How to Reach Kalladi, Wayanad: Road, Rail and Air Route Guide

This page covers the journey only. For the trek itself, the permits and what to expect on the trail, read our Kalladi trek guide. If you still need to get into Wayanad from another state, our how to reach Wayanad guide has every airport and station.

Kalladi Distance Chart

Kalladi sits in Meppadi panchayat, Vythiri taluk, and almost every route funnels through Meppadi town. The chart gives the road distance to Meppadi and to Kalladi, 8 km further on.

Meppadi distances for Kalpetta, Kozhikode, Nilambur and Bengaluru come from the Meppadi town record. Drive times assume daylight. Add 30 to 60 minutes on weekends, when the Thamarassery churam backs up.

Kalpetta to Meppadi Distance and Buses

Meppadi is 12 km from Kalpetta, a 25-minute drive on the Kalpetta to Chundale road with a turn at Chundale. Private and KSRTC buses cover it several times an hour from the Kalpetta town stand. Meppadi to Kalpetta works the same way in reverse. If you are staying in Kalpetta or Vythiri, a taxi to Kalladi and back makes an easy half day.

Coming from Kozhikode: Step by Step

1. Take a train to Kozhikode, or fly into Calicut airport.

2. Board a KSRTC bus to Kalpetta at the Kozhikode KSRTC stand, or book a taxi straight to Meppadi.

3. Climb the Thamarassery churam on NH 766 through Lakkidi and Vythiri.

4. Turn off at Chundale for Meppadi, or change buses at Kalpetta for the 12 km run to Meppadi.

5. At Meppadi, hire a taxi or jeep for the 8 km along the Chooralmala road.

6. Meet your guide or jeep at Kalladi and confirm the day's permissions before you start.

Arriving in the afternoon? Sleep in Meppadi or Kalpetta and do the last 8 km the next morning. The churam in the dark, in rain, is not worth the saved night.

The Last Mile: Meppadi to Kalladi

Meppadi is the base. It has fuel, ATMs, pharmacies, places to eat and a taxi stand, and nothing past it on the Chooralmala road is as reliable. Buses beyond Meppadi towards Chooralmala can be limited or suspended after the landslides, so a taxi or jeep from Meppadi town is the dependable way to cover the last 8 km.

Kalladi is also the point where ordinary cars stop. The road up to 900 Kandi is steep and partly unpaved, and hatchbacks and sedans are not allowed beyond the Kalladi base. Guided treks here run with forest department permission only, so arrange your guide before you leave Meppadi. The Kalladi trek entry fees and Kalladi trek timings pages list what to carry and when to start.

Kalladi to 900 Kandi (Glass Bridge): Jeep Base and Route

Kalladi is the jeep base for 900 Kandi (Thollayiram Kandi), the forest eco-park with Wayanad's glass bridge. Park at Kalladi and switch to a 4x4 jeep for the 4 to 6 km climb, which takes about 25 minutes on a rough estate track. A 2026 guide by Wayanadn puts the jeep fare at Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,250 per jeep for up to six people, which makes it cheaper for a full group than a couple. Fit walkers can hike the track instead in 1 to 1.5 hours.

900 Kandi is roughly 12 to 15 km from Meppadi town and 21 to 30 km from Kalpetta, depending on the source and the route. The 25 September 2026 district order closed adventure tourism centres along with treks, and listings online still disagree on whether the glass bridge has reopened. Confirm with DTPC Wayanad or the operator before you drive to Kalladi for it.

Current Access Status: Check Before You Travel

Kalladi lies in the same belt as two fatal landslides, and access on this side of Wayanad can change within a day.

• 30 July 2024. The Mundakkai and Chooralmala landslide devastated the valley beyond Kalladi. General Wayanad tourism reopened in stages, but the Mundakkai to Chooralmala belt has stayed a checkpoint-controlled no-go zone for tourists (Onmanorama).

• 7 July 2026. After nearly 200 mm of rain in a day, a landslide buried the Kalladi portal worksite of the Wayanad tunnel near Meenakshi bridge, Meppadi, and killed several workers (Down To Earth). The state government suspended tunnel construction and ordered an investigation (Wayanad Tunnel record).

• 25 September 2026. With a heavy-rain warning in force, District Collector Chelsasini V, who chairs the Wayanad DDMA, ordered trekking and adventure tourism centres across the district to close until further orders. The order singles out the Mundakkai and Chooralmala belt and the Kalladi tunnel area (Onmanorama).

Before you go, check the latest advisory from the Wayanad District Disaster Management Authority at wayanad.gov.in, or ask the South Wayanad Forest Division or your licensed local operator. Stay off the Chooralmala road during orange or red rain alerts, and treat any undated "open" claim online with suspicion.

If Kalladi is closed on your dates, Wayanad has other guided treks within an hour of Meppadi. Try the Chembra Peak trek, the trek to the Valley of Clouds or the Sahibkunnu trek, or browse all treks in Wayanad.

Future Route: the Anakkampoyil to Kalladi Wayanad Tunnel

Kalladi is the Wayanad end of the planned 8.1 km twin-tube road tunnel from Anakkampoyil in Kozhikode district. It is meant to bypass the Thamarassery churam and cut the Kozhikode to Wayanad drive. Work began on 31 August 2025 with a 2029 target, and the project is budgeted at Rs 2,134 crore (Wayanad Tunnel record). Since the July 2026 slide, work is on hold. Until the tunnel opens, the churam on NH 766 is the only road from the coast. The worksite is not a viewpoint, so don't stop or park near it.

Which Route Should You Take?

Flying in, land at Calicut and take a taxi straight to Meppadi. It is the fastest door to door at 3 to 3.5 hours. By train, get off at Kozhikode and ride the KSRTC bus to Kalpetta. It is the cheapest way up. From Bengaluru or Mysuru, drive by day through Muthanga, sleep in Kalpetta or Meppadi, and do Kalladi the next morning.

The trek itself is a half day. Base yourself in Meppadi, Kalpetta or Vythiri, and use our guides to places to visit in Wayanad and the best time to visit Wayanad to fill the rest of the trip. October to March is the safest window for this side of the district.

Want it planned for you? Our Wayanad tour packages include pick-up from Calicut, Kozhikode or Bengaluru, and a guided Kalladi trek can be added when access permits. Travelling with children or as a couple, see Wayanad family packages and Wayanad honeymoon packages.

Distances and access details on this page were checked by our Kerala travel desk against Kerala Tourism's Kalladi record, the Wayanad district administration and KSRTC routes on the date shown at the top.

Coming from another city? See how to reach Wayanad from Delhi, from Mumbai, from Kolkata and from Pune. Before you set off, read our Kalladi trekking tips.

Edited by TravelTriangle