Kerala’s Thirunelli and Chekadi Trails of Responsible Tourism Mission launched
Image used for representation only_Kerala Tourism
Tourism Minister PC Vishnunadh said the project has been implemented with the vision of enabling visitors to directly experience rural life and that the initiative aims to create a responsible tourism culture without disturbing the local life and unique culture of the people of Wayanad.
As part of the ‘Life Experience Trails Kerala’ project being implemented by the Kerala Responsible Tourism Mission Society of Kerala Tourism under the State Government’s 100-day action programme, the Thirunelli and Chekadi trails in Wayanad were launched.
Tourism Minister PC Vishnunadh inaugurated the trails along with the official announcement of the government’s ‘Brand Wayanad’ project. Vishnunadh said the project has been implemented with the vision of enabling visitors to directly experience the rural life and unique culture of Wayanad. He said that the initiative aims at creating a responsible tourism culture without disturbing the local life and unique culture of the people of Wayanad.
Through the Wayanad-Thirunelli Trail, visitors will get to experience a combination of nature and culture, along with tribal culture, an understanding of the forest, and a visit to the Thirunelli Temple. After visiting the Thirunelli Temple, the trail proceeds to Nettara village, which is known for its scenic rural beauty. From there, the journey continues to a traditional Wayanad house, around 150 years old, with a thatched roof. The trail then takes visitors to Unniyettan’s shop to buy and taste Unniyappam, followed by a visit to a coffee plantation, before returning to Kalpetta.
The Chekadi trail offers an opportunity to experience village life surrounded by lush green paddy fields, along with the aroma and traditions of Wayanad coffee. It has been designed to enable visitors to experience the entire process of coffee production, from cultivation to harvesting, drying, grinding and making coffee powder.
Kerala RT Mission CEO K. Rupesh Kumar said that the new ‘Life Experience Trails’ package has been launched with a focus on responsible tourism and with the aim of enabling visitors to directly experience the lives and livelihoods of local communities and traditional art forms through sustainable tourism activities. This will bring together the diverse possibilities of rural life in Wayanad and integrating food diversity, art forms and traditional occupational sectors.
