The District Tourism Promotion Council will set up more facilities at the Kanthanpara waterfalls, an emerging tourism destination in Wayanad district, to attract more tourists.
A tourist can reach the destination after a 20-minute drive from the nearest town Meppadi through tea and coffee plantations. The waterfalls is located at two levels amid lush green bamboo gardens and natural forests.
“As the area is close to the Meppadi forest range under the South Wayanad Forest Division, the destination is a haven for different species of birds, especially Malabar gray hornbill, Common flameback woodpecker, White cheeked barbet, and White throated kingfisher,” says B. Anand, Wayanad DTPC secretary.
“We are planning to tap the ecotourism potential of the site by providing bird-watching trips for enthusiasts and a two-hour riverside trek on the banks of the Kanthanpara river for adventure tourists,” Mr. Anand said.
He said bird-watching trips would be organised from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and trekking from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. A fee of ₹1,000 would be charged for a group of five for bird-watching and ₹500 for a group of four for trekking.
The facilities would be available for tourists by middle of March.
The DTPC had spent ₹50 lakh for developing the site, spread over nearly 1.5 acres.
Work on a ticket counter, two viewpoints, vehicle parking facilities, pavements with handrails up to the waterfalls, toilet block, and seating arrangements had been completed. Bathing facilities for tourists near the waterfall would also be provided.
The second-phase construction work was on at an estimate of ₹47 lakh.
For online booking visit wayanadtourism.org