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Spice Tours:

Home to several Spices, wayanad now has a viable spice cultivation program. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama had landed on the Kerala coast in the late 15th Century and opened the sea route for spice to Europe. From Cardamom to Cinnamon, Pepper to Ginger and even Vanilla, you can see for yourself the abundance of spice all along the hills of Wayanad. Around 45% of plantation crops in India are grown in kerala out of which a major chunk is from Wayanad region. Many of the spice farms are homestead where a small scale farmer has only a few acres of holding. Our guide will lead you through the spice gardens all spread across several hillocks. That promise to be a feast not just for your eyes but all your senses. An option of sharing a traditional Kerala lunch with the planters is also offered.

The idea of spice tour was conceived as an alternative source of income for small scale farmers and platners in Wayanad. Spice tours are also arranged in such a way that it introduces the planters life style amongst these spice gardens to travellers.

Suitable for: Those who are interested in nature walks and spices. Depending upon the location, the plantation walk could be through undulating terrain. One of the most popular programs amongst all age groups.

Season: Through out the year
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Visit to an alternative lifestyle school:

''Kanavu' meaning dream is a unique learning community, founded by KJ Baby. KJ Baby is a novelist and playwright, who decided to leave the urban life and mainstream literary world, and instead live amongst the tribal population of Wayanad. Over the course of the last decade, KJ Baby, his wife Shirley and local children have set up a wonderful space, in which living is learning and learning is living. The community of around fifty people farm, cook, clean, play, laugh, gather wood from the forest, swim, make pottery, drum sing and dance in spontaneous and self organising ways. 'Kanavu' is where learning happens.

A discussion of the ethnography of an alternative school or commune, Kanavu explores the diverse learning spices and methodologies that have been incorporated into its system, where learning happens for children who participate.

Kanavu also runs a mobile library project in local villages (which has the long-term plan to generate a tribal peoples’ movement to ensure their access to and control over local resources and land, as well as to maintain their diverse ways of life). Interaction with the students and KJ Baby would give you an insight into indigenous struggles in Kerala, and the experience of tribal families. This is a place to be closer to the nature, art and music and feel the spirit of the place and the people associated with it.

Suitable for: those looking for insight into local lives. If you are in a rush, probably a wrong place to visit.

Distance from base camp: 45 kms
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Extension trips:
For those who want to explore other areas in Kerala including north and south of Kerala, The Blue Yonder travel desk can arrange the same. This includes holidaying on the banks of River Nila, Nilambur, Kannur, Bakel, Athirampally , Cochin , Alleppey, Munnar, Thekkady and Varkala. Please contact our reservation for more details.