Wayanad, the mystical land of paddy, where the musty fragrance of tea fills the air, Where the smell of white coffee flowers, mingle with fresh dew, where little frogs croak by the dozen before a rain, where adivasi beats, the sandalwood fragrance from the temples, the incense from the churches & calls from the mosques, waft together with the mist, creating a magical weave in this magical land.
Grassroots is set on a coffee plantation, with the Vythiri ranges and the majestic Chembra peak looming large to the right and the Banasura range to the left.
An ideal destination for the traveler who enjoys trekking, fishing, bird watching, wildlife sighting, biking, off road driving or just plain relaxing.
It overlooks the tea plantations, that have been there since the British first turned up.
Five plush, luxury Swiss tents welcome you.
They are spacious, airy and come with warm, clean furnishings that fit right in.
All tents are air-conditioned and contain all the amenities that a discerning traveller could ask for.
The tents come with satellite television; hot water is available all through the day.
Wifi is available.
A select collection of film CD's, a range of books on the surrounding regions and wildlife can be found in the library.
The restaurantcaters to the global taste buds.
The cuisine is mostly continental with a few choice Indian dishes.
There are special menus for the little guests.
Parents are encouraged to take part in the informal sessions and spend time with the in house chefs.
The dining area opens to an outside space that has a commanding view of the surrounding magical mountains.
Activities Visit to the Gurukulam Visit Gurukulam botanical sanctuary, home to about 2000 species of endangered plants.
Meet the founders Wolfgang Theuerkauf and Suprabha Seshan.
Distance from the property is 65 Kms The International union for conservation of nature has rated Gurukulam as one of the 25 centres of Bio diversity in the world There are no charges, but voluntary donations to the organisation are most welcome and accepted with gratitude Half a day Bicycle Trips Cycling trips from half to a full day can be arranged They have geared Bicycles on the property and there are very Scenic roads to cycle.
Traffic density is low.
Hiring charges extra Nature Drive A 28 kms Jeep ride through spectacular forests of spectacular flora.
The possibility of seeing wild life is high.
This can also include long walks at the end of the 28 kms ride.
The return journey by Speed boat is also possible.
Visits to the Arlem Wildlife Sanctuary and Wayanad wildlife sanctuary.
Trekking Trekking is amazing into the Wayanad sanctuary.
Possible in three ranges of Chethalayam( kuruva/kabini forest), Muthanga and Tholepatti forest.
It is better done after a few rains as forests are pretty dry now.
Arlem is a birders paradise and can also be done on foot.
This again is a full day programme Trek to the Chembra Peak.
There is a motorable road to the base camp.
Half a day.
Trek to the Banasura peak.
A whole day program.
Trikepetta Bamboo village Walk through the village and lunch at a local villager's house.
Duration: 4 hours This will be through Trikepetta village also called Bamboo village There will be a guided tour of the area with walk through the paddy fields/ plantation.
Visit to Uravu (an Ngo involved in the field of Bamboo and Bamboo related products).
One could buy their products and for those who attend a course in any of the bamboo making skills, that could be arranged at a cost and prior notice Visit a bamboo plantation and visit the 100 year old Trikepetta Shiva temple for those who are interested.
Plant a bamboo sapling, which will be nurtured by the villagers in your honour (Only sapling cost to be paid to Uravu) Walk to the forest, not strenuous Lunch at villager's house (vegetarian traditional meal)Rs 150/head Added to this would be the cost of a local guide which is Rs 300/- which will apply if the group is 1 or 20 people.
The larger the size the lesser the cost/head Boating and walk along the river Walk along the river, paddy fields and the Tea plantations; approximate time 3 hours.
This is right next to the property.
One could also have a swim in the river.
Cruise along the river in a village boat, seeing all of rural wayanad, time could be three hours.
Could also include a lunch in a village home.
Cost of boat trip would be Rs 350/trip Bird watching Bird watching trips can be arranged around the property with a naturalist to explain; Duration 3 hours Banasurasagar lake This has become a very poulatr activity.
There are no crowds.
Drift along the Backwaters of the Banasurasagar reservoir in a country ferry known as Changadam.
One can travel for hours stop at will in the islands and forests and Lunch or breakfast or tea can be arranged.
Overnight stay in a mud hut close to the water can also be arranged.
Ayurvedic Spa The resort has a tie up with an ayurvedic hospital.
Various medicines and treatments are available.
Getting There AIR The nearest domestic airport is Kozhikode (Calicut), around 100 km away (approximately a two-hour drive).
Kochi International Airport is 140 km away.
The drive from Kochi is around three to four hours.
Bangalore International Airport is also about 282 km away.
The drive will take you roughly five and a half hours.
RAIL The nearest station is Kozhikode (Calicut), 100 km from the resort.
The station is well-served by trains from major cities in India, including Mumbai and Chennai.
ROAD Take the NH - 209 and take the Mysore - Kollengal route to the resort.
The drive from Bangalore to Wayanad(282 kms) takes about 5 hours.
The drive from Mysore(192kms) takes about 2hrs 20 mins.
The hotel can arrange pick-ups from Mysore and Calicut.