Chembra Peak Trek

Chembra Peak we all knew was a goodspot for one day trekking. 290 kms away from Bangalore it stands tall amidst the green misty hills which is the tallest summit (2100 m) in Wayanad. On a thursday evening, amidst our discussion of conducting local treks to introduce new folks to trekking, it was decided that I set out that weekend and see what Chembra peak is all about. The time to plan was short. Two of us decided to hop into a bus heading in the direction of Wayanad on a Saturday night and take the rest as it came. We set out from Bangalore at 10 p.m on a Rajahamsa bus heading to Calicut. The journey was smooth and at 7.30a.m we got off at Kalpetta in the Wayanad district of Kerala.

From Kalpetta, the next destination is the small town of Meppadi which is half an hour away by bus. Buses ply from the bus stand at Kalpetta to Meppadi often. Get off at Meppad mosque and take an auto to reach the base of the trek. The distance to the base is about 7kms and the autos can charge you upto Rs.100 for the distance. A small road takes you through Fathima estates.

The forest office is 2kms inside from the main road. Get off at the office and take an entry ticket. The ticket is priced at Rs.500 for upto 10 people. Insist on a getting a guide at the forest office. The trek starts at the watch tower which is 5kms away from the forest office. If you are driving, there is a designated place for parking your vehicles. The drive to the watch tower takes you through beautiful rolling tea gardens. The gardens themselves are a treat to the eye. 



At the watch tower, take the path going up and cross the tower. Veer towards your left and enter path taking you into the forest overgrowth. Its a moderate climb up and in half an hour you find yourself out of the forest cover. Enter the overgrown grassland area and the trail takes you up. There is not much of a chance to miss your path and just follow the trail.In half an hour you find yourself in a relatively flat area. You'll pass a small puddle on your right and so do not mistake it for the well known heart shaped lake of Chembra trek.

Another inclined climb for 15 minutes and you come to the heart shaped lake. It is easy to get mistaken that the peak is right in front of the lake but what you see from there is only the first of the 6 peaks to come.The final one is the tallest and your destination for the day. 
 

No confusing paths ahead, all you have to do is head up and keep reaching upto the higher peak. If you don't know the exact number of peaks you have to cover, you are always under the false hope that what you see ahead is the final one. Only to go there and find the next taller peak beckoning you. The trek from the lake to the peak takes two more hours. The lake is infact at about the mid point of the trek.

  
The trek up should on the whole take about 4 hours for medium paced trekkers. Spend some time on the peak and on a clear day, the entire Waynad can be seen. Ask your guide to show you what is where. On a cloudy day, you can get engulfed in the clouds and the visibility may not be more than 100meters. Clouds can play hide and seek with you on this trek rather well.

The descent can be a little slippery if you are there just after monsoon or during monsoon. It can require a good amount of your concentration to avoid any slips and falls. The descent can take about 3 to 4 hours. Once at the watch tower, you can wait a few minutes and in all probability find an auto which has just come up with people. The return fare is cheaper is about Rs.15 per head for the drop back to the main road.

The forest office is open on all days and you can go there and take permission for a day trek. Overnight camping on the hills is not allowed for the fear of lurking wild animals. The trek can very comfortably completed in a day and a fitting end to the trek would be a drive to the nearby Soochippara(sentinel rocks) water falls are 200 m (656 ft) in height and offers a cliff face that is good for rock climbing.