The Edakkal Caves Wayanad are Wayanad’s pride, with prehistoric drawings and writings telling us about the earliest men to settle here. The caves can be reached by a flight of steps carved in stone, winding their way around the rocks which seem to have been piled one on top of the other by some unknown hand. They stand as they did centuries earlier, is cause for wonder, but even more wondrous is the thought of ancient man clambering up these rocks to reach a safe haven in the cave at such a height.
These are not caves the like the caverns formed in mountains, but a fissure, formed in the mountain, over which a rock has fallen, forming a cave-like structure. The sides of the fissure are covered with engraved figures, representing humans, animals, and various other shapes. These caves were discovered by the British superintendent of the Malabar, F.Fawcett, in 1896. At that time, the lower parts of the cave were covered by moss, which was then removed to reveal the engravings in their entirety.
Recent research has estimated that the engravings here are from different periods, from 5000 BC to 1000 BC, making them the oldest in the region! The return path is slightly easier, as the tourism department has replaced the stone steps with steel ones which lead all the way down. The Edakkal caves are located at a distance of 25 Km from Kalpetta.
Important to note: It is all about the 3+ hr trek. The cave is just an impetus and drive to reach the top of the cliff. This trek is not recommended for the elderly and for those with kids-in-arms.