Exploring the tea estates of Wayanad on a bicycle || Kerala Diaries

Our Wayanad and Kannur trip was planned by Indian Untravelled and half-day cycling trip was part of it. Idea was to go to around Kozhikodessa Tea Gardens and enjoy cycling in these hilly terrains of Wayanad. We had to meet Muddy Boots office and from there they had to take us to these beautiful gardens. This Photo Journey shares about our cycling experience.We had to reach Muddy Boot office at 1pm, because it was 1 hr drive to the tea estates. Muddy Boots was supposed to arrange a vehicle for the next journey. When we reached Muddy Boots office, it was closed. We started calling folks who could help us. We bothered our host at Bamboo Village homestay. After 45 minutes or so, a boy comes out of the office who was sleeping. And can you guess what he said??He suggested us to wait for 30 minutes so that he can take bath and in the mean time cab will come to pick us. By now, we were extremely frustrated. We didn't want to waste our precious time around such a beautiful place. Unfortunate part was that we had already done the payment of 1000 Rs through India Untravelled. Such experiences always discourage me to do too much of advanced planning :). Anyways, nothing was in our control and we kept waiting for the dude to come out :).Finally he came out, talked to our Auto driver in native language and asked us to take the same auto till tea gardens and told that Muddy Boots would pay for rest of the journey. Without thinking much, I was relaxed that finally we would be there to enjoy cycling. btw, it was already getting dark. skylines were changing and hues were changing to orange now.Finally we reached landscapes full of tea gardens. Lush green landscapes make this part of Wayanad very special. After reaching Kozhikodessa we met 2 boys handling 5-6 cycles. We took two of them and headed towards an isolated road in the middle of these tea gardens.It was getting hard for me to balance the cycle and ride :). Vibha took few minutes to settle and she enjoyed riding few kilometers, while I spent most of the time clicking photographs of these gardens and interesting events happening around this place. There were around 50 cows in these tea gardens who were enjoying tea leaves.This boy was taking care of all cows in the gradens and ensuring that none of them go to the other part of the road. Along with regular tracking of all cows, he was making best of his time by catching fishes for the dinner :).I spent some time walking around these gardens and kept moving towards the forest where Vibha and Muddy Boot team had gone. After a while I saw them coming back.
Cycling around these tea gardens of Wayanad can be an interesting experience, but think twice before making advanced bookings for such events. Keep it flexible and do whenever you have time for it.

Our Wayanad and Kannur trip in Kerela was planned by Indian Untravelled and half-day cycling trip was part of it. Idea was to go to around Kozhikodessa Tea Gardens and enjoy cycling in these hilly terrains of Wayanad. We had to meet Muddy Boots office and from there they had to take us to these beautiful gardens. This Photo Journey shares about our cycling experience.

We had to reach Muddy Boot office at 1pm, because it was 1 hr drive to the tea estates. Muddy Boots was supposed to arrange a vehicle for the next journey. When we reached Muddy Boots office, it was closed. We started calling folks who could help us. We bothered our host at Bamboo Village homestay. After 45 minutes or so, a boy comes out of the office who was sleeping. And can you guess what he said??

He suggested us to wait for 30 minutes so that he can take bath and in the mean time cab will come to pick us. By now, we were extremely frustrated. We didn't want to waste our precious time around such a beautiful place. Unfortunate part was that we had already done the payment of 1000 Rs through India Untravelled. Such experiences always discourage me to do too much of advanced planning :). Anyways, nothing was in our control and we kept waiting for the dude to come out :).

Finally he came out, talked to our Auto driver in native language and asked us to take the same auto till tea gardens and told that Muddy Boots would pay for rest of the journey. Without thinking much, I was relaxed that finally we would be there to enjoy cycling. btw, it was already getting dark. skylines were changing and hues were changing to orange now.

Finally we reached landscapes full of tea gardens. Lush green landscapes make this part of Wayanad very special. After reaching Kozhikodessa we met 2 boys handling 5-6 cycles. We took two of them and headed towards an isolated road in the middle of these tea gardens.

It was getting hard for me to balance the cycle and ride :). Vibha took few minutes to settle and she enjoyed riding few kilometers, while I spent most of the time clicking photographs of these gardens and interesting events happening around this place.

There were around 50 cows in these tea gardens who were enjoying tea leaves.

This boy was taking care of all cows in the gradens and ensuring that none of them go to the other part of the road. Along with regular tracking of all cows, he was making best of his time by catching fishes for the dinner :).

I spent some time walking around these gardens and kept moving towards the forest where Vibha and Muddy Boot team had gone. After a while I saw them coming back.

Cycling around these tea gardens of Wayanad can be an interesting experience, but think twice before making advanced bookings for such events. Keep it flexible and do whenever you have time for it.