Wayanad, Kerala
Banasura Hill Trek & Meenmutty Falls, Wayanad
- Duration
- 2D / 1N2 days · 1 night
- Starts from
- Bangalore
- Trip type
- Trekking
Banasura Trek permits are limited ,subject to Forest Department availability. Do Enquiry Before Booking -limited seats
- Trekking
- Heights
- Nature
- Adventure
Dates
- 30–31 Oct 20262 days₹5,799
Prices are per person.
The trip
Banasura is one of the quieter summits of Kerala's Western Ghats, a huge cone-shaped hill rising above the Banasura Sagar reservoir in Wayanad. From the top, the reservoir's islands, the rolling grassland and ridge after ridge of the Ghats spread out in every direction, often with clouds drifting below you.
We leave Bangalore in the evening and drive overnight, reaching Wayanad early in the morning. After freshening up and a local breakfast, the trek starts near the Banasura Sagar Dam. The first 45 minutes are steep, then the trail winds through dense shola forest, past mountain streams where you can refill bottles, and into open fields of knee-high grass with wide views. The last kilometre is steep, exposed and sunlit, and ends at the summit. On the way down we stop at Meenmutty Falls, a three-tiered waterfall tumbling through the forest. The trek is about 12 km in all.
The night is spent in tents at a hilltop campsite on Ambukuthi Hill, with a simple dinner, a bonfire when the weather allows, and a sky full of stars far from any network.
The second day is slow. After breakfast we head to Karapuzha Dam, a wide reservoir ringed by quiet hills, where you can try a zipline or boating, or just sit by the water. Activities there and lunch are paid on the spot. In the afternoon we start back, reaching Bangalore around 10:30 PM.
Transport, the campsite night, 2 breakfasts and 1 dinner, trek and forest permits, tolls, a trek leader and a local guide are included.
Highlights
Day 1 · 9:00 AMTrek to the Banasura summit
Day 1 · 2:30 PMMeenmutty Falls
Day 2 · 9:30 AMKarapuzha Dam
Day by day
Overnight Drive, Banasura Summit & Meenmutty Falls
Pickups start at 8:25 PM the evening before (HSR Layout, Domlur, St. Mark's Road, Nayandahalli by 10:00 PM); dinner that night is self-sponsored, so please eat before boarding. We drive overnight in a non-AC push-back seat vehicle and reach Wayanad around 7:30 AM. After breakfast we trek to the Banasura summit, stop at Meenmutty Falls on the way down, and spend the night in tents at a hilltop campsite.
- 7:30 AMReach Wayanad & freshen upArrive in Wayanad after the overnight drive and freshen up before the trek.
- 8:00 AMBreakfast (included)A local breakfast before heading to the trailhead near the Banasura Sagar Dam.
- 9:00 AMTrek to the Banasura summit (a highlight)A steep first 45 minutes, then shola forest, mountain streams and open grassland, ending with a steep, exposed final kilometre to the top.
- 12:30 PMSummit views & descentRest at the summit with views over the reservoir's islands and the Western Ghats, then retrace the trail down through forest and streams.
- 2:30 PMMeenmutty Falls (a highlight)A stop at Meenmutty Falls, a three-tiered waterfall in the forest, on the way down.
- 4:00 PMLate lunch (self-sponsored)A late lunch at a local eatery on the way back. Not included in the price.
- 5:30 PMBack to base & drive to the campsiteReturn to the base and drive to the hilltop campsite on Ambukuthi Hill. Tents are on double/triple sharing, separate for men and women.
- 8:00 PMDinner & bonfire (included)A simple dinner at the campsite, then a bonfire if the weather allows and a night under the stars.
Karapuzha Dam & Return to Bangalore
An easy day after the trek. Breakfast at the campsite, then a few hours at Karapuzha Dam, where zipline, boating and other activities are optional and paid on the spot. Lunch is self-sponsored, and we drive back in the afternoon, reaching Bangalore around 10:30 PM.
- 7:00 AMWake up, freshen up & pack upSunrise at the campsite, then pack up and check out.
- 8:00 AMBreakfast (included)Breakfast before heading out for the day.
- 9:30 AMKarapuzha Dam (a highlight)A wide reservoir ringed by quiet hills. Walk along the water or simply sit by the shore and take in the views.
- 10:30 AMZipline, boating & more (optional)Optional adventure activities at the dam, such as a zipline over the water and boating. Paid on the spot, not included in the price.
- 1:00 PMLunch (self-sponsored)Lunch at a local eatery near the dam, from Kerala thalis to quick bites. Not included in the price.
- 2:30 PMDrive back to BangaloreHead home, reaching Bangalore around 10:30 PM along the pickup route, depending on traffic and weather.
What’s included
6 items · extras
Gear & extras, 6 items
- 2 breakfasts and 1 dinner
- Trek permits, forest permits and entry fees
- Inter-state taxes, road permits and tolls
- Round trip from Bangalore by non-AC tempo traveller or mini bus (by group size) with push-back seats
- Night in tents at a hilltop campsite, double/triple sharing, separate for men and women
- Trek leader and a local guide
Not included, 6 items
- Meals not listed in the inclusions, including both lunches and dinner on the way out
- Adventure activities at Karapuzha Dam (zipline, boating and others)
- Personal expenses of any kind
- Insurance of any kind (health, medical, life and accidental)
- Anything not mentioned in the inclusions
- GST @ 5%
Questions about this trip
What should I carry?
A copy of your photo ID; a small backpack for the trek; 2 water bottles (1 litre each); a raincoat and bag cover; a warm layer for the campsite night; a torch or headlamp; flip-flops; an extra set of clothes and poly bags for wet ones; a power bank; and cash for lunches, the dinner on the way out and any activities at Karapuzha Dam.
How hard is the Banasura trek?
It is rated easy to moderate: about 12 km in all on a clearly marked trail. The first 45 minutes and the last kilometre to the summit are steep, and the top is exposed to sun and wind, so carry water and a cap. The rest runs through shola forest and grassland at a gentler gradient. Anyone with basic fitness can do it. The minimum age is 10.
Are trek permits guaranteed?
Permits are included but limited by the Forest Department: 75 trekkers a day, of which 40 permits are sold online, usually opening about 20 days before the trek date, and the rest are issued at the forest counter on the day. Each departure also needs at least 9 trekkers, so bookings are confirmed subject to the batch filling and permits being issued.
Where do we stay?
In tents at a hilltop campsite on Ambukuthi Hill, on double or triple sharing with separate tents for men and women. It is basic and remote, with little or no phone network, a bonfire when the weather allows and wide views at sunrise.
Is it safe to join solo or with strangers?
Yes. Most people on this trek come solo or in small groups. The group is led by a trek leader together with a local guide, a female trek leader accompanies every group, and men and women sleep in separate tents.
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