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Chembra Peak Trail

Meppadi, Wayanad, Kerala

RestrictedMedium Verified sources 4.3(1520 reviews)

A steep grassland climb past the heart-shaped lake to Wayanad's highest ridge, capped at a fixed number of hikers per day.

Chembra Peak Trail trail landscape
Chembra Peak Trail photograph 2

The numbers

Distance

7 km

Duration

4 hours

Elevation gain

700 m

Max altitude

2100 m

Trail type

Out & back

Best season

September to February

Route map

Tentative out-and-back route · not survey-grade
Start: Chembra Peak forest office, MeppadiRoute type: Out & back7 km · +700 m · 4 hours

What the difficulty actually means

Short but relentlessly steep on loose grass with no shade. The heart lake point is the usual turnaround.

Fitness needed

Moderate — 2-3 hours steep uphill in heat

Technical exposure

Moderate — grass slopes drop away either side of the upper ridge

Terrain

Tea estate track, open grassland, rock steps

Recommended start: First slot 7:00 am — tickets sell out by 9 am on weekends

Trust & sources

Government and forest sources take priority for permits, closures and legal access. Recent hiker reports supplement them with on-ground conditions.

Verified trailhead

Official Government Source

Chembra Peak forest office, Meppadi

Kerala Forest & Wildlife Department·Government·Checked 2026-08-21Source

Current status

Official Government Source

Restricted — Daily entry capped at 200 hikers; summit beyond heart lake closed to the public.

Kerala Forest & Wildlife Department·Forest Department·Checked 2026-08-28Source

Permits & fees

Official Government Source

Entry ₹750 for a group of up to 10, booked at the forest office; ID mandatory

Kerala Forest & Wildlife Department·Government·Checked 2026-08-21Source

Guide requirement

Official Government Source

Forest guide assigned with every ticket

Kerala Forest & Wildlife Department·Forest Department·Checked 2026-08-21Source

Getting there

Driving

Kalpetta to Meppadi, 14 km; jeep to the trailhead from the forest office

Public transport

KSRTC bus to Meppadi, then autorickshaw

Parking

Forest office parking, ₹50

On the trail

Mobile coverage

Good until the grassland, patchy above

Water

Carry 2L — no source on the climb

Food

Tea shops in Meppadi; plastic banned inside

Toilets

At the forest office

Family suitability

Suitable with children

Pets

Pets not allowed

Safety

  • No plastic allowed — bottles are counted at entry and exit
  • Grass fires close the trail at short notice in February-March

Recent trail-condition reports

No condition reports yet. Be the first to file one.

Reviews

No reviews yet for this trail.

Trails near Kerala