kerala

The Sholas (cluster of trees) of Vythiri are stunning and compare favourably with the downs of Scotland. Roll upon roll of gentle slopes, covered in parts with clusters of rich forest, and the sprawling grasslands too, afford an ideal opportunity for horse riding. You can pick bizarre ways from the greens to make a magical holiday. Challenging steeps for the trained climber and winding obstacles for the beginners. The hills of Vythiri have them all for rock climbing enthusiasts. Enjoy a bath under the ebullient waterfalls, balancing yourself on sharp rocks. Lay back on the velvety grass and let your thoughts fly beyond the horizon. Who knows, you could turn philosophical and measure life with dry leaves. If you love bird watching, Vyathiri is an ideal place to watch and study the habits and habitat of birds of many species. Listen to the shrill calls of the exotic hornbill, chase a butterfly and look at those giant beehives, dangling from the tall treetops, which serve as the primary pollinating agents for the cardamom plantations below.

If you want to take home a few samples of the exquisite South Indian spices, you can speak to the garden owners who trade coffee, tea, spices, vanilla and even exotic oils. And while you are at it, spare some time to have a tete-a-tete with the plantation workers about the aesthetics of the red flags that dot the lush green terraces of the finely manicured tea hills. Listen to the scary legend of the restless soul - that wandered on the hills disturbing oblivious travellers until an exorcist chained the troubled spirit into a tree - by the campfire and you can even pick up some interesting chapters of history. In the end, since no trip to Kerala is complete without an Ayurvedic massage, opt for one to invigorate or relax yourself, as your need may be.

Drive Your Way

Vythiri is an unassuming little town, situated 150 km west of Mysore in the Nilgiri biosphere, and is 5 km north of Lakkidi, the southern gateway to Wayanad district. At an elevation of 700m, it is perched on the crest of the Thamarassery range and receives the second highest rainfall in the country, next only to Cherrapunjee. There is a wide choice of photography here amidst the picturesque landscapes. The panoramic vistas of the road winding through the ghats, curving around nine hair-pin bends, is yet another view to capture. All the places that a tourist might wish to explore are within a 40 km radius of the town. If you don't have your own vehicle, you can go for local rickshaws and old-style Willys jeeps. It rains for a good part of the year in the rainforests of Vythiri. May to September are really wet months. Though it never gets too cold but it is advisable to keep a pullover in your bag to be on the safer side. Don't forget to pack binoculars, torch, raincoat and stout shoes against the leeches in the rainy season.